The Way of the Champion

1. Embrace the Amateur Phase: Love the Process

Every artist was first an amateur.

Early Exploration. The amateur phase is a crucial period of exploration and experimentation. It's a time to try different activities, discover your interests, and develop a genuine love for the process, free from the pressures of expectations or financial incentives. This initial passion will fuel your dedication and perseverance in the long run.

Finding Your Calling. Use this time to play different sports, try different instruments, take painting classes and acting classes and improv classes. Experiment. Be open. But always be ready to put the work in. The goal is to identify the thing you will eventually fully commit to, the thing you have potential in.

Freedom from Pressure. As an amateur, you're not bound by external pressures or financial considerations. This freedom allows you to focus on developing your skills, exploring your creativity, and discovering what truly resonates with you. Embrace this stage as a time of learning and growth, without the fear of failure.

2. Commit to Daily Practice: Consistency is Paramount

You can’t miss a day.

The Power of Repetition. Consistent, daily practice is the cornerstone of skill development and mastery. Whether it's shooting a hundred shots, writing two hundred words, or practicing a musical instrument, the accumulation of small, consistent efforts leads to significant progress over time.

Overcoming Obstacles. The key to daily practice is unwavering commitment, even in the face of challenges. Rain or shine, holidays or vacations, fatigue or setbacks, you must find a way to maintain your practice. This discipline builds resilience and reinforces your dedication to your craft.

Long-Term Gains. The benefits of daily practice may not be immediately apparent, but over time, they compound to produce remarkable results. This consistent effort not only improves your skills but also cultivates a mindset of discipline and perseverance, essential for achieving long-term success.

3. Cultivate Focus: Eliminate Distractions

Put on your blinkers.

Undivided Attention. In a world of constant distractions, the ability to give your undivided attention is a rare and valuable skill. Like racehorses wearing blinkers, you must eliminate external distractions and focus solely on the task at hand.

Eliminating Distractions. A champion doesn’t just go through the motions. They don’t allow their thoughts to drift to past victories or defeats. Rather, they eliminate the external distractions. They are wholly engaged in the present—immersing into the practice and giving it their complete focus and energy.

Engage in the Present. Immerse yourself in the present moment, fully engaging your senses and focusing your energy on the task at hand. Feel the sweat on your brow, the strain in your muscles, the rhythm of your breath, and the sound of the bass, and the ball in your stick.

4. Set Ambitious Goals: Don't Be Afraid to Dream Big

If you don’t set ambitious goals, you won’t achieve ambitious things.

Aim High. Setting ambitious goals is essential for achieving extraordinary results. Don't be afraid to dream big and push beyond your perceived limitations. These goals will provide direction, motivation, and a framework for your efforts.

Overcoming Vulnerability. Sharing your ambitious goals with others can feel vulnerable, but it's a crucial step towards achieving them. By verbalizing your aspirations, you create a sense of accountability and open yourself up to support and encouragement.

Embrace the Journey. Even if you don't reach all of your ambitious goals, the pursuit itself will transform you. You'll develop remarkable valor, dare to tread uncharted paths, and forever be distinguished from those who never tasted success or setback.

5. Turn Weaknesses into Strengths: Adapt and Innovate

You can turn your perceived weaknesses into strengths.

Innovation from Adversity. Perceived weaknesses and disadvantages can be powerful catalysts for innovation. By identifying your limitations and finding creative ways to overcome them, you can develop unique skills and approaches that set you apart.

Embrace Challenges. Instead of making excuses for your shortcomings, use them as motivation to innovate and find new ways to succeed. This mindset of adaptation and resourcefulness is essential for navigating the inevitable challenges on the path to greatness.

Transform Limitations. You can transform your perceived disadvantages into game-changing innovations. You can use effort and tenacity to get in the air. You can use effort and tenacity to get in the air.

6. Become a Pro: Go All In and Embrace the Grind

Turning pro isn’t about getting drafted.

Total Commitment. Turning pro is about making a conscious decision to fully commit to your craft. It's about prioritizing your passion above all else, investing your time, energy, and resources into becoming the best you can be.

Embrace the Grind. The path to greatness is paved with hard work, sacrifice, and relentless dedication. Be prepared to embrace the grind, putting in the extra hours, making the tough choices, and pushing through the inevitable challenges.

Mindset Shift. Turning pro requires a fundamental mindset shift. It's about making your craft your top and sole priority. It happens when you make the mindset shift—when you decide to go all in.

7. Prioritize Self-Care: Balance Intensity with Recovery

Take care of your whole self.

Holistic Well-being. To sustain high performance over the long term, it's essential to prioritize your physical and mental well-being. This includes getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, managing stress, and seeking support when needed.

Mental Health. Tend to your mental health. Seek out mental health professionals “to help me see more clearly—not to let my fears distort my reality—and to develop my ability to learn to stay in the moment.”

Sustainable Performance. By taking care of your whole self, you can avoid burnout, maintain your passion, and continue to perform at your best. Remember, your well-being is not a luxury, but a necessity for achieving lasting success.

8. Learn from Losses: Turn Setbacks into Lessons

There are no losses, only lessons.

Embrace Failure. Losses and setbacks are inevitable on the path to greatness. Instead of dwelling on them, view them as opportunities for learning and growth. Analyze your mistakes, identify areas for improvement, and use the experience to come back stronger.

Strategic Adjustments. Making strategic adjustments based on lessons learned from prior performance can be derived from Belichick’s strategy in winning a Super Bowl and broadly applied. CEOs and project managers use what is known as a postmortem, which is simply a process of analyzing and evaluating a completed project, event, or situation to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Continuous Improvement. By embracing a growth mindset and viewing setbacks as learning opportunities, you can transform failures into stepping stones on the path to success. This resilience and adaptability are essential qualities of a champion.

9. Lead by Example: Make People Better

Make people better.

Teamwork and Collaboration. The way of the champion is not just a personal quest. It’s not just about your own progress. It’s not just about the heights you alone can reach. The effect you have on those around you is just as important—if not more so. Do you lift others up? Do you bring others along with you? Do you make people better?

Inspire and Motivate. True leadership is about inspiring and motivating others to reach their full potential. By setting a positive example, sharing your knowledge, and providing support, you can create a culture of excellence and empower those around you to achieve greatness.

Lasting Impact. The true measure of a champion is not just their individual accomplishments, but the positive impact they have on others. By making people better, you create a lasting legacy that extends far beyond your own career.

10. Define Success Holistically: Beyond the Game

This is true success.

Beyond Trophies. True success extends beyond the scoreboard, the balance sheet, or the trophy shelf. It's about living a life of purpose, making a positive impact on the world, and leaving a lasting legacy that inspires others.

Second Mountain. It involves moving away from self-centered pursuits and turning toward service, relationships, community, and causes larger than oneself. It’s finding purpose, satisfaction, and fulfillment through acts of service and giving back to the community.

Meaningful Connections. By prioritizing relationships, community, and service, you can find deep fulfillment and purpose in life after sports. This holistic approach to success will not only enrich your own life but also inspire others to strive for greatness in all aspects of their lives.

Last updated: February 21, 2025