Walking the last part of the End-to- End this past weekend, I was inspired and motivated by the supporters lining the pavements, encouraging everyone to the finish. Positive energy directed towards someone invariably adds a spring to their step, no matter how many they have already taken.

I saw it at the London Olympics. One of the only events I could get near was the marathon, held on the city’s streets. Stood near the Tower of London, I was at the turning point to the last stretch. A group of athletes approached, straining, working hard. One of them was a Turkish runner. His face showed he was hurting. As he reached the turn he started to slow, then ground to a limping walk.

The crowd sensed his anguish and nobody wanted to see him give up. So the cheering and the chanting began: “Come on! You can do it! You’re so close! Yay! You’re amazing! Go, go, go!”

Within seconds the runner’s entire physiology shifted, like his heart was swelling, buoying him up, and he began running anew as if being carried along by the crowd’s energy.

Everyone was willing him to finish and as the group strength replaced his own, it propelled him to do so. It was amazing to witness.

Sometimes we all need encouragement. Our journey can get difficult, self-doubt can creep in and we might start wondering what we’re doing and what it’s all for. Hearing someone praise our efforts or even just recognise them can give us the impetus to carry on.

I had a wonderful experience on Saturday. Among the walkers were a group of three fabulous ladies, exuding such a positive vibe. They stopped when they saw me and burst into a chorus of kindness and effusive praise. “Oh it’s you! We’re big fans! We saw you in the improv show; we think you’re great. We read your column. Hey kid, your mom’s so cool.” I was so taken aback and overjoyed to hear such nice things completely out of the blue, I felt like I could have run a marathon. Thank you, ladies, you made my day … heck, my month!

Praise and feedback tend to come when we’ve completed something. Congratulations accompany the accolades, a pat on the back. But the hard work has been done by then. We need our rah-rah skirts and pom-poms out for the journey, not just the finish line.

Sometimes we may feel reluctant to cheer on others because of jealousy, thinking that their success will somehow detract from our own. But being a part of someone else’s success through our encouragement becomes a shared success. Raising other people’s energy levels raises the collective energy level, a win/win. And it feels good. Support groups are popular because, not only do they help people achieve their goals, but it feels good for both those being supported and those supporting, everyone sharing each role.

What about you? Who could you cheer on or acknowledge today? Perhaps you need some support right now. Are you at a tricky point and need a lift to see you through? Who is your support network? Try asking for the encouragement you need — people are often surprisingly willing to cheer us on. One benefit of having a coach is having a built-in cheerleader to share the journey with.

Sometimes we simply need to support ourselves. Reach round and pat yourself on the back right now. Why? Just for being who you are and doing what you do. You are amazing! Come on! Keep going, you can do it! Go, go, go!

• Julia Pitt is a trained success coach and certified NLP practitioner on the team at Benedict Associates. For further information contact Julia on 705-7488, www.juliapittcoaching.com.