“Champions are made from something that they have inside
of them; a desire, a dream, a vision.”
This profound observation made by Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian leader who led his country to
independence in 1947 using only non-violent resistance, speaks volumes to the
fundamental fact that the making of a champion demands much more than innate
ability to compete and to triumph in competition. Gandhi, who arose from humble
beginnings to become one of the greatest revolutionary leaders in modern history,
stands out as one of the world’s finest statesmen and a champion in every sense
of the word.
True champions are people who are willing to go beyond their
own limits to complete the task they set for themselves. Their strength of
character and drive to succeed is fueled by their insatiable desire to achieve
the target they had chosen to do so. Whether in the field of competitive sports,
or in any other area of human endeavor, true champions tend to share a number
of common characteristics that are dedicated to the enhancement of their chances
to compete and to win. They all share a vision for their desired goal and a
belief that they will achieve it, however difficult that may be. They all
possess the insatiable drive needed to undertake the task to completion, and
the courage to accept the failed attempts as lessons to improve. Interestingly,
they all seem to possess the admirable attitude of treating their competitors with
the respect they deserve, and taking every opportunity to learn from them.
One
of the constant hallmarks of every champion is their single-minded confidence
in their ability to deal with any challenge they undertake. They are relentless
and determined in their aims to succeed, and are not affected by the criticisms
or obstacles they encounter. Above all, they recognize that any venture will
invariably involve a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs and that they
must be able and willing to accept the consequences as they focus on the ultimate
ride to success. They are, for the most part, pragmatic people who have no
difficulty in accepting their strengths as well as their weaknesses. They never
look for excuses to explain failure, but instead look for reasons. Sugar Ray Robinson (Walker Smith Jr.), an
American professional boxer who held both the welterweight and middleweight world
boxing crowns for several years, and is considered by many experts as the
greatest boxer of all times, in a simple but powerful statement, explained this
attitude in these terms:
“To be a
champion, you have to believe in yourself, when no one else will.”
Unfortunately,
the price that is extracted from anyone who chooses to travel that lonely road
is quite often formidable, and is usually the reason why so many good people will
not even consider taking the chance. Even before declaring their intentions,
they must first confront and deal with their own fears and their insecurities, and
be sure of their desire to succeed. And as they embark on the project they must find
the strength and determination to continue forward relentlessly, to step out of
their comfort zones, to push beyond there own limits and capabilities, and to
do so over and over until the final goal has been achieved. For the majority of
people, however well-intention and optimistic they may be, they invariably
falter and stumble long before their plans go into effect.
Contrary to popular belief, becoming a champion is never an inherited trait, and it can only take
place in someone who not only possesses the ability to go with his vision or
dream or goal, but have the courage to rise above the ordinary and to search for,
and find the extraordinary. But for any champion to be worthy of respect, he
must not only be strong and competent in his ability to succeed, but, much more
important, he must also be a man of strong human qualities and standards. This
is the fundamental difference between the ‘winner’ and the ‘champion,’ and then,
and only then, can he claim to be the true champion. Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, a
statesman and an inventor of note, placed this in perfect context when he
declared:
“It is a grand mistake to think of been great
without goodness, and I pronounce it as certain, there was never a great man
that was not at the same time truly virtuous.”
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