Goals are great. They provide direction, focus, clarity. A team that intends to win a state championship is going to approach the game different from a team that is just playing for the sake of playing. An athlete who intends to qualify for the Olympics is going to train different from an athlete who just intends to earn a college scholarship. And an athlete who intends to earn a college scholarship is going to practice with a higher intensity than a player who only plays for fun. The state championship. The Olympics. The college scholarship. All are examples of goals. Result-oriented goals. But how does a champion react when he doesn't achieve his goal? When the results of his actions do not measure up to his expectations? He responds with dignity. Because he knows his approach is what counts. His approach is what he can control; not the outcome. Not the results. For instance, a swimmer who intends to qualify for the Olympics can't control the outcome of his race. Although he may swim the best heat of his life, his best may not be better than the other swimmers in the competition. So he doesn't qualify. Does that mean he is not a champion? It does if he quits. Surrenders. Gives up because the results didn't turn out the way he wanted. But if he continues on. If he perseveres. If he holds his head high knowing he performed to the best of his ability. Then he is a champion. Because he became someone worth being in the pursuit of his goals. He learned how to work hard. How to train tough. How to overcome obstacles. How to use his mind to propel him to personal success. So results don't determine champions. Because results are the one thing athletes cannot control. Thus, the way athletes respond to those uncontrollable results determine champions. How does your athlete respond to results? Remember that his results affect his thoughts. Which affects his language. Which affects his actions. Which then affect new results. And the cycle continues. So if he is never able to change his thoughts to think like a champion, he will never talk like a champion. Or act like a champion. Or reap the rewards of being a champion. Success begins in the mind. With a dream. And champions are people who take faithful, consistent, disciplined actions in pursuit of their dreams. |
