3 Things For A Successful Life According To Coach Shan 

1. Setting your mind

1. Having a clear and positive mindset can help you stay focused, motivated, and confident in achieving your goals. It's important to visualize your success and believe in your ability to accomplish your objectives.

2. Discipline

1. Developing self-discipline can help you stay committed and consistent in your efforts towards your goals. This can involve creating healthy habits, managing your time effectively, and staying accountable to yourself and others.

3. Hard work

1. Hard work: Consistent effort and hard work can pay off in achieving your goals and developing skills and knowledge. It's important to stay dedicated to your goals and put in the necessary effort, even when faced with challenges or setbacks.

That is the results. The price of discipline is always less than the cost of regret. Self discipline is the biggest investment for success in life. ?

These are Coach Shan's personal word and life advice. Below are his results. 

Coach Shan himself went through many struggles and a journey of extreme weight loss recently as he was recovering from a devastating accident. 

Coach Shan's Personal Story

Former Malaysian national runner N. Shanmuganathan has always felt at home on the running track. That was where I first met him. 

Coach Shan - as everyone refers to him, is warm and friendly, and shows great humility for someone with his level of achievement and physical and mental prowess. 

Well into his 40's now, Coach Shan has been the national record holder of the 3,000m steeplechase Commonwealth Games for the past 25 years. To date, no one has beaten his record. 

Coach Shanmuganathan set the 8:59.10 national record en route to finishing ninth in the 3,000m steeplechase event during the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

He shattered M. Ramakrishnan’s 9:03.00 previous national record set in 1985.

“It was one of the proudest moments in my life to set the record in front of the Malaysian crowd. I had the record time and the date of the event tattooed on my right bicep,” Coach Shan told the local media.

Since then he has continued to strive for excellence and a healthy lifestyle. However, in 2015 disaster struck. Coach Shan was involved in a road accident in Penang while riding his motorcycle on February the 3rd. 

He sustained serious head injuries and was in a coma for five whole days.

After regaining consciousness, Shanmuganathan needed two weeks to get his memory back and he has been working on his recovery ever since.

Now, the Penang State Sports Council Sports-for-all Athletic Coach has declared himself ready to don his running shoes again and help others to succeed in athletics.

“The doctors at the hospital had given up hope on me. They told me later that it was a miracle that I survived the head injuries,” Coach Shan recounted his stay in hospital.

“Even two weeks after the accident, I could not recall my own name or recognise my family members.

“It was a frightening experience and I am thankful to get a second chance to live my life,” said the father of one.

“It feels good to start running again. I had goosebumps all over and almost cried the first time I got back on the running track more than a year after the accident.”

Shanmuganathan has credited the accident for changing his entire outlook on life. He wants to cherish every day now and wishes to give back to the sport which gave him fame.

“I realise now that life is short. It is important for me to start helping others.

“I am formulating a plan to help guide youngsters involved in athletics to fulfil their potential.

“It is very easy nowadays for a young athlete to get distracted or disheartened along the way.

“I learnt through my experience that young athletes not only need a coach but also a mentor and a father figure to help them stay focused on their dream.

“Malaysia needs more former athletes like myself to come back and contribute towards growing athletics.

“We used to be an athletics powerhouse in South-East Asia, but sadly, our dominance is a thing of the past now.”

Shanmuganathan said he met with athletics and National Sports Council officials to convey his interest in guiding budding athletics stars.

Currently, Coach Shan is working closely with local Penang authorities and athletes to train our future champions and cultivate a spirit of excellence and a healthy lifestyle in all Malaysians. 

If you would like to meet Coach Shan in person, you can find him at your nearest Penang running track. He provides training at Universiti Sains Malaysia's track and field every Thursday evening. 

For more information, check out this webpage.