Focusing All of your MIND on your END GOAL

When I was 15 years of age I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalitus (M.E.), I was at school, taking my exams, captain of the rugby first 15, a prefect and at the peak of fitness, until this moment.

At first it felt like the end of my world, friends were out partying, having fun, building relationships, skills and just learning who they were. My life was in turmoil, only being able to go to school for half a day, my health was in tatters all that I knew that had become me was being threatened.

2 years into my challenge, on January the 15th 1995 my Rugby Coach at the time helped me in a way that I'll never forget, I was at a school awards dinner, in a wheel chair and he came over to me and said "we need your help for the final game of the season'. Immediately although I could not see a way past my health issues I was intrigued and became more and more motivated by the day.

As each day passed I began to focus all of the cells of my body on the goal of representing the team even if it was only for 15 minutes, I wanted to make it. It was crucial I followed the advice that the people close to me and the medical teams coupled with careful diet planning, health balance and rehabilitation. Soon the aggregate of all the small actions begun to work and I began to recover in ways I initially thought impossible. On the day of the game the Coach came and asked if I was able to play, we agreed that if it was right on the day I would play.

Later in life, now as I reflect back I can see the lesson he taught me. You see despite the difficulties of the circumstances I was in, he had shown me that whatever I focussed my attention on, my heart and all of my mind, I could achieve.

HAPPY ENDING- If I could have written the ending in the stars I would have. At half time during the game we were losing to the top school in the area 9 points to 3. I was sent on.

With my first touch of the ball thanks to some superb work by the team and the forwards in particular, I was able to beat the opposite player and broke the line for a try. As a Coach and a player we seemed to have an understanding of how each others mind worked. As the second half progressed the whole team raised the standard even more. Just 2 minutes later I was half tackled and was able to release an inside pass that sent a colleague Jay clear for another try. Although our rugby was not perfect we spent the second half camped in their half, after 7 more minutes we broke through the line out and thanks to some superb work by our number 8, I broke free for my second try of the game. We finished the game 22 points to 14 winners an excellent moment.

I was fortunate enough to go on to gradually recover from ME. To this I owe immense gratitude to my coach Pete Thoms from Hopeman, on the Moray Coast in Scotland, United Kingdom.

Many thanks also to my family at the time and the great team of players I was able to be part of.

If you want to know more visit our website www.stratagemplus.com or email me on dave.evans@stratagemplus.org would love to hear from you.

Published by Dave Evans Copyright 2009