## Becoming a Champion: A Way of Being To be a champion is not just about winning awards or medals; it is a way of living, a journey, and a choice. As I often say, "It starts now by acting as a champion… committing yourself to the habits and ways of a champion, and choosing to engage in a lifestyle that demonstrates such qualities and characteristics on a consistent, daily basis." ## The Core Values of a Champion Champions are defined by a set of core values that guide their daily lives. These values include courage, resilience, integrity, and selflessness. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in the face of it. Champions are fearless; they are unafraid to come up short and understand that adversity and even failure are opportunities to learn. This fearlessness allows them to go all in, to give their best effort every single day, without worrying about what others might say. Resilience is another hallmark of a champion. It is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and keep moving forward. Champions have a tenacious focus on the process, the daily and weekly commitment to excellence. They find joy in the grind, in the hard work and dedication required to achieve greatness. Unlike ordinary people who focus on the outcome and often point fingers when things do not go their way, champions control the controllables. They show up early, stay late, and focus on getting 1% better every day. Integrity is about being true to oneself and living with honesty and ethics. Champions know that "Well done is better than well said," a phrase coined by Ben Franklin. Their actions speak louder than their words. They are authentic and genuine, and their integrity guides their decisions and actions every day. Selflessness is perhaps the most overlooked but crucial aspect of being a champion. Champions ask not "what can I get from my team?" but "what can I give?" They give 100% effort, a positive attitude, and a commitment to making their team better, regardless of their position or the number of minutes they play. ## Winning the Day Winning is not just about championships or trophies; it is about winning each day. It is an intentional, on-purpose, vision-driven exercise. To win the day, you must focus on the controllable actions that align with your goals and values. It is about doing all the little things, the necessary essential absolutes that make up the fabric of a champion's life. Imagine starting each day with a clear intention. Use your imagination to visualize yourself in alignment with that intention. Drill into at least one moment where you can see yourself succeeding. This mindset helps you stay focused and motivated, ensuring that every day is an opportunity to create a living masterpiece. ## The Importance of Relationships Relationships are at the heart of being a champion. It is about building strong, meaningful connections with others. Champions understand that vulnerability is essential in any relationship. Leadership without vulnerability is nonexistent, and the same goes for marriages and friendships. Vulnerability allows for genuine and authentic interactions, which are crucial for personal and professional growth. Great teammates are a key component of a championship team. A great teammate is someone who helps others be great teammates to each other. When you have great teammates, you end up having a great team. This is because they come to give and make the program better, rather than focusing on what they can get. ## Daily Practice and Continuous Improvement Becoming a champion is a daily vigil of being aware of the essential ingredients that must be paid attention to in order to live a full life. It involves daily spiritual and emotional development, cultivating those qualities that define a champion. For me, this includes a daily meditation practice, such as Vipassana breathing, which helps me stay grounded and focused. Reading is also an important part of my daily routine; it keeps my mind stimulated and moving forward. These practices, along with physical training and nutritional care, ensure that I am always improving and becoming the best version of myself. The concept of kaizen, or continuous improvement, is also vital. It is the slow, gradual, incremental progression towards excellence. Champions are not satisfied with where they are; they are always striving to get better, to give that extra bit that sets them apart. ## Mastery and the Inner Game Mastery is not just about achieving perfection; it is about the journey, the process of becoming the best you can be. It is a mysterious process that is at first difficult but becomes easier with time. Mastery requires passion, love, and joy. You cannot master something without having a deep passion for it. The inner game is just as important as the outer game. It is about shedding the non-essential aspects to reveal your true self. It is about being authentic and genuine, without the need for a script or a mask. Champions want to take their masks off and just be, allowing their true character to shine through. In sports, this translates to seeing the opponent as a partner in achieving excellence. The word "competitor" comes from the Latin word meaning "seek together." Opponents are not to be feared or hated; they are fellow travelers on this amazing journey. ## Conclusion: The Way of the Champion Becoming a champion is not something you achieve at the end of a journey; it is the journey itself. It is a choice to live a certain way, to commit to the habits and ways of a champion every single day. It is about being fearless, resilient, integrity-driven, and selfless. As the poem "The Man in the Glass" so eloquently puts it, "You may be like Jack Horner and 'chisel' a plum, And think you're a wonderful guy, But the man in the glass says you're only a bum, If you can't look him straight in the eye." The ultimate judge is the man in the glass, and champions strive to please him every day. So, the question is not "what can I get?" but "what can I give?" Give your heart, give your best effort, and give to others. This is the way of the champion, a way that leads to personal best performance on and off the field, and the satisfaction of knowing you did your best. Now, get to work. Every day is an opportunity to create a living masterpiece. Let us embark on this journey together, with courage, resilience, integrity, and selflessness guiding us every step of the way.

Here are the key insights from the book "Becoming a Champion: A Way of Being": ## Being a Champion is a Lifestyle - Being a champion is not just about winning awards or medals, but a way of living, a journey, and a choice. It involves committing to the habits and ways of a champion on a daily basis. ## Core Values of a Champion - Champions are defined by core values such as courage, resilience, integrity, and selflessness. Courage is the willingness to act in the face of fear, and resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks. ## Courage and Fearlessness - Champions are fearless and unafraid to come up short, seeing adversity and failure as opportunities to learn and improve. ## Integrity and Authenticity - Integrity involves being true to oneself, living with honesty and ethics, and letting actions speak louder than words. Champions are authentic and genuine in their decisions and actions. ## Selflessness - Selflessness is about giving 100% effort and a positive attitude to make the team better, rather than focusing on personal gain. Champions ask what they can give, not what they can get. ## Winning the Day - Winning is about focusing on controllable actions that align with goals and values. It involves visualizing success and staying focused and motivated to create a living masterpiece each day. ## Importance of Relationships - Strong, meaningful relationships are crucial for champions. Vulnerability is essential in these relationships, allowing for genuine and authentic interactions that foster personal and professional growth. ## Daily Practice and Continuous Improvement - Becoming a champion involves daily spiritual, emotional, and physical development. Practices like meditation, reading, and physical training, along with the concept of kaizen (continuous improvement), are vital for ongoing improvement. ## Mastery and the Inner Game - Mastery is about the journey of becoming the best version of oneself, requiring passion, love, and joy. The inner game involves being authentic and genuine, shedding non-essential aspects to reveal one's true self. ## Opponents as Partners - In sports, champions see opponents as partners in achieving excellence, rather than as enemies. This mindset helps in maintaining a positive and collaborative approach to competition. ## The Journey Itself is the Goal - Becoming a champion is not an end goal but the journey itself. It is about living a certain way, guided by courage, resilience, integrity, and selflessness every day. ## Focus on Giving - The ultimate question for champions is not "what can I get?" but "what can I give?" This mindset leads to personal best performance and a sense of satisfaction from giving one's best effort.