The 72,500 men, women and children sat in an uncomfortable silence, no one daring to cough, no one daring to speak, each one focussed on the young 27 year old. Each one knowing, this was the start of the impossible dream. The dream they had had for 27 years. A dream they had dreamed every year of this boy's life. Now it could become reality. Now it was possible.
And then: failure. The dream was dashed. The young man had missed the first opportunity to put their team ahead in the annual battle against an old enemy. He missed a sitter was the gasp around the crowd. Men turned to friends and compatriots and said, "We're going to lose again". "How long do we have to wait?"
Some wiped a tear away. The game has already restarted. There was a heavy feeling amongst the crowd.
The kicking king had missed what he would consider to be a sitter. As he looked up he saw the ball wasn't going straight. He had miscued. He had missed the opportunity to calm the crowd, his team mates and put the opposition on the back foot.
His reaction was not that of defeat or self flagellation instead he reminded himself:
It's all about the method. The process.
Kicking a penalty in an international match is the same as in practice. The same rules apply as on the training ground. It's all about the method, the process. Not the outcome.
"Concentrate on the process". Concentrate on the method of taking the kick. Concentrate on the formula. Place your non kicking foot in the right place. Swing your leg the same way as you always do. Make contact in the same manner. Follow through as you have always done. If you keep using the correct method, the correct process, then success will naturally follow.
Stephen Jones knows that the process is the key to success and he went on to kick many goals in that match and fulfil the dreams of a nation.
What about you?
To reach your goals, your dreams do you focus on the outcome or the method, the process?
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