Superbowl Sunday Thought of the Day: What does it take to be a Champion?

Being that it is Superbowl Sunday, the most coveted day for any professional football player and a day that coincides with the word champion, I was motivated to write a short article this morning on the question… What does is take to become a champion?! To grab the gold? To conquer that mountain? To achieve greatness?!?? The answer to this question could be the end all be all for the rest of our lives and could be the miracle we are looking for to that which we all would like the answer to, right? Well, let me share with you my viewpoint.

Now in asking this question to myself I understood how sincerely thought inducing it was, but I’m happy that I did because I love to get those gerbils in my head running around from time to time. I really had to go deep into the crevices of my brain on this one because the answer to this question is extremely crucial when it comes to talking about achieving any sort of milestone or ambition. I mean no one goes for second place and being called the first loser isn’t exactly great. The truth however is, is that we are all born winners, we each are entitled to a championship trophy in our own ways, but the catch is we have to go out there and take it.

Now what I’ll do first to answer this question as best I can, is to recall upon my own personal experiences and observations so I can relay to you thoughts that I can personally advocate for, that can give some insight to what the secret to this answer is. And even though I don’t have any championships trophies that I can display on a shelf on my wall,(At least not ones that date after high school) I do have many moments in my life that I have set a significant goal out to do and have accomplished it.

Consistent work ethic

So what do I personally think it takes to win “championships” in our career and in our personal endeavors? The first thing that comes to mind is consistency. All champions need to have CONSISTENT WORK ETHIC. Champions are not ove
ight successes. They are athletes who get their body in the gym and train to push themselves to their limits, and when they think they have, they train some more. They are scientists who take time every single time they have on posing a question, performing experiments, coming up with a hypothesis, doing whatever it takes at the cost of sleep and at times their personal lives. This is all to get their much wanted answers that they are not obligated to get in the first place. They are businessmen, chefs, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs who spend countless hours perfecting their craft with no promise of winning. But they do it. And they continue to perfect their art and push their limits until something breaks, either their will or a glass ceiling. No champio
I know of ever succeeded without an indomitable work ethic. They all know the path is quite the trip, but they are okay to take it.

Passion

So what’s next? Is that it? Is it just work, work, work, work and work some more and you’ll get to where you want to be? That’s a huge part of it, but you will also have to work a particular way as well which brings me to my next key, PASSION. What is it that keeps these entrepreneurs, athletes, and artists going at 1:00 in the morning when they could just as easily be partying at the neighborhood bar to pass the time? It’s called passion. And I think that every person has this innate quality latent within them, waiting to come to the surface if they can simply discover that “one thing” that taps this part of their soul. And don’t think that you have to appear that you’ve been sponsored by Starbucks to show passion or enthusiasm. Passion can be displayed in a variety of ways and it comes through pursuing something that you love. This in and of itself will be your driving energy, the gas to your engine, that will keep you on course through your path to success. When you love what you do, it will do much for you in return. You will have undying faith in what you are doing and who you are. You will have a sense of certainty and confidence cultivated by work ethic. Your mind will then start to steer you in a multitude of ways to show you how to improve upon your efficiency and to help you develop a proper road map to achievement. You don’t have to know all the answers when you first start out, no one does, but you will get your answers along the way if you are passionate enough about your dream. This is the foundation in breeding a winner. They can have incredible work ethic, intelligence, will, and display so many other admirable qualities but the bottom line is this: If what they are going after does not feed their soul, they will never reach the heights of those of whom it does. Passion gives you wings as you strive for the top.

Environment

So you know you have passion and you know you have the work ethic, so what else do you need to become the next top champion? You will need to establish for yourself the proper ENVIRONMENT. And what I mean by that, is that every Champ needs people around them, that either motivates them, believes in them, supports them, coaches them, and yes even hates on them. All are driving forces in pushing the internal buttons of fortitude that can separate a win from a loss. You will need a good balance of the good and the bad for you to achieve greatness. Check out this excerpt I posted from The Art of Expressing The Human Body if you haven’t already to see what I mean. Its called “A man must constantly exceed his level.” Basically this excerpt talks about one of Bruce Lee’s students, Stirling Silliphant, who thinks he can’t run anymore and that he would die if he did. Bruce Lee responds to that idea by saying “die then.” And sure enough this comment enraged Stirling so much that he finished running. Haters are beneficial for us in a similar angering way and are a normal part of the journey. Be thankful for your haters as they can be your greatest motivation as you climb your personal mountain. As far as why you will need your supporters, well what I’ll say about that is that we are all human. I’ve prided myself in the past to having a strong mentality and to being able to endure extreme circumstances, which is a great testimony to my own self improvement journey, but there will be guaranteed moments where we will have our downs. I’ve learned that It’s all part of the journey and is a necessary part, because it is within these times that we build our character, define our purpose, and that which brings us closer to our destiny.

Know what you want

Lastly, the final key attribute, as minuscule as it may appear, it must not be overlooked into this answer. And that is KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT. Before any of these gears can start working for you, you have to know what you want. I see so many talented, intelligent, and phenomenal individuals out there who just don’t know what they want period. They have great work ethic, with education to back it up, and are passionate individuals but have not discovered that thing they are passionate about. And there is the difference, the most skillful sailor will still sink if his boat is named the Titanic. I say this because we all need to discover our “boat.” The one where we know that without a shadow of a doubt, that that is the boat that will take us into the promised land. I have seen this time and time again with people, people with so much talent and wit, who succumb to less than what they are capable of because their energies are going into a sinking ship. Whether that is a career they dislike or whether they are putting time into one of many “get rich quick” ideas. With the boom of so many upcoming entrepreneurs today all looking to seek fame or fortune, it seems many are wanting to get in where they fit in, and my only advice is to take time to reflect and to know what you want. And it’s okay if you don’t in the beginning, but that just means you have to do a bit more soul searching to discover out what that is, because the moment you do you’ll be in on the direct road to success.

“Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months, and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.” – T. Alan Armstrong

“Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities without becoming very good at it.” – Brian Tracy

“A true champion is someone who wants to make a difference, who never gives up, and who gives everything she has no matter what the circumstances are. A true champion works hard and never loses sight of her dreams.” – Dot Richardson

“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have late minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” – Muhammed Ali

Conclusion

As I look at these quotes coming from winners, champions, and the highly successful, this is what I hear. I hear passion in them. I hear consistent work ethic. I hear pure focus and intent. I hear support system. I hear confidence. I hear so many of the same attributes repeated by the great people of our time. There is no huge secret, it’s just finding and utilizing your God given gifts and taking them as far as you can go. Remember though what you’ll need with you for the road less traveled. You’ll need consistent work ethic, passion, creating the proper environment, and finally, you have to know what you want. Everything else will come into place! I sincerely hope this helps shed some light not only on this question but also finds a place of truth in your life. Make it a great week! Keep the faith! And much love!

“Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” -Dan Gable