Champions Are Not Born, They Are Made: Here’s How You Can Be One!

“There's no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we are all equals as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time. You will reach the top, and that's that. I am not talented. I am obsessed.”- “Notorious” Conor McGregor Those words by the charismatic MMA powerhouse Conor McGregor ring true for anyone who has ever put in the effort to achieve something great. Coming from a very modest background and surviving on welfare in Dublin, Ireland, Conor McGregor slogged away countless hours training at the gym, and because of his obsession, today he sells out arenas all over the globe. Recently he made over $50 million for a boxing match against the legendary Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

If everyone believed that only certain people are blessed with the gift of talent and others aren’t, then champions such as LeBron James, Michael Jordan and MS Dhoni wouldn’t have existed. They believed in their abilities to become the greats they knew they were capable of becoming.

Here is a list of things you should know before you begin your ascent to being a champion:

1. Filter out the Noise

The number one obstacle in your path to being a champion is yourself. The amount of stagnating and negative thoughts in your own head will stop you from being the champion that you can be.

Thoughts that constantly keep you second-guessing yourself, thoughts that negatively impact the way you view your work are the enemy of your success.

Those are the kind of thoughts that you need to get rid of. Once those are out of the way, you will have a clear focus on your goals and you’ll be able to form your gameplan to success. Also Read:  The Heart of a Champion: Here’s what nobody tells you!

2. Be Strict with Yourself

That extra cheese on the pizza looks mouth-wateringly yummy, you don’t really need to go to work today, you can just skip the gym today and laze out on the couch. No, you shouldn’t be weak-willed, you cannot. Champions don’t do things that way.

One has to have a mind of steel when it comes to achieving goals. Motivation brings action and action brings results.

Success lies outside your comfort zone - you need to get out there and challenge yourself and not wait for opportunities to come to you.

3. Plan Your Moves

The when-what-how of things are the difference between mediocrity and champions. Take a marker and fill out your weekly calendar with objectives.

You must always think three moves ahead and plan your objectives in advance.

This will easily make your life a few times more efficient and you can always look back on your day and review what you learned and what you can improve on.

4.  Use Your Head

The mind is, without doubt, the most powerful organ in your body. You control your mind and your imagination.

If you keep repeating in your head “I hate this” or “I really don’t want to do this anymore”, that’s when you know you’re failing the champion in you.

Repeat to yourself that this is fun, that this is what you want to do, that you can get better and you will.  Use your imagination to the maximum and watch how things fall into place. Interesting Read: FIFA or Rummy: Strategy is the Endgame to Winning it All

5. It's About the Journey, Not the Destination

Most champions will tell you that in their path to glory, they focused more on the present rather than the future and enjoyed the journey to success rather than worrying about the destination or their chances of achieving success. As the old saying goes, “The journey is more beautiful than the destination.” If you are curious to learn and determined to achieve, and use your knowledge and experience well while playing, you will find your path to being a true champion.