When trying to motivate my clients, I often refer to a clip from the film “The Titans“.

The film is the standard theme of school sport’s team not achieving the results it needs. Amidst girl troubles etc, the coach comes along and inspires them to great results. Very Hollywoody.

For all that, the link to a 6 minute clip is brilliant. When the coach demands “your level best”, he challenges all of us – on the field, in our office – to consider if that is really what we give every day. After all, what is ‘the best’? Can it be measured, and not just in goals or points?

I recalled this when an American client of my mine recently referred me to the film “The Miracle”. This is a true story of how the American ice hockey team overcame the brilliance of the Soviets at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

As a Brit and lover of cricket, I realised that I needed to educate myself, to delve into utube and to discover the relevant section. I was not disappointed. The speech of coach Herb Brooks is a ‘must-listen-to’ three minutes. He makes a whole squad realise what they are capable of and how they can seize the moment, whatever the obstacle.

Sports are not simple. Tiger Woods or Andy Murray, even the best have to train and practice. Similarly in business, success and profits rarely come without some sweat and a lot of worrying. Again, there is no guarantee of great results.

Yesterday, I visited a client in Jerusalem. After a steady beginning to the year, they are not having the best of months. If I could put into pictures my pep talk, it would not be far off the other message from Brooks in an earlier part of the film. Dig deep, but really deep, to remember who you are and why you want to succeed in your enterprise. Then you have a great chance of making a go of it.