Teleport me now!

Today's top temp in Canberra was 7 degrees.

Needless to say I am ready to go! I head to Melbourne this weekend to see some friends and family off, one of my best mate's 30th birthday's and my nephew, Charlie's, 2nd. I fly out to Milan, then Stockholm on Sunday evening and it simply cannot come soon enough!

Coming out of the altitude house a week and a half ago has been rough! Last week I felt exhausted, almost in tears in one session, and didn't train that well at all. This week I feel like I am really picking back up and in a much better physical and mental state. I am nervous, but I think it's good nerves. I feel ready to do what I need to.

Last year I went to Europe from working and training really hard and with a really strict routine. I found that this didn't work at all when I got there as I was constantly trying to 'get things done' that I really didn't need to. My chilled out roomie Joel Milburn got me out of the mentality soon enough and I worked out that I needed to be in a much more relaxed head-space and just feel natural  in everything that I did. Forcing everything didn't work.

So this year I am trying to get into that athletics focused chilled out but confident attitude as quickly as possible. But it leads me to ask myself questions that I implore any reader of this to ask themselves in relation to anything important in their lives. Work, family, sport, relationships.... anything!

What 'state' do we have to be in to perform at our best?
Relaxed? In a routine and up-tight? In a kind of meditative daze? Strongly supported and encouraged? Alone? With lots of people doing the same thing? Is it better to laugh or stay focused with our 'eye on the prize'? Do we do everything better in love? Maybe we're more efficient broken hearted as we try and take our focus away from it? Are strict goals better or are better when focused on the process and enjoying the journey?