Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. –Muhammad Ali
Once upon a time a young man had a bodacious dream about transforming his life.
To be a professional sportsman.
But it seemed just that; a dream.
He lived in subsidized housing, had no money and was very badly overweight.
Added to that his parents wanted him to get a ‘normal job’, and his teachers, family, and friends either laughed or told him to forget ever making his hopes come true.
He was on his own. So what did he do? He did it anyway, motivated himself, believed in his goal, and 8 years later his dream came true.
Today that man works as a Sports Motivator helping all sports people take their sports into dreamland.
Hi, I’m John Sherry.
I was ‘the little fat kid’ who had a sports dream.
To be a professional tennis coach and work in the tennis industry.
In between the laughter people said in no uncertain terms, “Forget it, you’ll never ever make it!”.
After all everyone reminded me that I was hopelessly overweight, had no money or many prospects of getting any to get lessons, buy a racket and kit, and nowhere to practice or anyone to practice with, meaning I wasn’t actually very good at tennis at all.
I seemingly had no chance
Worse still no-one supported me – Friends and schoolmates picked fun at the ‘Tennis Fat Man’, teachers scoffed saying I was acting silly and jeopardizing my future, and the Careers Advisory Service had never heard of such a thing.
The advice was to give it up. The world was against me, I was on my own!
“OK’” I thought flipping it on its head, ‘I will do it anyway, somehow, and show everyone that I can make my dream come true’.
So I did! I used the lack of belief in me as fuel and self-motivated my tennis fantasy into reality.
In under a decade of effort and determination I stood proud as a fully qualified professional tennis coach working as the head coach at the biggest club in the area and employed by the Lawn Tennis Association.
I HAD made it.
That’s what I did and that’s what I do now for others
Give them fuel.
Ignite their imagination.
Inspire their performances.
Inject self-belief and passion.
Reconnect to their raw energy.
Go beyond what they currently achieve.
Break down obstacles..
..and smash ‘Can’t do, won’t do’ thinking.
So they can compete, and improve, step up, and win.
Like ‘the little fat kid’ did who is now the Sports Motivation Man proud of what he accomplished and his sports dream.
Listen to the interview I did with John about how he totally transformed his life and how you can too. Be prepare to be inspired!
Do you have a dream? What small steps can you take today toward initalizing your own bodacious transformation?
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John Sherry’s new site is: 100% Champions. Email John: John (at) 100percentchampions (dot) com . Visit him at: http://100percentchampions.com/
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Angela, John – Great Interview!
John, you are inspiring and so happy to be able to follow your journey through your blogs. When others move from a place of courage it encourages others to do the same. It is always great to be reminded to go beyond ones darkest moment – just going beyond it, and allowing new life to happen
“I’ve stopped fighting with life” Brilliant!
Really enjoyed this powerful interview
Aileen, your continual kindness and warmth of spirit always encourages me to stay on my journey to somewhere. You are a gentle breeze behind my back and I never forget that. God bless you.
John,
What a great story! I feel for you as a child. However it sounds as if your adversity really helped motivate you. Amazing!!
I’ll head over to your website and read more!
Thanks!
Betsy
Thank you Betsy I will be waiting with a warm welcome. It’s only now that I’ve got my childhood licked, somethings do take time, not going to make people think otherwise. But, all the time there was a me waiting to get out, be heard, come to life, and power up, I was never going away. So when everything else switched off and wanted to die, it wanted to awaken. It’s in us all – the true soul we are and the only person we need to answer to. Blessings on your journey.
Appreciated big style JK – I think we all have an inspiring life in some way when we share it. Sharing without fear of judgement which is what we often do to ourself. Be free, be me, is what is has to be.
The new site is real fun and got my passions flowing so pleased you can feel it bro! To your happiness my friend.
Hi Angela!
Hi john!
Great interview folks! I enjoyed listening and it was nice hear the both of your voices.
Talk about inspiring…that was it.
John, I’ve been loving your new site and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Angela – I hope life has been well!
Take care
Hi Jk,
How have you been? I’m so happy to see you come visit us at PbI.
I’m glad you enjoyed the interview with John. I had a blast speaking with him.
I’m well. I hope you are as well.
Thank you so much for commenting.
All my best to you,
Angela
I’ve read lots of great stories like this, many of hem from athletes..and that is just what they did followed their dreams despite daunting obstacles. But it works in every walk of life…thanks for the reminder.
I believe we are all athletes of our own spirit Rosemarie waiting to unfold our gold when we realise that it lies waiting within us. I wish you glorious gold mining of yours.
Glad to hear it Justin, self-validation is self-belief 101.
Hey John,
That is why I no longer bother seeking validation outside of myself.
Hey Angela and John: What a great interview and very inspirational. I really loved the discussion you had about mining your talent. I just think that is such powerful advice and is so true. John, I had no idea you were from the UK 🙂 Very cool and congrats again on the new site. Thanks to you both for a great interview.
Hey Sibyl, super to see you. Yep, I’m a UK guy but what’s great is you can be bodacious and bold in your own life wherever you’re from. The place with all the fun in the world is right inside you. Your own Disney World!
Nice! What a wonderful story.
It reminds me of an article I wrote recently about finding your passion. Even though I mentioned how to find skills and to make money from that passion, the passion truly is the most important part.
This article and interview displays this wonderfully. Start with something you’re truly passionate about, even if you aren’t very good about it. That will come later – the love of what ever you want to do comes first.
Passion is a great place to start Fred, most true. I guess I looked everywhere else first because, like many people, we feel it wrong or guilty to allow passion to lead the way. Thing is when we do it gets rid of tons of the problems we used to encounter. Funny huh?
Hi Angela and John,
What a completely inspiring story!
I liked the part on the audio when you said you “just knew your life had to change”. Once you can fully take this in and internalize it, the resistance seems to fade away. Letting go of the resistance allows you to gain the power needed to make the change.
Thank you for a great interview. I enjoyed listening to it.
Much appreciated Laura. I sooo agree with you on removing the inner resistance and letting yourself out because that also removes the outer ones that stop life getting in. WE are the shift we are searching for!
Way to go John!
I couldn’t listen to the interview at the moment…everyone is still sleeping and my ear phones are on the missing list.
Maybe I should wake the kids to see who has them?
Anyway, hope you have a great day and I’ll stop back soon to listen to the interview.
Fab stuff Carolee, you never know, my voice might actually PUT you to sleep! Welcome your thoughts when you get a chance to listen to it though. Till then be marvellous.
It is a great story!
Every one dreams to make his dream come true and I love it when I read a success story in which a dream came true!
Thanks for sharing!
Bless you Marc, hoping your dreams are coming true too!
Great story.
I love inspiring sports story from common people. We do not have to be a Muhumad Ali or Lance Armstrong. For every super star in sports there are hundreds more stories of how common people with will and desire had made it. They might not have the fame and fortune but in their own ways they have made it.
John, your tennis story also show people that you do not have to be a world class pro sportsman to succeed. There are many pathways to sports success. Thank you for showing us one of these ways.
Spot on Jimmy, we don’t have to be world class in ability just first class in our attitude to making things happen, be it a sports dream or a life wish. That creates stars every single day shining in the world.
John and Angela,
Brilliant interview. Thanks John for sharing you story. I found it so uplifting and inspiring and just what i need this morning. Yes i totally get the allowing process and i just love that you stopped fighting with life. So yes your intuition was spot on 🙂
Angela I am so looking forward to reading you book too and interviewing you
love and hugs
Suzie
Dear Suzie,
Thank you so much for being such a supportive friend.
I truly appreciate it.
I’m also glad you found John’s interview uplifting and inspiring.
He has such a marvelous story to share of lifting himself up from the bottom and overcoming so many challenges.
I look forward to the interview too.
All my best,
xo Angela
You are very kind Suzie. Allowing the fight to end and for yourself to start is allowing true personal life to start. Enjoy the freedom!
Hi Guys,
Have read, listened & shared. Thank you. Wonderful.
be good to yourselves
David
Hi David,
I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I hope you found it inspiring. I know I did!
And, I’m truly grateful to you for sharing it as well.
All my best to you David!
Angela
Thank you David for listening and sharing, wishing you bodacious times!
This is why your name starts with the word ‘angel’ Angela! You are a sweetheart and I want to thank you from my heart for your wonderfully warm invitation to be interviewed for your superb blog. It was a pleasure from start to finish. I hope it helps someone else make their own bodacious choice to become free and live as themselves. My intuition thinks it will. Be blessed, supported, loved and cherished!
John,
It was such a pleasure to connect with you. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you. I found it very uplifting and motivating.
I look forward to speaking to you again sometime and hearing about how all your exciting plans are coming along in you bodacious new life!
All my best,
Angela
Angela thank you so much for letting me spend time playing over here on your blog. It’s been a party – you’re a wonderful host. Where’s the cake?
Hi John,
It’s been a pleasure having you!
Come back anytime.
I’ll be sure to have cake!