Derek Redmond was favored to medal in the 400-meter race for the United Kingdom at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. But 150 meters in to the semifinal race, he felt a searing pain in his right leg and fell to the ground in agony with a torn hamstring. He was not willing to give up. He wanted to finish the race no matter what. He got up and limped around the track until a man came out of the stands and broke through security to help him. It was his father.

He told his son, “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I do,” he told his dad.

And his dad said, “Well then, we’re going to finish this together.”

And they walked together with arms around each other’s shoulders until shortly before the finish line, when his dad let him finish the race alone. Redmond received a standing ovation from the 65,000 people in attendance, including me.

That is what I absolutely love about the Olympic Games -- the determination and never-give-up attitudes that these athletes bring to their sports. They demonstrate an amazing resilience that is inspiring. And that is why I’ve only missed one Summer Olympic Games since 1972, in Munich.

We’ve all hit roadblocks and dead ends that can make us think twice about whether it’s worth our efforts. Discouragement and disappointment cloud our judgment. It’s exhausting sometimes trying to figure out how to get past a problem.

So before negative thoughts lead to negative actions, you need to develop a strategy to clear your head. It becomes even more important to train your brain to look for positives.

Researchers believe that people who embrace a positive outlook have less stress, an increased sense of well-being, better coping skills and longer life spans. Do whatever it takes to get to that attitude. Learn to look on the bright side.

Or, to put it simply, in the immortal words of the great philosopher, Yogi Berra, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Really, that’s not just a punch line. Keep moving forward. Keep trying. Keep hoping and dreaming and believing you can do it. Be resilient.

Because when you don’t give up, you usually don’t fail.

This is true in life in general and business in particular. Every organization that gets hit with any sort of emergency needs to have people who can respond in a productive and clear-headed manner. Your value to the organization increases exponentially if you are one of those people.

In this ever-changing, fast-paced business climate, resilience is one of the most critical skills you need to master. Clinical psychologist Susan Dunn has observed that people who can bounce back after failure and confront new obstacles without losing their nerve generally do these essential things:

-- Learn from experience. Resilient people reflect on what happens to them, good and bad, so they can move forward without illusion.

-- Accept setbacks and losses: You’ve got to face the reality of what happens in order to get past it.

-- Recognize emotions: Resilient people don’t hide from their feelings. They identify what they’re feeling and express their emotions appropriately.

-- Keep time in perspective: Past, present and future are separate. For example, don’t mix them up by letting what happened in the past determine your choices in the here and now.

-- Think creatively and flexibly: Look for new ways to solve problems and face challenges.

-- Take care of yourself: Resilience is based on good physical and mental health. Get enough rest, eat sensibly and spend time with people who support you.

-- Ask for help: Resilient people don’t try to do everything themselves. Accept that you’ll need to ask others for assistance, and learn how to do so graciously and effectively.

The children’s book “The Hugging Tree” tells the story of a little tree growing all alone on a cliff by a vast and mighty sea. Through thundering storms and the cold of winter, the tree holds fast. Sustained by the natural world and the kindness and compassion of one little boy, eventually the tree grows until it can hold and shelter others.

The resilience of the Hugging Tree calls to mind the potential in all of us: to thrive, despite times of struggle and difficulty. To nurture the little spark of hope and resolve. To dream and to grow.

Mackay’s Moral: When the wicked winds blow, learn to bend, not break.

According to a new biography, a man who became infamous for deception got his start at a young age. As a high-school sophomore, this young man was assigned to present a book report to his class.

Because he never got around to reading anything, he stood up in the classroom and proceeded to tell his classmates about “Hunting and Fishing” by Peter Gunn -- a book that didn’t exist. When the teacher asked him to show her the book, the student calmly replied that he couldn’t because he’d already returned it to the library.

The young student was Bernard Madoff, who later in life became notorious for his Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of billions of dollars.

Santa Claus may know who’s been naughty and who’s been nice this time of year, but spotting a liar isn’t always simple.

In the 1991 book “The Day America Told the Truth,” by James Patterson and Peter Kim, research showed that 91% of Americans admit to lying routinely, while 36% confessed to big, important lies. Eighty-six percent of those surveyed said they lie regularly to parents, 75% to friends, 73% to siblings, 69% to spouses, 81% about their feelings, 43% about their income and 40% about sex.

Psychologist Michael Lewis of Rutgers University says there are three types of lies: lies to protect feelings, such as saying a gift is nice when you actually hate it, lies to avoid punishment and lies of self-deception.

While the first type might be acceptable, the other two are never OK. It’s important to know that you are dealing with honest people who can be trusted. But how do you know?

The TV show “Lie to Me,” which ran from 2009-2011, featured a psychologist who could recognize lying by observing the slightest change of expression or a subtle unconscious gesture. Most of us aren’t that skilled, but you can learn to spot a lie by paying close attention. Here’s what to watch and listen for:

-- Words and gestures that don’t match. Look at the timing of people’s words and gestures (or expressions). Example: Joe says, “I’d love to help you with that,” but frowns, or else flashes a smile a moment or so afterward. Sincere, spontaneous gestures and expressions are normally simultaneous with statements.

-- Repetition. Liars are more likely to repeat your question or rephrase it when answering. You: “Did you take the last piece of cake?” Liar: “No, I didn’t take the last piece of cake.”

-- A thoughtful pause. Most people need time to think before they tell a lie. “I had to ... take my mother to the dentist,” for example. Be sensitive to hesitations and pauses when they answer your questions.

-- Try changing the subject. When you suspect someone is lying, switch to a different topic. Liars will be relieved that you’ve moved on, and eager to engage the new topic. People telling the truth are more likely to be confused by the abrupt switch.

-- Don’t jump to conclusions. All of these behaviors may have alternative explanations. If the matter is serious, investigate the facts before making any accusations.

A CIA agent was told to find a small village in Ireland and pick up some highly sensitive information from a secret operative stationed there whose name was Murphy.

The CIA man was told the agent would identify himself when he heard the code phrase, “The sun is shining, the grass is green and the cows are ready for pasture.”

So the agent located a small village in County Cork and checked into a local guest house under an assumed name. Seeking to stretch his legs, he was walking down a country road when he saw a farmer coming toward him. He stopped the man and said, “I'm looking for a man named Murphy.”

“Well, you've come to the right place,” said the farmer, “but we have a butcher who is named Murphy, a baker named Murphy and an auto mechanic on the edge of town who is named Murphy. In fact, my own name is Murphy.”

Thinking he might have stumbled onto the right man already, the CIA agent softly repeated the code phrase, “The sun is shining, the grass is green and the cows are ready for pasture.”

“Oh,” said the farmer, “you're looking for Murphy the spy -- he’s in that town in the other direction over there!”

Mackay’s Moral: Honesty is not just the best policy -- it should be your only policy.

There are few times in life when you are totally alone -- like just before you make a five-minute speech. Or if you doubt the concept of eternity, try and make a five-minute speech.

Let’s start with my basic premise: Everyone is a salesperson whether they want to admit it or not. Why? Because from the time you get up in the morning until the time you go to bed at night, you are continually communicating, negotiating, persuading, influencing and selling ideas.

When you can get up on your feet and talk extemporaneously on a variety of subjects, this instills confidence, develops poise and breeds conviction. You become more convincing in your meetings and your encounters.

Also, you become a better leader, manager and salesperson.

The best-kept secret in the world is Toastmasters International, which started in 1924 and today has 357,000 members in 143 countries and more than 16,600 member clubs. I am a proud graduate. Toastmasters changed my life. And it can change your life too.

Another organization that can dramatically change your life is Dale Carnegie Training, which boasts a century of proven success in professional training and development solutions. I am also a graduate of Dale Carnegie.

The three most important keys on giving a good speech are: Room size, room size and room size. You want the excitement and chemistry of a standing-room-only, bumper-to-bumper crowd. Extra space is a killer. Avoid it at all costs. Where possible, try to avoid high ceilings.

Have the first row set very close to the stage. Too much space between the speaker and the first row can destroy chemistry with the audience.

Studies show people remember more and laugh more in brightness. Turn the lights up full blast, unless you are showing slides/overheads.

Practice, practice, practice. Know your stuff. Don’t ever give another speech without it being entertaining as well as educational.

Outside noise from the adjoining rooms and hallways is the No. 1 killer of meetings. In fact, if another event is being held in the rooms adjacent to my talk, I will make every effort to book another venue. If you can’t hear a pin drop, you’re in the wrong room. A quick phone call to the catering manager will ensure total quiet.

Never, never, never end your program with a question- and-answer session. You cannot control the agenda or the quality of the questions. Start the Q & A five minutes before the end of your talk, then end with a good story.

Find out who the group's last three to five speakers were and how they were accepted. Ask why they were successful or why they failed.

Always request that a technician be in the room during your entire talk in case of microphone problems.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce of any city you are to speak in. They will give you loads of information to familiarize you with the local surroundings and help you personalize your remarks. Above all, you must know your audience.

Never mispronounce a person’s name. If you're not sure, check with the sponsor. Then double-check.

Stick to your allotted time and don’t exceed it.

If you don't have a smashing "opener" and "closer," go back to the drawing board. And, don't step up to the microphone until you do.

And finally, debrief yourself within 24 hours of a speech, and take 10 minutes to write down what you could do better the next time. Try something new every time you speak, and you'll never become stale.

I estimate I’ve given well over 2,000 speeches and presentations over the years. I will confess, I still get butterflies before I speak. When those butterflies flit away, I will know it’s time to walk away from the podium. Because I am quite convinced that if I get too comfortable, my audience will too -- just before they fall asleep!

Mackay’s Moral: The best way to make a speech is to have a good beginning and a good ending -- and to keep them close together.

(Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com, by emailing harvey@mackay.com or by writing him at MackayMitchell Envelope Co., 2100 Elm St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.)