The football world cup of 2006 is drawing to an end amid tears from some countries and celebrations from others. Some key lessons about achieving life goals as well as football goals can be learned from this competition.

The fans of 32 nations were in Germany supporting their national teams. These fans ended up either in heaven or hell depending on whether their team won or lost.

But the fans had little influence over where their national teams ended up. Their fate depended on the eleven men of their national team and not on themselves.

Fortunately, we have much more control over our own lives than we have over our national teams. This, in my opinion, is the most important lesson about achieving goals that there is for the fans of any sporting competition.

Our lasting happiness does not depend on which team wins or loses. It depends on our own efforts in our own game of life.

Of course, there is great joy if your national team wins but there is much greater joy when you achieve your own goals and dreams unless your main goal in life is to be a supporter or fan.

You and I can experience far more joy and delight when we achieve our own goals than we would if our national team won the world cup.

Lesson one, then, is:

Use your life as an opportunity to achieve your own goals and not the goals of others. There is, often, little you can do to help others achieve their goals. There is everything you can do to achieve your own. You will, then, deserve and enjoy your celebrations more.

A second key lesson is that belief or confidence is central to success. Coaches, players and fans all talk about belief. The word belief or confidence is a key word in every conversation about the teams challenging for the world cup.

It is an important word in any conversation about any sport. The American football coach, Joe Paterno, stressed the importance of confidence:

"Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart, and mind, confidence is the key to all the locks."

Sweden were to play Germany in the knockout stage of the World Soccer Cup. Larsen, a world class Swedish striker, commented:

"We respect the Germans but you have to believe in your own squad. Otherwise, there is no point in turning up."

In the end, Sweden lost 0-2 and did not play well. Larsen himself missed a penalty. Such is life! Was Larsen wrong about believing in his squad? No! Without belief they might have lost 0-4.

Belief does not mean you will win - the other team may also be believing and may play better than you. Belief in yourself simply means that you will play better than if you did not believe in yourself. Belief gives you an opportunity to win. You still have to seize that opportunity.

Australians have plenty of self-belief and will never give up trying to win. As Shane Warne, their great spin bowler, said "Australians have their passports stamped with self-belief." . An English commentator said: "The Australian side are full of spirit and character. You don't get this far in the world cup without it. They are convinced they will win."

Australia did better in this world cup than they have ever done before but went out to a dubious penalty in favour of Italy.

However, Australia did have a huge opportunity when an Italian player was expelled from the field for committing too many dangerous tackles. 11 Australians were playing 10 Italians.

The Australians did not make the most of their opportunity when everything was in their favour and did not step up their efforts until it was too late. They rolled a rock near to the top of the hill but then relaxed and let the rock roll all the way down the hill again.

The same thing happened in other matches. Sides that went ahead and then sat back on their laurels were overtaken and beaten.

In attempting to achieve any goal, it is important to make full use of the good times. If you are healthy and energetic, put in the extra work and pursue your goals with extra determination.

If things are going well, use the momentum and charisma of success to redouble your efforts and make sure you move even further along the path to achieve your goals.

A third key lesson from the competition concerns the importance of hard work. The Australians went as far as they did largely because of the work ethic of their Dutch coach - Gus Hiddinck.

The Australians had trained twice a day every day for a month. The players claimed never to have been fitter. Their coach prided himself on the fitness of his players.

After France beat Portugal in the semi-finals, Patrick Vieira, one of their top players was interviewed.

"Patrick. What is the strength in this French team?"

"Belief. We believe in ourselves and we worked very hard. That is why we are here."

Three key lessons from the world cup then are:

Believe in yourself, work hard and use the momentum and charisma of success to progress even further.

I'll leave the last word to another sport - tennis. Wimbledon ends on the same day as the World Football Cup.

The Wimbledon finalist, Raphael Nadal, was asked before the final if he believed he could beat Roger Federer, the world's number one.

He replied with words of pure wisdom:

"If I believe I will win, it will be difficult to win but, if I don't believe, it will be impossible."

John Watson

John Watson was born in Shanghai at the start of World War II on Dec 31st 1939

His father, a British civil engineer, was given the choice of working in the mines of Northern China for the occupying forces or going to a concentration camp. He refused to work for the invading forces.

As a result the whole family were imprisoned in a concentration camp in the middle of China in 1942. Eric Liddell (featured in the Chariots of Fire) the Scottish runner and missionary was imprisoned in the same camp.

In 1945 the family was rescued by American troops who were parachuted in. John's most treasured possession from this time is a plane made of bullets given him by one of the US soldiers. The tail parts have been lost but most of it remains. He also remembers being given a bottle of coca cola by one of the US troops and has been an addict ever since!

They moved to England and then, when John's father died, to the Isle of Man.

John went to school in the Isle of Man and then taught Physical Education at a prep school in Hertfordshire. Around this time he had three mystical experiences of contact with God.

He then studied English Literature at Cambridge University and later became an English teacher in South East London but, after 5 years, he did a diploma in Religious Studies and began teaching about religion full time.

After 33 years teaching in three London Comprehensive schools, John retired from teaching. He received several awards and commendations for teaching both religious studies and the martial arts. He still teaches martial arts after beginning training in karate at the age of 37. The style he now teaches is Choikwangdo, a brilliant self-defence and health oriented style founded by Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi in 1987.

In his retirement he began studying internet marketing and continued his study of the psychology of achievement and self development. This has always been a key interest.

John plans on writing reports and books on both teaching and on achievement in general. He feels that many schools let their students down by not teaching enough about how to study (by using mind maps for example) and about how to set goals and how to start saving money for their early retirement!

John's main aim is to make the most of his own potential and to help others make the most of their's. He also wishes to pass on whatever he knows of the meaning of life and to discover more and share more about the truths behind the universe.