Some say choosing to be a leader is like choosing to be ugly. Time will tell for Sarah as she takes up the Rockinghorse batten but one thing is for sure, with her energy and enthusiasm the journey will certainly be interesting.

Back in the early 80′s Sarah spent quite a few months during her nurses training working on the cancer unit and surgical wards at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital Dyke Road. She lived in the nurse’s house opposite the hospital gardens where she regularly saw anxious parents waiting and children playing. Ironically it was at this time she and now husband Paul, started dating.

In 2005 Sarah entered the business world properly for the first time, joining Paul. She had just spent 6 months working in a Letting Agents ‘helping out’ while considering her next career move after leaving teaching. At Martin and Co this team of 3 won Rightmove letting agents of the year so in many ways a sign of things to come.

Organising Business Improvement Club was where Sarah started – supporting Paul with the admin, bringing clients into the business and eventually co-presenting. The club has been running in Hove for 14 years; same price, same venue.

7 years on Sarah now has 3 businesses – Paul Hopwood Consulting Ltd being the parent company. They use Mindshop Intellectual property – an Australian company with over 140 business problem-solving tools and processes. Paul and Sarah write much of their own material too consequently bringing a huge scope of knowledge, wisdom and experience to their community of clients.

Sarah specialises in unpacking, inspiring and managing Change – whether at a personal level or process focussed either in the boardroom or ‘shop floor’.

“People, no matter what rank, are at the core of every businesses large or small. Getting everyone firstly on the right bus and then in the right seat is core to the success of that business.  Motivation and communication are key to achieving this.” Sarah reflects. “I am well equipped to work with my clients as a coach, mentor, facilitator or trainer getting alongside them as wise counsel and sounding board.”

In 2010 Sarah spread her wings joining the Professional Speaking Association (London Chapter), the Global Federation of Speakers and more recently she’s delighted to have been accepted on the Cruise Lecturer’s Association. Her ability to engage and inspire audiences is enhanced by her past nursing and teaching experiences. Empathy, humour and at time sheer directness can hit deep but the blow is cushioned making it thought provoking and entertaining rather than confrontational.

Meet Sarah speaking as Chair & Ryan – Chief Executive. Nursing is where her professional journey started. “Becoming Chair of Rockinghorse is an enormous honour. I pray I serve well.” Sarah’s Christian faith and working towards a greater cause is at the heart of what motivates her. “Love is key. There are only really 2 fears in life – that we are not loved or that we are not good enough. My purpose is to alleviate those fears for people personally and professionally. Commercial thinking and strategy are hugely important but understanding the ‘why’ even more so.”

Have you ever been heard to say, “See; I knew this would happen”, or something similar? Sally recalled how she lost races in her early days, pinpointing the moment she’d glance across at her competitors, allowing herself to believe they were better than her. “70% of winning happens in the head” Sally told the audience. Back then she had to control her beliefs. So what changed, what did Sally do?

Positive psychology played an enormous part. She worked on all aspects developing her Positive Mental Attitude (PMA), addressing positive affirmations, associating with positive people (to this day Sally avoids people who are negative) and visualisation – picture from start to finish, seeing in her mind the outcome she wanted – crucially feeling the winning emotion.

Motivation was key, complacency the enemy. On bad days all Sally had to do was think of her rivals.She would soon be kitted out, stop-watch in hand, ready to go.

Sally spoke most sincerely about her competitors. Had they not been there she wouldn’t have won medals – competition, fierce at times, was essential. (Sally remains the only woman to have held the European, World, Commonwealth and Olympic 400 metre hurdles titles at the same time.

So, do you believe what you see or see what you believe? We are all able to instigate unwanted results by ‘seeing what we believe’ – i.e. we embed our fears and belief on situations. Sally understood this. She trained her belief system enabling her to see what she believed. Powerful! Life changed.

Once we’ve learned to over-ride negative voices in our head, we give ourselves a gift. It becomes a life-skill accessible only to us in our personal toolbox. When times are tough Sally is able to draw strength from her experience, gaining inner confidence and sense of direction. Sally learned how to win.

My life changed when I understood “what we believe is true”. If you don’t like what you believe you have the power to change it – we will believe whatever we tell ourselves.

Easier said than done? maybe. Challenging! Yes. Impossible – No.

Knowing we have control over our beliefs enables us to make decisions about our future. So why not decide to use your belief system as a tool to help you get to where you want to be, coupled with what you want. Strive to win. Dare to dream… to dream big. Then Believe!