The Blueprint for being a Champion

 

All champions are born, but many are made through sheer persistence and hard work. We often associate champions with sports, and that can serve as a metaphor for life. Life is like a sport, as we all face defeat, victory, setbacks, and elation. There are certain traits that champions possess, whether in business, sports, or politics. Here is my analysis of the 15 traits that set champions apart from the rest.

They Know Their Outcome

If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will get you there. Unless you have defined the outcome you want in your life, it is very difficult to get any momentum. All champions have clearly defined what success looks like to them. It may be a financial goal, physical goal, or learning goal. Whatever it may be, they have taken the time to identify what they really want their end game to look like. You can also project yourself to the year 2030 and define how your life should look like from that vantage point.

They Stay Hungry

I often wonder how a champion like Federer or Djokovic keeps coming back even after achieving everything he has ever wanted, and why some champions stop trying to win after one victory. The key is the hunger or desire to be the best in whatever they do. The champions who are hungry try to be the best they can be. They want to be the best in whatever they do, and they maintain that hunger. They create reasons to keep that hunger going. Once you know what your outcome is, you need to know why you want it. This is the key to maintaining that hunger to keep winning. Now, most of us are not in sports, so sometimes there may not be a clear winning sign. However, we can set goals for ourselves and see how we measure against ourselves. So the key is not beating everyone in competition. Rather, it is more about beating your previous best.

They Pay the Price and Engage in Deliberate Practice

Champions know that they need to pay the price for victory. They know that just to participate in the Olympics, they have to put in nearly 4,000 hours of effort in four years. It is this ability to put in the hours that sets champions apart from the rest. This is really inspiring from Michael Phelps and his dedication to hard work. His quote, "People were taking breaks during and after the Olympics. I was working all the time. Six months later, I broke the world record... Sometimes my goggles broke in practice, that's how intensely I pushed myself. So when my goggles fell off in the water at the Olympics, my mind went back to those moments, and I was ready... It's what you do in the dark that brings you to light. It's the stuff behind closed doors, the blood, sweat, and tears." Another example of a champion is Michael Jordan, and in the book Relentless, Tim Grover said Michael Jordan didn't study the competition; instead, he made the competition study him.

They Are High on Self-Care

As documented in the wonderful book Peak Performance, all top athletes like Deena Kastor not only push themselves full out, but they also take care of themselves really well. They sleep for at least 8-10 hours, they take time off, and they really take time to rest. So take the time to recover from stress. Use the weekends to really renew and rejuvenate. All champions see peak performance as a cycle: go full out, and then pull back. This is the only way to win the long game. Tony Schwartz from the Energy project says the same thing to keep producing work for bursts of 90 min and then take breaks. See your life as a series of sprints.

They Embrace Failure

It doesn’t matter how great the champion may be, as all of them have to go through failure at some point in time. It doesn’t matter if it is Sachin Tendulkar or Roger Federer—they all had failure. The only difference between champions and others is they embrace failure. They know that the only way to keep winning is to keep trying until you get what you want. As Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." So next time you feel like something has failed in your life, just remember that all champions do encounter failure, but they embrace it and use it as a launch pad to come back stronger.

They Compete Against Themselves

Champions don’t keep comparing themselves with others. Instead, they try to be the best they can be. We have heard so many times that "I wanted to better my record." That is the key to success. You need to keep trying to improve your best performance. If you give your best every day, then there are no regrets, and that is a good enough reason not to compare with anyone else. Someone else’s success is not your failure. Everybody has their own unique potential, and they can try to maximize theirs, which is the best anyone can do.

They Find New Challenges to Stay Motivated

Looking at champions who have achieved whatever they wanted, the key is to keep trying to scale new mountains once they have conquered one. Many champions may have won the gold medal, but that feeling may last for a week or a month. However, they may have to wait for another four years for the next medal. So in the intervening four years, they need to keep setting new challenges to stay motivated.

They Have a Great Support System

Looking at champions who have achieved whatever they wanted, they all had a great support system. They had wonderful coaches, or they had the best training gear. So the key is not only what you do when you are in the arena but also what you do off the arena that determines how far you go. For those who are not in sports, this may mean having all the books you need to succeed, identifying all the experts in your field, connecting with them, listening to their podcasts, documenting what you have learned, and sharing what you have learned. It may also mean having a supportive family who is always with you when things go awry.

They Never Give Up

This is the absolute holy grail of all champions. They absolutely never give up. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. The Chicken Soup for the Soul book was rejected by 144 publishers before going on to sell 8 million copies. We all know J.K. Rowling’s story. Steve Jobs was fired from the company he founded and then came back to win big time. As a young cartoonist, Walt Disney faced many rejections from newspaper editors who said he had no talent. Young Beethoven was told that he had no talent for music, but he gave some of the most memorable music of all time. As Mark Cuban says in his book How to Win at the Sport of Business, “The point of all this is that it doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and from those around you because … All that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.”

They Cultivate Resilience

Champions are masters of resilience. They bounce back from setbacks with unwavering determination. They understand that the road to success is often paved with obstacles, and they face these challenges head-on, learning and growing from each experience. Resilience allows them to keep moving forward, even when the odds are stacked against them.

They Maintain Discipline

Discipline is the backbone of a champion’s routine. Whether it’s in training, work, or personal habits, champions adhere to a strict regimen. This discipline ensures consistency, and consistency breeds success. Champions know that discipline is what transforms goals into accomplishments, and they remain committed even when motivation wanes.

They Focus on the Process, Not Just the Outcome

Champions understand that focusing solely on the outcome can be overwhelming. Instead, they immerse themselves in the process, knowing that the journey is just as important as the destination. By concentrating on daily habits and routines, they set themselves up for long-term success and find satisfaction in the progress they make each day.

They Possess an Unshakeable Confidence

Champions have a deep-seated belief in their abilities. This confidence isn’t arrogance; it’s a quiet assurance that they are capable of achieving greatness. This mindset helps them perform under pressure and overcome any self-doubt that might arise. Their confidence is built on preparation, experience, and the knowledge that they have put in the work.

They Are Lifelong Learners

Champions are always looking to improve and evolve. They are curious, open to new ideas, and willing to learn from others. This commitment to continuous learning keeps them at the top of their game, allowing them to adapt and grow in an ever-changing world. Champions seek knowledge and use it to gain an edge over the competition.

They Lead by Example

Champions are often leaders, not just in their field but in their communities and beyond. They inspire others by leading through action, showing what is possible through hard work and dedication. Their example sets a standard for others to follow, and they often take on the role of mentor or role model for those aspiring to reach similar heights.

There you have it—the 15 traits that set champions apart from the rest. The keys are to define what you want, take action, stay hungry, and never give up.

Thanks for reading this post. The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.