We are quite sure that we are not the only people slightly confused by who’s in the Commonwealth and why, but it’s in the media at the moment because the spectacle that is the Commonwealth Games kicked off in Glasgow last Wednesday.

So what we do know is that many of these 53 countries, a lot of which, we have to admit, we’d never really heard of, were part of the British Empire and they have now chosen to join the Commonwealth.  They have signed up to share a set of values that include holding fair and free elections and respecting human rights. They are united by language, history, culture, their shared principles of democracy and the rule of the law.

What better way to demonstrate these values than in the ‘Friendly Games’? An opportunity to come together as an empire, to show pride, ambition, strength, courage, faith and spirit.

Although the opening ceremony was clearly on a smaller scale than a lot of the Olympic ceremonies, there was no doubt that the atmosphere was electric.  The athletes were thrilled to be there and were lapping up the festivities.  And why shouldn’t they? These are people who devote their lives to their sport, striving to be the best at what they do.  Often without any financial support, they fund their training, equipment, travel etc and with sheer determination this so often pays off and we find ourselves witnessing some of the most amazing sporting achievements and talents.

These athletes are normal people, not huge celebrities earning ridiculous amounts of money and searching for more fame.  They have experienced disappointment, injury and failure but after each one they haven’t given up, they have kept going and that’s why they were one of the select few in that stadium last Wednesday night.  So why shouldn’t they have a party, even if it did mean wheeling out Rod Stewart – again!

We might not be sportsmen and sportswomen, but we can all apply their discipline to our lives. So whether it’s a work project that fails or a client that is lost or a role that is made redundant, we take a leaf out of our athletes’ books and get up and try again.  The advantage we have is that we won’t have Susan Boyle singing at us when we do!