Outcomes on an equal opportunity landscape ...

Ok … one of the things I love about the mat, is that it is an equal opportunity landscape. For sure, the opportunity is there, for everyone, regardless of sex, colour, background, etc - the mat doesn’t care! But outcomes? That’s an entirely different discussion! Equal opportunity does not automatically equate to equality of outcomes. 

People vary; greatly. Some make great contributions - some are kind of neutral (and can go either way depending on circumstances) - are some are just ‘takers’. Some train six days a week, others twice a month - in my view, one would and should, expect different outcomes. If someone turning up twice a month expects that they ‘deserve’ the same level of success as those who sacrifice, dig deep and train 12 times a week - then they are, in my view, deluding themselves.

Once again though - for any out there with ‘myopic interpretation disease’ … I am all for helping those who need help; those who want to put in … but I am not up to the task of conferring accolades, ranks, medals, trophies or other badges of honour, to those who aren’t willing to make an effort and do the work. 

Some say we are now in an age where the loudest voices we hear are those of the ‘entitled’. Where does this sense of entitlement come from? It’s complicated - but parents have a lot to answer for. An ‘entitled’ person, expects to get a medal just for showing up - some expect to get a medal even if they don’t show up - because they feel we should all get an equal share of everything. That level of entitlement, in my view, is a disease. 

Rewards should be earned. Effort yields reward. Extraordinary effort yields extraordinary reward.