In Brendan Hackett's recently published book, Success From Within, he uses a series of quotations to illustrate what some of the great sportsmen of our day believe to be true about themselves and others regarding the psychological side of their sports.
Some of the quotes are astonishing given the success of the individuals involved. Ken Doherty (left), who just this year relinquished the world title he won last season at the Crucible in Sheffield, says: "My greatest opponent is my mind: my poor attention span and my impatience." Not a bad career all the same, Ken.
Robert Millar speaks of Sean Kelly. But rather than give us an insight to the great cyclist's fragility, he fortifies our notion of Kelly as the iron man of the sport. "Kelly is the kind of guy you just know is out training when you are sitting behind the window on a wet January morning, and even if you get out for two hours with rain gear on, he'd have done at least three with shorts and no gloves."
And Eamon Coghlan? "It can be done. I can do it." Well, what else from the great runner?
One of the interesting points the book brings out is the difference between arrogance and self-belief. All great athletes have self-belief. Only some are arrogant. Mind you it doesn't always seem that way.
