Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Road Less Traveled

As athletes we must travel the road to personal victory before we ever hope to arrive at the point of public achievement. We must develop the habits of personal discipline, personal vision, and master the principles of personal leadership.

Habits Of Personal Discipline
Personal discipline requires us to live by true principles. We must be willing to do what is required if we are to pursue personal success. Every day we must find the strength to overcome excuse and convenience if we are to maintain our training regimen. As we learn to make key decisions in advance we develop a deep sense of athletic integrity. We become courageous enough to demand more of ourselves.

Develop A Personal Vision
Many athletes believe that setting a goal is the key to their success. While setting a goal will help an athlete stay focused, it is the vision of that goal becoming a reality that will make difference during training and competition.
The athlete that can create a mental picture of each step leading up to the accomplishment of their goal is the athlete that will see training objectives reached and goals realized.
Develop a vision that it is real enough to lead to the development of personal behaviors that will produce the desired outcomes. Successful athletes know that there is immense power in developing a vision of want they want and how they will achieve it.

Master The Principles Of Personal Leadership
If we are to position ourselves to rise above the expectations of others we need to master the habits of personal leadership and rise above an environment of mediocrity. Develop a personal vision that creates the freedom to excel. See life as an opportunity to fully and precisely achieve at the highest personal levels.

Remember: With every challenge there comes a promise.
Each day presents us with a variety of challenging situations. The difference between those who will find success in this life and those who remain mired in a life of mediocrity is how those challenges are met. Athletes with vision will see that every challenge comes with a promise. The key is realizing that each specific promise is directly linked to its corresponding challenge.
Your personal achievement will be a direct result of the challenges you are willing to accept. It has been said that an individual’s courage is not found in what they have overcome, but in the challenges they are now willing to face.