| 'Strictly Come Dancing' is a reality TV show which | | | | right."In football he had to practise the same thing again |
| makes grown men tremble if only at the thought of | | | | and again in pursuit of perfection.Peter must also have |
| dancing with beautiful women in skimpy clothes.A | | | | been touched and motivated by the support of the |
| professional dance champion coaches an amateur | | | | Manchester United fans who made up a special song |
| partner and they perform a weekly dance together. | | | | for him and even performed it with actions on |
| The judges give points and the general public phone in | | | | television:"He steps to the left. He steps to the right. |
| on behalf of their favourites. One couple are eliminated | | | | That boy Shmeichel. He can Tango all night."Peter |
| every week.Motivation is a key factor in deciding who | | | | described how he was greatly moved and motivated |
| will do their best and who will win. The program is full | | | | by the fact that the great British public kept him and |
| of key motivational lessons.One huge source of | | | | Erin in the competition by phoning in their support. The |
| motivation is other people. Even the judges can | | | | phone calls made up for the poor scores which were |
| provide tremendous support to a performer. This will | | | | given him by the judges.Matt Dawson, the rugby |
| boost their confidence and make them keen not to let | | | | player, worked hard and was a quick learner but |
| the judge down.Bruno Tonioli, an Italian judge, has given | | | | lacked charisma and character in the first week. |
| enthusiastic support to Louisa Lytton, the 17 year old | | | | However, he was motivated to improve by watching |
| star of a soap opera, who has a natural talent for | | | | the performances of the other dancers.Inspiration and |
| dancing but who has little confidence in herself.Bruno | | | | motivation can come from the example of others. I |
| quite often goes into raptures over Louisa's | | | | usually suggest to my students that they attend a |
| performances:"Oh what a gorgeous dancing little betty | | | | martial arts grading even if they are not themselves |
| doll you are! You are a gorgeous sparkling bouncing | | | | taking the grading exam.They can be inspired by the |
| baby - an explosion of fun. I adored it!"Bruno was the | | | | good performances and encouraged by the not so |
| only judge to award a 10 out 10 score to guess who? | | | | good. If they see an average performance, they can |
| Louisa! She naturally appreciates this support which | | | | think: "I can do better than that!"Lilia Kopylova, Matt's |
| cannot fail to motivate her.Her partner, Vincent Simone, | | | | partner, commented:"After week one, I got a new |
| also gives her consistent support. He praises her ability | | | | man. He understands now what it is all about. I like to |
| and his own at every opportunity!"She gives me so | | | | get results. It is up to us professionals to find out which |
| much inspiration that I want to go crazy about the | | | | buttons to press. Darren (her partner last year) was |
| choreography. I can do basically whatever I | | | | very competitive and very much of a show off. Matt |
| want."However, in rehearsal, Louisa comes up with a | | | | is very different - he needs repetition. So we repeat |
| stream of negative comments:"I can't do it ! Oh, I can't | | | | things loads and loads of times to make sure he gets |
| do that; it's too difficult. I can't! I can't! If I see something | | | | continuity."Like any great coach, Lilia searched for what |
| in the mirror and it looks terrible, I panic."Vincent stays | | | | would motivate her partner and found it. Repetition |
| calm and tells her: "Believe in me even though I am an | | | | does not sound very exciting but boring old repetition is |
| Italian! On Saturday I want you to believe in me. I'm | | | | what makes Matt Dawson achieve his best. Not |
| going to be your rock."Claudia: Winkleman, the | | | | every one is motivated by the same things.To sum up: |
| interviewer, was amazed at Vincent's patience with | | | | People are hugely motivated by other people. Their |
| Louisa's constant declarations of the fatal words: "I | | | | enthusiastic appreciation can lift you up and help you to |
| can't!""Don't you want to say: "Your right! You can't! | | | | do your best.Belief in yourself will motivate you to take |
| Let's go and sit in the audience!"Louisa was also | | | | the necessary actions to achieve your goals but if you |
| motivated by sheer enjoyment. She loved some of | | | | can't believe in yourself, show some belief in your |
| the dances like the jive. In the week of the jive, she | | | | mentor. Vincent Simone was doing a great job for |
| and Vincent did very little training but still did wellLouisa | | | | Louisa and fully deserved her trust.Do what you enjoy |
| said: "I don't think it was anything to do with the training | | | | doing. You won't need someone else to motivate you |
| but I was enjoying myself so much that I really went | | | | to do that.Erin Boag learned that Peter Schmeichel |
| for it."Sheer enjoyment is a powerful motivator. My | | | | responded well to praise. Don't we all? The most |
| martial students enjoy kicking and elbowing shields and | | | | useful advice I was ever given as a teacher was to |
| focus mitts. They often break into spontaneous | | | | give three words of praise for every word of criticism |
| applause at the end of such sessions. This kind of | | | | to my students. This formula worked like magic.The |
| enjoyable experience keeps them training!Erin Boag, | | | | praise should come first so that the student does not |
| the professional who came second in last year's | | | | react badly and think that you have it in for him or her |
| competition, partners former Manchester United | | | | before you have a chance to praise the good things |
| goalkeeper the great 6ft 4 inches tall Dane, Peter | | | | about them.Recently one of my black belts sat with |
| Schmeichel.Erin has been called 'Miss Whiplash' | | | | me at the examining table for my martial arts students. |
| because of her tough teaching style but she soon | | | | His comments at the end of the grading were full of |
| learned that praise would motivate Schmeichel more | | | | praise for what they had achieved.I knew immediately |
| than anything else:"You have to praise Peter to get the | | | | that these students would be highly motivated for |
| best out of him."She herself was motivated to fight | | | | weeks to come. One of them, who was graded by |
| back and get on with the necessary hard work by | | | | this black belt, said to me: "What a great grading!"Be |
| unfair criticism and knock backs.She was upset when | | | | motivated, like Erin and Peter, by the desire to get |
| the judges attacked Schmeichel's performance in the | | | | things right. You don't need to achieve perfection but it |
| Paso Doble. Len Goodman commented:"Paso Doble? | | | | feels great when you put in a decent performance. It |
| You couldn't pass a tortoise!"Even Bruno was critical: "It | | | | feels good when you do anything well.Erin also knows |
| was like the colossus of Rhodes doing stop | | | | how to respond to criticism by just getting on with her |
| motion!"Craig Revel Horwood said: "It was heavy, | | | | next task and practicing hard for her next |
| wooden, hideous!"The word 'hideous' upset Erin Boag; | | | | performance so that she can confound the critics.Be |
| "It wasn't hideous. It was far from hideous. "Erin knows | | | | inspired, like Matt Dawson, by the example of others |
| how to react to criticism and disappointment. She was | | | | and improve your own performance by copying them |
| naturally upset when she only came second in last | | | | or be encouraged by the fact that you think you can |
| year's competition:"When you get knocked or pipped | | | | do better than them.Hopefully, you will find at least one |
| at the post you turn around and say: 'I'll show you! It | | | | motivational trigger in this article which you have not |
| makes you more hungry."Both Erin and Peter are | | | | yet tried out or which you may wish to try again.John |
| motivated to work hard in order to get things right. . | | | | Watson is an award winning teacher and 5th degree |
| Erin said: "I will do as many hours as he will give me." | | | | blackbelt martial arts instructor. He has written several |
| She is even motivated enough to fly over to | | | | ebooks on motivation and success topics. One of |
| Copenhagen to train with Peter when he returns to his | | | | these can be found at can also find motivational |
| homeland.Peter commented: "Neither of us mind going | | | | ebooks by authors like Stuart Goldsmith. |
| over the same little sequence twenty times to get it | | | | |