So the below is plastered floor to ceiling on the wall of my gym and I find myself wondering, am I the only one who doesn't get it? I think we're supposed to be motivated. I think it's supposed to stir up memories of Olympic gold medalists and winning against the odds; of all the pain forgotten in the glory of triumph. Move over Jess and Mo^. Meanwhile, back in the real world...

More than a bad attitude

This kind of things reminds me of a TED talk from a lady called Stella Young, who was a fabulous journalist and comedian, but who also left a brilliant legacy of bold and honest discussion on the subject of disability. Worth a watch of the whole thing if you have 9 minutes to spare but, in case you don't, I'll quote you a particularly pertinent bit:

[There is a quote which says] 'the only disability in life is a bad attitude', the reason why it is bullshit, is because it simply isn't true...no amount of smiling at a flight of stairs has ever turned it into a ramp; no amount of standing in the middle of a shop and radiating a positive attitude is going to turn those books into braille.

Well said, Stella. This is so on the money for me, not just in terms of disability, but for so many walks of life. All sorts of people are facing all sorts of challenges in their lives and these challenges should not be underestimated. Sport and physical activity can be a haven, a respite from these difficulties, a way to escape and have time to tune out from day to day stresses. But only if we let it.

Mind your language

The way we make people feel in sport and physical activity environments is such a powerful tool in achieving behaviour change and the language we use to talk to participants has such a big role to play. There are so many ways, small and not so small, that we can build each other up and celebrate the small wins, rather than making over inflated claims that are entirely unattainable or in the above case, to quote Stella, are simply not true!

Still lapping everyone on the couch

Happily there are some much better examples out there now too. Some of them bring a touch of humour, others are statements of genuine motivation. Sport England's This Girl Can* campaign provided a breath of fresh air and it's heartening to see others are following this example. So many great examples to choose from, but the "lapping everyone on couch" mantra is a firm favourite which I always come back to.

For me this extends beyond just women and in fact beyond sport and physical activity. It says that whatever you can manage, no matter how big or small, you can be proud that you are doing it and proud of yourself for trying. I think we can all live with a bit more of that kind of feel good in our lives.

Proper Active know a thing or two about creating positive environments so get in touch if you'd like to talk more or if you want to share a fantastic example of motivational marketing that really made you feel warm inside.

^Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah were the poster girl and boy of Great Britain's London 2012 Olympic team. Jess went on to secure the women's heptathlon gold and Mo bagged double gold in the men's 5,000m and 10,000m. In case you didn't know.

* If you don't know what This Girl Can is you definitely need to check it out. You can even make your own poster. http://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/