that separate the champions from the near champions, a host of internal, intangible characteristics that I refer to as the “stuff of champions.” One person who exemplifies these traits is distance runner Keith Foreman, who was told by a world-renowned college coach that he didn’t have the “right stuff” to compete at that level—that he essentially didn’t measure up. With championlike qualities of courage, fortitude, determination, and perseverance, Keith went on to become an all-American and only the fifth U.S. runner to break the four-minute-mile barrier. In my mind, Keith possessed the Way of the Champion... his heart and soul were in it. Keith truly was the quintessential warrior.
As with Keith’s experience, a Swiss aerodynamicist once demonstrated by calculations that bumblebees cannot fly. Yet, although the bee has none of the “right stuff” for flight, it seems to be a champion aviator. Like this creature, we all have within us untapped strengths and powers that—once accessed and coupled with proper training and coaching—can enable us to “fly” in our arena of choice.
Yet another example is the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, considered by the so-called experts to lack star capability. He had none of the traditional earmarks of the truly great horses, yet he ran with heart and became a successful champion. As an interesting sidelight, it is understood in the race-horse culture that only champion horses receive a formal burial ceremony when they die. The heart and head are buried, while the body is discarded, because those intimately associated with the animal know that it became a champion by demonstrating courage (from the French word coeur, meaning heart), tenacity, fearlessness, and the willingness to suffer pain—all qualities of a true warrior. Among people as well, the heart and the head make the champion.
Following a close victory against the University of Notre Dame for his team’s fifteenth NCAA soccer championship, Anson Dorrance, head coach of the University of North Carolina Tarheels, said, “You win these games with heart, and we spend four years working that muscle.” Singer-songwriter Michael Bolton reminds us of this: “To look beyond the glory is the hardest part, for a champion’s strength is measured by heart.”
And let’s remember that participating in athletics is not a prerequisite for entering into the champion’s domain. In fact, most who adhere to the lifestyle of a champion choose other arenas of performance in which to demonstrate these qualities. For example, my wife, Jan, is a true champion in all aspects of her life. I can never forget her dedication, sacrifice, courage, patience, perseverance, fortitude, determination, and bravery during the birth of our children. I thought the grueling pain I experienced during an all-out race, such as a marathon, was remarkable—until I witnessed her courageous efforts during child delivery. Her preparation and training for those events were not unlike the focus of all great champions. Her championlike core continues to carry over to her work as a physician, a runner, and a mother of four vibrant, challenging, active children. Like all champions, she strives to gain positive results, yet savors the process. Her life exemplifies what I call “The Way of the Champion.”
This way of champions in athletics and other arenas of life demands high self-esteem, self-awareness, integrity, and the ability to take the risks to improve while using failure as a teacher on the road to self-discovery. While average athletes and achievers are aware of everything when they think they should be, the champion is aware of all things at all times. Champions focus on consistent preparation and performance, and they know that all outcomes and results are natural by-products of strong commitment to a thorough, intense work ethic. In the words of the philosopher Aristotle, “We are what we consistently commit to doing.” Champions believe in themselves and display a strong desire to do whatever it takes to get it done. They fail, yet unlike the nonchampion, they tolerate such setbacks as natural, inevitable results of entering the competitive arena—in sports and in all walks of life. They are tenacious, fearless, audacious, proud, and confident in their ability to be this way, win or lose. Of course, they want to win on the scoreboard or get that contract in business, and will do all that is necessary to gain that victory. Yet, they know that such a win or outcome is never certain, and if it comes, it is usually the result of their inner victories. Champions distinguish themselves from all others in that they are willing to sacrifice, suffer, and do everything that the nonchampions will not do.
Champions see sports and life as a forum where they can use their opponents as partners. The word “competitor” is taken from a Latin root meaning to “seek together.” When a worthy opponent goes all out, in the heat of a competitive situation or event, you learn to dig deep and discover reserves you never knew existed. Your opponent gives you the distinct opportunity to learn valuable lessons in a condensed period of time. This personal wisdom about winning, and understanding what you are made of, will enable you to live like a champion in the games of athletics and life. How you meet challenges in sports determines how you approach obstacles in your personal life.
Champions fully grasp the difference between what they can and can’t control in an event or life situation, and choose to focus on the former. Outcomes and results cannot be controlled; because of this, one becomes tentative, tense, anxious, and stressed. There are some elements of competition you can control, however, such as preparation, attitude, emotions, work rate, effort, and certain “little things” (see “Little Is Large” in Chapter 9 ), and these help you to relax, stay calm, and focus with intent. Knowing you can control these aspects of your game builds confidence, and as we know, a confident, calm attitude helps you to perform consistently at higher levels. It’s important to realize, though, that even if you control all these aspects of performance, there is no guarantee that the outcome or results will be in your favor; they will, however, enable you to be at your best and feel great satisfaction in the process. Winning, for the champion, is therefore defined as the ability to demonstrate your best on a more consistent basis, by being victorious over those inner demons previously mentioned. Winning, for the champion, becomes a multidimensional experience of winning within, demonstrating personal greatness, and hopefully, achieving favorable outcomes as well.
Thinking about winning in this way takes practice. You do it by means of subtle shifts of the heart and mind. This book, The Way of the Champion: Sacred Lessons for Mental Strength, Leadership, and Winning in Athletics and Life, will train you to become skillful in this regard. To help with these shifts, I use the two thousand-year-old Chinese classic The Art of War, by the strategist Sun-Tzu, as well as wisdom from other ancient Taoist books such as the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching. These books offer principles for mental strength, conscious leadership, and strategic winning, for a more fulfilling, satisfying experience than that of the traditional external victory. Such principles, especially for winning, have been used by martial artists, great warriors, coaches, generals, and successful corporate CEOs worldwide. These are universal ways, or the way things naturally work...the Tao... using strategy, tactical positioning, competitive advantage, and self-awareness based on the laws of nature. I have successfully applied Sun-Tzu’s and other Taoist wisdom throughout my career with athletes and people in many fields of endeavor. What most begin to realize when using this Tao, or paradigm shift, is how clear and natural the opportunity for inner growth and self-improvement becomes, while they discover personal and collective greatness. Here is a way to navigate the journey of infinite potential. The true champion has all of the foregoing virtues as well as what I call the “Winner’s Heart.”
It is important to understand that there are many recognized champions in athletics and professional circles who do not acknowledge the Way of the Champion, philosophically. And by the same token, there are many who live the way outlined within this book yet have never been outwardly recognized as champions. The difference between the two seems to be that by living the Way of the Champion, you are assured that you will discover how great you can be... that you are capable of reaching extraordinary levels of personal best performance. And, in the process of such performance, you increase the likelihood of being on the podium as well. This “way” is a choice, and you have the power to choose to be a champion or to be ordinary.
I know about this way because I have worked with thousands of national and world-class warrior champions in the NBA, NFL, PGA, and Olympics, as well as CEOs in business and others
