Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez

Juval Aviv - Golda Meir’s Bodyguard, Anti Terrorism Expert

Note from Ruben about this posting:

What does this have to do with motivation? Everything. Hopefully it will motivate people to take terrorism seriously. As an Olympic athlete and professional speaker, I travel all over the world and have seen a lot of the things in this article first hand. Juval Aviv is 100% right. Most Americans are misinformed and have no clue about how serious terrorism really is.

Read on. This article is a major wake up call.

Juval Aviv was the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie ‘Munich’ was based.

He was Golda Meir’s bodyguard–she appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games.

In a lecture in New York City a few weeks ago, he shared information that EVERY American needs to know–but that our government has not yet shared with us. (Aviv’s bio is noted at end.)

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A better way to get around…

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

The good old days…

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

Someone that bought one of my books called me the other day asking me what they should do with their life. Believe it or not, most people don’t know where they want to go.

I told this person that when I was in high school and was not sure what I wanted to do for a living, I sat down and wrote pages and pages about what my ideal day would be.

Where I would like to live, what I would like to do, etc. Then, once I had my ideal day in mind, I started asking myself “What would be the most fun way to make enough money to be able to live my ideal day every day?”

How could you use your talents to do something you enjoy, so you can create the lifestyle of your dreams?

Once you figure that out, find someone that’s already done it ask them how you can do it too…

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

Whether you play tennis or not, you might want to pick up a copy of “The Inner Game of Tennis.” It is filled with great tips anyone can use to be more productive.

Here’s a quote from Timothy Gallwey’s book:

“The player of the inner gamecomes to value the art of relaxed concentrationabove all other skills; he discovers a true basis for self-confidence; and he learns that the secret to winning any game lies in not trying too hard.

He aims at the kind of spontaneous performance which occurs only when the mind is calm and seems at one with the body, which finds its own surprising ways to surpass its own limits again and again.”

Sounds like what my coach tells me after every luge run: “Ruben, you must relax. Be one with the sled.”

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

Natalie du Toit - Qualifies for Beijing Olympics in Swimming despite having lost her leg in an accident 7 years ago.

By the time she was a teenager, South African swimming had its eye on Natalie du Toit. The versatile Cape Town swimmer lit up the pool, setting multiple national age group records in both medley events and dominating many of her races. At 16, she nearly qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in three events. People sensed great things were in store for the strong, determined swimmer. In 2004, Athens could become her playground. Then in 2001, those plans abruptly changed. Done with morning workout, du Toit eased her motor scooter into Monday rush-hour traffic and headed to school.

Just down the street from her pool, a careless driver exiting a parking lot ran directly into her left leg. The scene was gruesome; the devastation was immediately obvious. “I kept saying, ‘I’ve lost my leg, I’ve lost my leg,’” remembers du Toit. Her teammates rushed to her. Traffic snarled. The scene: total, horrible chaos. A motorcycle policeman racing to the accident crashed headfirst into a truck and had to be airlifted to a hospital. It would have been merciful if du Toit had fainted. But this is a girl who confronts reality without blinking. She stayed awake. At that moment, Natalie du Toit was not in the least preoccupied with her swimming career. But that state of mind would prove to be very temporary.

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Cait Pomeroy and I met about 3 years ago. Since then much has happened. Cait lost 95 pounds, finished TWO 100 mile kayak races,(she’s training for her third right now) placed second female solo in the 2008 Buffalo Bayou Regatta, placed first tandem in the 2008 Cornfields and Cottonmouths race.

As if that was not enough, Cait successfully fought breast cancer.

Cait was chosen by 24 Hour Fitness to be in the first group of REAL PEOPLE that any company in the fitness industry has ever used in commercials. From 17,000 stories of lives changed through fitness, it was narrowed down to 24…from those 24, 6 were chosen to have their stories filmed for both commercials and an interactive web site …from that 6, 4 where photographed for posters that are in every 24 Hour Fitness gym nationwide.

As Cait says, “It is such a trip to walk past yourself every time you walk into the gym!”

Cait’s latest endeavor will be her proudest yet. She is organizing Texas Paddle for the Cure , a 3 mile canoe/kayak race, October 25, 2008 with all proceeds to benefit The Rose, Houston’s leading non-profit breast cancer organization providing mammography screening, diagnosis, early access to treatment and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay.

Cait says, “I’m an ordinary person…but I can achieve extraordinary things.” I agree!

“Much of this journey has been that mental game…and that was very very new to me. Having never been athletic in my life, I thought you just went out and did the work and tried your best. But you are so right…so much of it is attitude…a winning attitude. Thank you for helping me find mine!!! Thank you for your continuing inspiration that keeps me on track!!! And along the way, I can inspire others!”

Cait, you’re the inspiration!

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

Playing the cards he was dealt!

Oscar Pistorius (born 22 November 1986) is a South African Paralympic runner. Known as the “Blade Runner” and “the fastest man on no legs”, Pistorius is the double amputee world record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 metres events and runs with the aid of Cheetah Flex-Foot carbon fibre transtibial artificial limbs by Ossur.

In 2007 Pistorius took part in his first international able-bodied competitions. However, his artificial lower legs, while enabling him to compete, generated claims that he has an unfair advantage over able-bodied runners. The same year, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) amended its competition rules to ban the use of “any technical device that incorporates springs, wheels or any other element that provides a user with an advantage over another athlete not using such a device”. It claimed that the amendment was not specifically aimed at Pistorius.

After monitoring his track performances and carrying out tests, scientists took the view that Pistorius enjoyed considerable advantages over athletes without prosthetic limbs. On the strength of these findings, on 14 January 2008 the IAAF ruled him ineligible for competitions conducted under its rules, including the 2008 Summer Olympics.

This decision was reversed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 16 May 2008, the Court ruling that the IAAF had not provided sufficient evidence to prove that Pistorius’s prostheses give him an advantage over able-bodied athletes. Although eligible to compete in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Pistorius still has to qualify for the South African team.

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

These inspiring kids deserve our support!

If courage can be measured;
If dignity can be quantified;
If human achievement can be determined;
Not by speed or strength;
But by character;
Then it’s easy to see who the most amazing athletes really are.

If you are a fan of courage,
If you respect determination,
If you are impressed by grace under pressure,
If you can’t help but share in the joy of victory,
And admire being brave in the attempt,
Then you are already a fan of Special Olympics Washington.

I’ll be speaking for Special Olympics Washington three times this year to help them raise money for their tremendous programs.

Click here to learn how you can help this incredible organization.

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com

My old luge sled

February of this year was the 20th anniversary of the 1988 Calgary Olympics - my first Olympic Games. I wanted to know if my old 45-year-old body could still handle the sport of luge (90 MPH but more importantly, pulling up to 6 Gs on some of the curves) which is hell on your neck…

I went to Salt Lake City and took my first luge runs in 6 years. Incredibly, I felt better than ever. So I’ve decided to get myself back in shape and to go for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

This November I’ll be competing in the World Cup circuit to begin qualification for Vancouver 2010. The top 50 lugers in the world get to compete. I feel confident that I’ll be there on February 2010.

The average age of the athletes in the Olympics is 20-25 years. In Salt Lake 2002 I was 39 years old and almost every day people asked me if I was a coach.

I can’t imagine what they will be asking me in 2010 where I’ll be 47. Probably if I’m coach’s Dad!

I’m getting my old sled rebuilt by the American coaches and I’ll have to rebuild my body a bit too. But come November I’ll be competing with athletes that were not even born when I was competing in Calgary ‘88.

Maybe I should see if Geritol or AARP want to sponsor me!

Cool facts:

In Vancouver I’ll become the first Winter Olympian to compete in four Winter Olympics each in a different decade.

I’ll be the only athlete in any sport left from the Calgary ‘88 WInter Olympics. Last man standing!

Chase your dream no matter how old you are!

Olympic Motivational Speaker Ruben Gonzalez
www.TheOlympicSpeaker.com