How do young athletes maintain their motivation along their sporting journey? We have all experienced temporary motivation which is present one moment and gone the next. All of us searching for solutions to this problem come back to the point where we are ready to go beyond short lived attempts at staying motivated. In time, through this introspection, it dawns on us that we need much more than a temporary solution.

We need inspiration. Motivation is simply a byproduct of inspiration. I always remember knowing when I was leaving for a tour to go overseas. Staying up and packing until two in the morning wasn't a inconvenience as it should be at that time in the morning. I was always so excited that I couldn't sleep anyway. I've never been the best morning person in the world but on those mornings of departure, I'd wake up before my alarm. The difference was that on that particular day I was going somewhere new. I was inspired by this knowledge. And my point is that when you are inspired, motivation comes naturally.

The sporting journey in youth sport is not meant to be a boring treadmill on which one is stuck, awaking everyday to fulfill one's training obligations then falling wearily back into bed only to get up the next day and go through the same routines again.

When one's sporting career seems to be lacking purpose, routines become monotonous. So where is the answer? It comes from within.

Success comes from becoming truly inspired deep inside. One's purpose becomes one's driving force in their sporting career enabling them to go beyond the point of no return.

Every person who has created something wonderful started out with a dream. When your dream becomes your purpose, it is only a matter of time that your dream will become your reality.

- an extract from Secrets of Winning Coaches Revealed