Turning ordinary into
EXTRAORDINARY
Dr. Paul G. Schempp
University of Georgia
USA
Tenzing Norgay Edmund Hillary
People do not decide to become extraordinary.
They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.
Turning ordinary into
EXTRAORDINARY
The Role of Talent
How you see the world
Decision Making
Routines
Innovative Thinking
The Role of Talent
Talent Identification and Specialization in Sport:
An Overview of Some Unanswered Questions.
Gonçalves; Rama; Figueiredo (2012). International
Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance 7(4).
The Role of Talent
• “Identifying biological variables that can
predict performance is almost impossible.”
The Role of Talent
• “Motivation is a more important variable to
differentiate elite young athletes from nonelite ones than are athletic readiness or skill
proficiency.”
The Role of Talent
Children praised for talent or intelligence:
-lied to peers about scores
-avoided challenges and difficult tasks
-gave up easily “I can’t do it”
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New
York: Random House
The Role of Talent
Children praised for effort
-more open to challenges,
- better at problem solving
-more persistent
-believe they could improve themselves by
working hard.
The Role of Talent
Talent = No Control
Effort = Complete Control
“For myself, losing is not coming in second. It’s
getting out of the water knowing you could have
done better. For myself, I have won every race I’ve
ever been in.” –Ian Thorpe
13
Write down everything
you remember…
14
Novice
Car
Several courts
Backhand
Courts lower
than
buildings
Buildings
Tiger paw
Hat
White unif.
Low backhand volley
N
Univ. setting
Expert
Wrist not drop
Racquet head low
Right hand
Body position
Balance
Foot at an angle
Knee bent
Step across
15
Experts do not necessarily see more
than less expert.
16
To see the world like an expert…
Performance
Actionable
Inferences
17
Extraordinary decisions are…
• targeted toward factors that make a
difference (achieve goals)
• focused on a thorough, permanent
solution
• supported with contingency plans
The process…
'forward' thinking not ‘backward’ thinking
Forward thinking
Define Problem
Isolate factors
causing
problem
Construct
Solutions
Evaluate/Select
Best Solution
Think Strategically
Expert decisions
FLEXIBLE & PROACTIVE
If the initial plan doesn’t work then
CHANGE!
Can you do more with less?
It is not the strongest of the species
that survive, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to
change
Charles Darwin
How much time do you spend per day on…
_____ E-Mail & Social Media
_____ Reacting to Interruptions
_____ Must-Pick-Up-the-Phone
_____ “I’d Rather Be Doing Something Else”
_____ Things ‘Can’t-Say-No’ to
_____ Meetings
_____ Multi-tasking
_____ Web-surfing
_____ Chatting with colleagues
Routines
subconscious
automatic
efficient
purposeful
Routines
minimize time devoted to
everyday
mundane
repetitive tasks
Routines
Time management
Focus on significant issues
& changing challenges
Routines
Olympic Gold Medal Swimmers
Competition Day Routines
-Comfort
-Accommodate Distractions
-Focus
Marion Donovan
Innovative Thinking
Associate
see connections between seemingly
disparate ideas.
Question
ask “what if”, “why”, and “why not”
questions that challenge status quo.
Innovative Thinking
Innovative Thinking
Observe
Attention to details, especially
people’s behavior.
Innovative Thinking
Experiment
try new things; explore new perspectives.
Network
talk and learn from people you have
nothing in common with.
Turning ordinary into
EXTRAORDINARY
The Role of Talent
How you see the world
Decision Making
Routines
Innovative Thinking