8 Ways to Unleash the Inner Champion

 

We all have champion qualities. For example, the book Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin clearly shows that genius is due more to deliberate practice than natural gifts. He persuasively argues with data that even superstars and child prodigies became great through relentless practice and hard work. His main argument is that this insight gives us fewer excuses for why we cannot be great.

The two things Colvin says you need to be a total champion are:

1. You need to know what you want. In other words, the only way you are going to be committed is to know exactly what you want. It is not a “maybe” but a clear set of goals for which you are totally committed.

2. You need to decide if you believe you have a say in it. This means, do you genuinely believe that if you put in the necessary practice, you will attain your goals? If the answer is yes, then, as per the research, with consistent practice, your goals are attainable.

Here are the qualities I identified to become a total champion in all areas of life. I have expanded each word of the acronym CHAMPION to unleash the inner champion.

Courage

This is not the type of courage that Winston Churchill talks about—though I appreciate that as well. Here, I mean the courage to believe in your potential. The only person who must decide what you need in your life is you. So, you need to believe in your potential and envision the victory before it happens. You need to see yourself where you want to be well before the actual success. This requires tremendous courage.

Honesty

Once you have the courage to believe in your potential, you need to be totally honest with yourself. This means conducting a skills assessment and determining where you currently stand compared to where you want to be. As Jim Collins says, you must be brutally honest with yourself. If you do that, you’ll take the necessary actions to move to the next level.

Attitude

If, as research suggests, it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate effort to reach expert-level mastery, that represents many years of persistence. Of course, in Range, David Epstein argues that it is better to be a generalist than a specialist. Either way, you’ll need a great attitude to sustain that long-term effort.

Attitude is the one thing you can control. While life events may be unpredictable, how you react to setbacks determines whether you last the distance. Journaling is an excellent tool for maintaining a positive attitude. Additionally, surrounding yourself with positive people will keep your mindset in tip-top shape.

Mastery

Mastery requires focus and concentration. Once you determine what you want, you must figure out what knowledge or skills you need to reach the highest level of excellence. If it’s a sport, the path may be clearer, but in fields like leadership, the journey is more nuanced.

Some ways to pursue mastery include identifying experts in your field, reading their blogs or books, listening to their podcasts, taking certifications, documenting your learning, and sharing your insights. While mastery is a continuous pursuit, the goal is always to keep improving.

Passion

I know Cal Newport cautions against “following your passion,” but it’s hard to imagine champions excelling without a love for what they do. Take Roger Federer, for instance—his passion for tennis was undeniably a driving force behind his success.

While willpower alone is rarely sustainable, passion provides the energy to persist. Another critical aspect of passion is balance. If your work is also your passion, it’s essential to find a separate hobby. Engaging in something different can help prevent burnout and recharge your enthusiasm.

Inspiration

Stay inspired through whatever means work best for you. It could be reading an insightful book, watching a TED talk, visiting an art gallery, or listening to music. Staying inspired helps you push through tough times and reignites your motivation.

Optimism

Optimism is a skill that all champions possess. For instance, Roger Federer could lose a set 6-0 to Nadal in the French Open but come back two weeks later to win Wimbledon. This level of mental resilience is only possible by focusing on the future and letting go of past disappointments.

Optimism is also a cornerstone of resilience. Champions always find a way to look for the good in every setback and use failures as stepping stones to future success.

Never Give Up

Persistence is essential, but as Seth Godin points out in The Dip, winners know when to quit strategically. If something truly isn’t working—like learning a new skill that doesn’t align with your strengths—it’s okay to let it go. The key is to quit the right things, those that don’t move you closer to your area of excellence.

In the areas that matter most, however, champions never give up. It’s crucial to identify where you can excel and stay the course. As the saying goes, “Winners quit the wrong things; they don’t quit the right ones.”

There you have it—the eight ways you can unleash the inner champion. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it valuable.

The views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent my organization. Thank you for reading.