The Attitude of Champions

What makes a champion different from the average person? Do they have more skills or expertise? Are their circumstances perfect? Are they endowed with exceptional natural talents? Do they have more money or greater opportunities? Or, is it simply good luck? The answer is that none of these things by themselves can create a champion. In fact, most top performers have had to deal with challenges above and beyond the average. So, what makes the difference? Studies show again and again that the difference is the champion's attitude. True champions have a unique, positive outlook--an unfailing belief that focused, consistent effort will yield successful results. Here's an example from the world of baseball...

Babe Ruth is remembered as one of the greatest baseball hitters in history with 714 home runs. Yet, his averages show that his skill was not unsurpassed. His technique--although impressive--was not particularly unusual. The thing that made "the babe" so great was his tenacity and his willingness to keep trying. He would often swing so hard at the ball that a missed hit would send him sprawling to the ground. But, when he connected, watch out! Once when asked the question, "babe, what do you do when you get in a batting slump?" he replied, "I just keep going up there and keep swinging at them. If I strike out two or three times in a game or fail to get a hit for a week, why should I worry? Let the pitchers worry, they're the guys who're gonna suffer later on." What a great attitude!

Nearly forty years later, when Hank Aaron was about to break Babe Ruth's record, author Og Mandino called the office of the Atlanta Braves and asked, "I know that Hank has 710 home runs, and needs only five more to break Ruth's record, but I was wondering--how many lifetime strike-outs does he have?" The answer was 1,262 strike-outs. Imagine that! He was the best of the best, and still struck out almost twice as many times as he hit a home run.

The difference between a champion and the average person is that the champion keeps trying when the average person quits--his attitude drives him on. He refuses to consider the possibility of quitting because he is so totally convinced that success is imminent. I challenge you to adopt the attitude of a champion. Don't be afraid to fail, be afraid of missing opportunities when you don't even try.

Inspirational Stories - We Are All Born Eagles

One day a farmer found an eagle’s egg and brought it home. He placed the eagle’s egg together with some chicken eggs to be hatched. The little eagle was hatched together with the other chicks. The little eagle started his life and followed the mother hen. He behaves just like the other chicks. He followed the ways of the chicken. He moved and walked like all the other chickens.

One day when the little eagle was wandering aroung with the other chicks, an adult eagle flying nearby saw him. The big eagle flew down trying to talk to the little eagle. All the chickens were terrified and fled. The big eagle stopped the little eagle and asked, “What are you doing with the chickens? You are an eagle just like me. You can fly like me and your home is high up the cliffs”.

The little eagle was confused and said, “I can’t fly like you, I am a chickens”. The big eagle said, “Yes, you can and I am going to teach you how to fly”. He then grabbed the little eagle in its claws and brought him to a cliff. The little eagle spent few days learning how to fly from the big eagle. Initially, he fell many times but finally able to spread his wings and took off to the sky. The young eagle discovered that he could indeed fly. He finally discovered his true self and behaved like an eagle. He never went back to those chickens again.

We are all born “eagles” and are able to soar high into the sky. We all have a higher potential within us and we should realize it. Sometimes, what we need is just a little guidance from others who are already successful.

How to Train Elephants So They Won't Escape

If you tie a baby elephant to a small pole, the elephant will try to move but is unable to do so because it is still small and does not have the strength. It will keep on trying and trying but at some point the small elephant will stop trying. After few years when the elephant is fully-grown, it will not try to escape because it thinks that it’s useless to try. The elephant has failed many times before and thought that it can never move the pole. You see, the grown-up elephant will have the strength to move big logs and with just one slight movement it could free itself from the small pole, yet it has been conditioned not to try anymore.

You see, you may have failed many times before but it doesn’t mean that you will fail again if you try. The future is not equal to the past and today may be a new day. Everything may turn out differently if you just have the courage to try once more. Learn from the past and move into the future with confidence. The past is gone and you don’t have to dwell on it. Set new plans, eliminate fear from your thoughts and move on!