Every Olympic champion possesses discipline. They persevere through setbacks. They rely on coaches and teammates. They stay focused despite distractions. They compete with passion.
But what ties all those qualities together? Continue reading
Category Archives: Developing The Heart Of A Spiritual Champion
Passion: Champions Play with Heart
Michael Jordan, Tim Tebow, Pete Rose, Eric Liddell, and Wayne Gretzky—what do they all have in common?
Apart from being outstanding athletes in their respective sports, each was known for incredible passion. Continue reading
Focus: Champions Refuse Distractions
In The Greatest Finish Fails in Sports History, Andrew Daniels recounts several stories of runners, cyclists, and ballplayers who celebrated victory too soon—only to suffer heartbreaking defeat.
At the 2014 Shanghai Diamond League meet, Algeria’s Taoufik Makhloufi stretched out his arms and stuck out his tongue just before crossing the finish line in the men’s 800 meters. In those final moments, Kenya’s Robert Biwott surged past him for the victory. Continue reading
Teamwork: Champions Never Win Alone
One of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time, John Wooden, believed teamwork was the indispensable ingredient of success. During an incredible 12-season stretch in the 1960s and 1970s, Wooden’s UCLA teams won an astonishing 10 NCAA Championships.
While he coached many players who later became NBA superstars, Wooden never allowed individual talent to overshadow the team. His philosophy was simple: “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” Continue reading
Perseverance: Champions Don’t Quit
Every four years, the Olympics reveal incredible displays of courage, fortitude, and perseverance. Few, however, can surpass what Sifan Hassan did during the Tokyo Olympics.
Hassan, a long-distance runner from the Netherlands, demonstrated remarkable determination in the 1,500-meter qualifying heat.
With one lap to go, a runner ahead of her tripped, creating a domino effect. Hassan tried unsuccessfully to leap over the fallen runner and crashed to the track herself. Continue reading
Discipline: Champions Train Intentionally
In her book Reach for the Summit, the late Hall of Fame University of Tennessee basketball coach Pat Summit offered this insightful observation:
“Discipline is the internal mechanism that motivates you. It gets you out of bed in the morning. It gets you to work on time, and it tells you when you need to work late. It drives you. It is essential to success, whether individually or in a group.”
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