The Post Olympic Pledge

It has been glorious. The London 2012 Games have been uplift, wonderful and fulfilling. There is a positive spirit in London and around the country that hasn't been seen for a while. Speaking with family and friends, I can't see why this cannot be maintained - at the very least we can try.

With that in mind, then, I offer you my Post Olympic Pledge:

1. I will take pride in our country and I will work to be sure I can be proud of my own achievements
2. I will take pride in those sportsmen, volunteers, musician etc who take pride in their own achievements and who are selfless in their praise and recognition of others
3. I will recognise true achievement - winning really isn't everything
4. I will honour those who are dignified in victory and in defeat
5. I will engage with my neighbours and I will be interested in their stories
6. I will encourage our media to use those who have worked to achieve as our heroes and celebrities
7. I will look positively on the endeavours of passionate people

Because I am British, I do not expect to be able to achieve those things every day. I think, however, I might just be a slightly better person if I try.

I am now looking forward to the Paralympic Games to watch more committed, hard working, dedicated, focussed and dignified athletes. I just hope that our footballers have been watching closely and taking notes...

Hard work and dedication

As I said in my last post, I'm a big fan of the Games. I am enjoying the way that Londoners have become caught up in the event and have embraced the friendliest and most social aspects of the Olympics. London is a more pleasant place at the moment.

I particularly enjoy the fact that the faces appearing in the newspapers and on the TV at the moment are sportspeople not celebrities.

Our current stars are people who have toiled and sweated day after day when no-one has been watching them. They have woken up early so that they could run or swim or ride or... whatever it took to be great at their chosen sport.

Watching them has been a privilege. Their grace and strength and control have been inspiring. Most wonderfully, they have been fulsome during interviews in their thanks to their team, their coach, their family. When was the last time we watched a footballer behave with dignity after defeat or grace after victory (or ever, really).

These are true heroes who deserve our adoration. Congratulations to those winning gold medal - but I have been equally inspired by those who took part and who performed to, and often beyond, the limits of their capabilities. Congratulations to the likes of Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier, to Tonia Couch, to the water polo team... to pick just a very few.

Just making it to the Olympics is a feat of almost epic proportions. All that work, all those sacrifices - all focused on one event.

Well done to everyone - not forgetting (as the athletes themselves never forget) the coaching staff, trainers, physios, doctors, family and friends.

Perhaps if we all acted in our business life as they have been seen to act over the last two weeks, the world of business would be a better and more successful place.