Definition of Champions

Champions aren't built in a day. It takes a lot of work and dedication.

Motivational Video (Dear Hardwork)

I found this video online, and it is great to get your mindset right to go out and keep working.  There are many things said in here that we have all felt.  It's only 3 minutes long, so take the time and watch it.

Motivational Speaker Recommendation

One of my initial posts is about great books to read.  Here is a recommendation for a speaker that can do great things for your mind.

Listen to Steve Gilliland.  If you want to listen to a great speaker who works with companies and teams all over the world, he is your guy. He is one of my personal favorites to listen to while I’m driving over long distances.  He motivates and helps me feel like I can do all that I want to do while being a good person.

His website is http://www.stevegilliland.com/index2.htm.  I highly encourage you to listen to what he has to say.  He has an excellent way of telling you things to keep you motivated, while still hitting you with the things you "don't want to hear, but need to."

Work ethic (How much is “enough”)

Awesome video by Evan Carmichael about how to have a great work ethic.  He focuses on the business world, but apply it to all areas of your life.

The only part that I disagree with is the "Do what you love" section.  I think that just because you don't like doing something means that you should just not do it, or brush it off onto someone else.  Refer to my last post about recognizing growth. I would say take a good look at why you don't like something.  Many times it is because we feel that we aren't good at it.  This is something you can change.  Attack the problem, and get better at it.  I'm sure we all have examples of things we originally didnt like, but after time we got good at them, and the task becomes enjoyable.

Recognizing Growth Patterns (A Way To Endure Through Hard Times)

When you start something new (job, level of work/competition, etc.), there can be feelings of inadequacy.  Feelings that you aren't the same person, or that you cant perform at that level seem to creep in.  By understanding and recognizing why these feelings happen, you can reduce stress and anxiety.  It will allow you to keep on pushing through hard times.  This cycle I put together is what happens when you get to the new level (Starting with the top left).

As you can see, you to a new level, and things get hard.  There are many little changes that can get overwhelming, but they just show you where you are falling short.  This is when the mental pain happens.  But if you keep pushing through, soon you will become competent.  You can keep up with those around you.  Then finally, you become the top of your field again. This is when you start to feel good about yourself.  However, it is also the time when you need to move on, and the cycle starts all over again. 

There is one last part that must be understood.  At first when thinking about he cycle I got bothered.  I would think, "Why would I want to move on if I am doing well where I am?"  The important part is to take the 3rd dimension into account.  This isn't just a cycle, it is more like a spiral like the picture below.  If you look down on it from above it looks like a continuous circle that never ends, but if you take a step back, you can see that there is a vertical aspect. The vertical length represents personal growth.  As you go through the cycle, you are growing and becoming more capable.  There is a lot of growth and it is hard at times to see that in ourselves.

Making the Most of Negative Thoughts

Over the summer I was training hard for the upcoming football season.  It had been almost 8 months since I had last played in a real game.  I felt as though the rewards of all this work were never going to show up.  Especially when we aren't seeing direct results, it is so easy to let one negative thought roll into another.  Before you know it, all you can do is think of negative things. As I was in the middle of a grueling lifting session, I had an interesting thought come to my mind.  I was feeling a bit down on my performance, and I remember saying something along the lines of, "I am doing terrible, this workout is a waste. I bet (my competition) is gaining so much ground on me right now." Interestingly, that last sentence sparked something in me. It doesn't matter what others do. All that matters is what I can do. I took what I just said, and used it at a reason for me to re-focus and get back on track towards my goals.  I then told myself, "I cant control what my competition is doing, but I can control my own effort."  I remembered all the things I have heard before about controlling what you can control.

Negative thoughts plague us all.  However, they don't have to control our lives.  Negative thoughts and self-doubt can be used as fuel to propel you forward.  Next time you are feeling down, or being negative, take a hard look at what you are really afraid of, why you are negative, and what is hurting.  Then use those thoughts in a positive way.  Maybe you are saying, "I am horrible at (insert task)."  Then turn it into something positive.  You could follow it up with something like, "Well, I may have never been the best anything, but I am good at sticking through tough times better than others.  This is just my tough task. I will beat this and become capable when everyone else will just quit."  Obviously everyone will be different, but use the negative thoughts to your advantage.

Thriving vs Struggling Worker Infographic

Here's a great infographic on the differences in mental outlook between people who thrive in their workplace and those who are struggling.