Dr Marc Dussault 2009 Australian Masters Silver Medal Squash

Thanks for all the great encouragement and don’t forget to go for YOUR GOALS and DREAMS!

Today’s post is about a guy I met at the 2009 Australian Masters Games, his name is Dr Malcolm Simons.

Truth be told, Malcolm contacted me BEFORE the games because he heard that I was presenting “The Mindset Of A Champion” and was unfortunately unable to attend. He apologised for missing the presentation but said he was going to come watch me play one of my matches (squash) which he did.

That’s what Champions do.

He sent me this e-mail (presented here with permission):

I’m in my 70th year, so playing in the 65-69.  In a previous life I played for Oz in 1966 and was 2nd to Geoff Hunt in the Vic State team from ~’64 to ’69.  I’ve also got Multiple Myeloma, currently regarded as incurable, which I imagine I’ll transform into a chromic disease, and at which I’m not doing badly after 6 years.  So 8 weeks ago I thought I’d provide further inspiration to cancer patients and their carers by starting gym work and re-emerging into squash.  “You’re doing what” say most incredulous patients.  My 6 children counsel “don’t over do it Dad, don’t you think that’s going a bit far”.  As a physician/pathologist and a couple of other ‘ians’ and ‘ists’ I’ve diagnosed and treated patients with my affliction so I’m better connected to the process as it is known, and to the irrepressibly optimistic mindset based on a certain knowledge of the chatter between my brain and my immune system, that is much less well known.

I went on to win the Silver Medal in the Men’s 45-49 age category for squash…

Dr Marc Dussault 2009 Australian Masters Games Silver Medallist 45-49

Don’t give up on the story…

Stick with me here…

There IS A POINT TO ALL THIS…

After the competition Malcolm sends me this e-mail.

That’s what Champions do…

Well done on your success.  I took the court, so fulfilling my quest to participate, so I’m awarding my-self (body and brain) the gold medal for application after 30 years in only 9 weeks preparation.  I was easily beaten because I could barely walk let alone run.  Realising that I wouldn’t put a horse back on the track if I was aware of tendon stiffness, so I defaulted to give the opportunity for my opponent to have a substitute to play.

So that’s Phase 1.  Now for Phase 2, in Sydney next October! (The World Masters Games!!!!)

Mary Holmes told me that you are aiming for the top 16…

If you are aware of any situation where my person can contribute to the inspiration of others, do let me know.  Whether or not, give me a few weeks before proposing to get on the court, and I’ll show you and your game how to move towards top ranking without costing you more application of time than you have apportioned for yourself.  I’m aiming for number one in Sydney.

Hang on… just a little bit longer…

BE PATIENT – it’ll be worth it – I PROMISE!!!

Here’s my offer.  You are much more  mobile than me, both on the court as well as, in the context of my offer,  off.  You find a way to get to Geelong beginning from April, and I’ll  help lift your horizon to mine, which is to win my age group in October.   By April I expect to be sufficiently mobile to make it worth anyone’s  while to be on a court with me.  My time is even more valuable than  yours, because I’m living on borrowed time, now for 6 years.  When this  current chemotherapy runs its course, I currently have only one last option  available, and that has to be with an indwelling catheter.  In my  remaining time I’m fully committed to developing genetic and genomic  diagnostic technologies that will be definitive (as detailed in my website -  www.haplomictechnologies.com.  That occupies me till around midnight and from 5am, or 6am, if  I sleep in.  So I haven’t made such an offer in the last 6 years, and I  don’t expect to make it again.  The principal factor in my offer is  your mindset, capacity for application, focus, and willingness to learn.   If you have an alternative way to accept my offer that work’s better  for you, feel free to suggest.  If it doesn’t work, that’s fine too,  and I’ll see you in October, if not before.

Here’s the point.

Check out Malcolm’s squash accomplishments (in summary):

• 1964-69 Victoria State team, 2nd to Geoff Hunt, World Amateur Champion during this period (1967-69)
• 1966 Australian team to Southern Africa.
• 1970-76 Singapore Open Champion
• Beat Heather Mackay in an exhibition match during her uninterrupted 19 year championship wins.
• 1975 First Far East Asian Champion

Plus this guy’s got a colorful life history outside of squash check it out by clicking here -> Malcolm Simons – Genius of Junk (DNA).

So what’s the point?

Here’s a former Champion, multiple-times-over, battling for his life against a deadly disease and he wants to get on the court with me…

How friggin’ crazy is that?!?! C-R-A-Z-Y….!

That’s what Champions do.

I am going to make a special trip to Geelong JUST TO GET ON COURT WITH HIM. I will be honored, privileged and forever grateful for the priceless, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

This is how a MasterMind Group gets created.

It happens automatically, magically and unexpectedly BECAUSE the Law Of Attraction makes sure of it.

Put yourself out there, raise the bar and what you need to get to the next level will COME TO YOU.

Believe it.

That’s what Champions do.

That’s not quite the same number of athletes as the Olympics, but it sure is close!

I competed in the Men’s 45-49 age category in Squash.

My competition started bright and early on Friday morning with a 9:00 AM game that I won 9-0, 9-1 and 9-0 followed by a mid-afternoon match I also won 9-2, 9-1 and 9-0.

What a start to the competition!

My third match of the tournament was on Saturday morning, I won that one 9-2, 9-2, 9-4, putting me into at least a Silver Medal position and into the Gold Medal Match on Sunday.

This was the confirmation I needed that the drills and routines I’d been focusing on are working. I explain in my Mindset Of A Champion Program that you either win now or win later – if you win now (during training) you won’t necessarily win when the competition comes around. By practicing what you CAN’T DO very well, means you’ll lose points now, but you’ll start to win – hopefully in time for the upcoming tournament – later.

The Gold Medal Match didn’t go my way at all, I lost 9-6, 9-2, 9-4.

Dr Marc Dussault 2009 Australian Masters Silver Medallist Squash 45-49

I spent two hours writing a detailed synopsis of the Gold Medal match (terrible refereeing), but have chosen not to include it here, because out of context, no matter how it’s written, it appears like a poor loser winging about losing which isn’t the point. There are countless lessons learned – the post was originally 4 pages long.

So instead I’ll simply tell you a story from a high jumper who competed at the Olympics (not sure which one).

He was the only one in his sport who trained in the rain for the high jump – JUST IN CASE IT RAINED at the Olympics…

It rained at the Olympics.

He won the Gold.

I will start ‘playing squash in the rain’ so that I am ready the next time it gets messy on the court!