In
August, 2012, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated
Olympian in all of history. His journey to becoming an known athlete is
very interesting. As a young boy, Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD – a
disability which results in inability to focus, deep disorganization,
and hyperactivity. His mother was an educator and she knew she had to
channel his energy into something positive and involve him with an
activity that would force him to develop focusing skills. She chose
swimming, and it served him well.
Through those years of training, Phelps, like many athletes, developed a set of character traits that can translate to success in the non athletic “world,” and we would be wise to consider our own program of athletic activity, not just for fitness, but for the secondary benefits it will bring. Here are the character traits that are developed when we engage in sports.
Think like an athlete act like an athlete believe like an athlete; focus like an athlete. The results will amaze you.
Through those years of training, Phelps, like many athletes, developed a set of character traits that can translate to success in the non athletic “world,” and we would be wise to consider our own program of athletic activity, not just for fitness, but for the secondary benefits it will bring. Here are the character traits that are developed when we engage in sports.
1. The Desire to Win
Stay Motivated
It’s
not so much the winning itself as it is the desire to win that
motivates athletes. They make a decision to “do what it takes” to win.
This does not mean “cheating” but it does mean hard work, focus, and
commitment things that make us successful in both our personal and
professional lives. Even if it is a personal fitness programme, what
will “winning” look like to you? Do you have the willingness to do what
it takes to win? When that attitude is taken into other aspects of your
life, you do become a winner.2. Embracing Challenges
Challenges We Face
Rather
than shirking from challenging activity, athletes tend to meet those
challenges head on and push through them. They train harder, learn more,
and undergo more extensive coaching if necessary. Challenges are
opportunities to improve. If we all saw challenges in this light and
developed plans to meet them, we would certainly learn and meet with
greater success.3. Holding Ourselves Accountable
Positive Affirmations for Success
If
a gymnast or a competitor skater makes a mistake that costs him/her
placement among the winners, she/he does not blame the coach, parents,
other competitors, etc. the blame rests squarely on his/her own
shoulders. Perhaps s/he did not practice enough maybe she/he was
nervous. In life, when we stop blaming others for our failures, we are
able to then do what it takes to get better at what we do and to hold
ourselves accountable or our own performance.4. Continual Learning
Self Improvement
Football
players learn new plays golfers learn new techniques; personal fitness
participants learn new exercises tennis players perfect new serves. 50
years ago, aerobics was not a term in fitness. The world of sports is
constantly evolving, as does our chosen careers. When we commit to
continued learning, we commit to lifelong improvement.5. Unacceptability of Good or Very Good
Positive Attitude as a Way of Life
Athletes
want to be excellent, and we should want the same thing. When we
involve ourselves in sports and fitness programmes, developing the
mindset of striving for excellence is important. Do you want to just be a
“good” teacher or accountant or lawyer, or do you want to be the best?
If you settle for just “good” or “very good,” that is exactly where you
will be for the rest of your career.6. Commitment Means Endurance
Increase Your Positivity
Athletes
experience fatigue and burn out sometimes. We all do. The difference
between those who ultimately triumph over fatigue and burn out is
motivation followed by commitment. They pick themselves up and work
through the burn out, getting the support they need, refocusing
themselves, and going through the motions until that drive resurfaces.
And it does resurface, if you stick with it.7. Winners Visualize
Tips To Achieve Your Goals
All
action begins with thought. Winning athletes know this. They visualize
themselves hitting that home run they see themselves running for that
long touchdown. Their actions then result from those thought processes.
If we adopt the same practice of visualizing our goals, then our actions
fall into place, and we do achieve them.8. Consistency
Be Consistently Successful
A
professional athlete cannot perform during his/her season and then just
lie back, rest on his laurels, and forget about things until the next
competition or season comes along. There is no last minute preparation
for an athlete. Football players begin a new program of fitness and
practice as soon as a season ends. They want their performance to be
consistent, so their preparation and their activity remains consistent.
If you look upon your life as a consistent path of growth, then you too
will remain consistent in performance.9. Being Open to Coaching
Maintain Positive Attitude
Sometimes,
it’s hard for us to accept that we need more coaching. In fact, we
resent it, because our egos get in the way. Athletes are always ready to
undergo coaching. They are open and focused. They know that others do
have more insight and knowledge and they accept that.10. Emotional Control
Practice Self Control
We
have all seen athletes lose control in the heat of the game the results
are usually not good. But athletes seem also to have the ability to
shut out whatever else is going on in their lives and focus on the
competition at hand. A bad break-up is an unpleasant thing. If we cannot
put that away in a compartment, however, it can negatively impact our
performance in other areas of our lives. We can train ourselves to do
this, just as athletes do.11. Thinking Big
Positive Mind is a Healthy Mind
When
we limit our thinking, we limit what we experience. Limited thinking
means we believe we cannot achieve those big goals that we would like to
strive for. A lot of people “settle” for mediocrity, for just getting
by. Athletes don’t do this they always think the “big win.” And they
believe that they can get there.Think like an athlete act like an athlete believe like an athlete; focus like an athlete. The results will amaze you.
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