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10 Truths That Successful Athletes Embrace

Posted by on April 20, 2015 in athlete, competitive gymnastics, recreational gymnastics | 3 Comments

boy on rings

  1. Getting what you want often costs more than you want to pay, but you do it anyway.  It’s easy to show up when you feel like doing so, but when you don’t feel like and do it anyway you are on the road to success.
  2. You are making choices, not sacrifices.  Stop thinking of your choice to train hard, miss social engagements, eat healthy etc. as sacrifices and instead call them what they are: choices.  Choices you are making to pursue your dreams and goals.
  3. Have dreams and goals that are yours, not those of someone else .  Set the bar high and don’t be afraid to not obtain every dream or goal you have for yourself.  Also, do not be afraid to re-evaluate your dreams and goals.  But make sure they are your’s, not those of another or those you think you should have.
  4. But spend less time dreaming and more time doing.  It’s great to have dreams and goals but they are useless without plans and actions.  Think less and do more.
  5. Progress is almost always uncomfortable.  Growth hurts.  Expect that.
  6. Always look in the mirror first. There is little efficacy in blaming others for your struggles if for no other reason than you cannot control the behavior of others. What you can control is your own attitudes and behaviors. So when responsibility needs to be taken, be accountable for what you contributed to the effort and what you need to do differently or more of next time around.
  7. There are no instant successes. Maybe in fairytales or movies, but not in real life. Anything worth working for takes time on task, so get busy.
  8. Mistakes are learning opportunities only if you take the time to learn from them.  Mistakes feel awful.  Failure hurts.  But there is growth opportunity in these dark moments.  That growth, however, does not occur spontaneously.  It happens only with reflection and planning.
  9. There will be people who will try to distract you or even bring you down. Don’t let them.  You get to have your dreams and goals, no matter how crazy they might seem to others.  Successful people often have others laugh at them or try to talk them down regarding their hopes.  As trite as the saying is, it’s true “Shoot for the moon, because even if you miss you will still land among the stars.”
  10. There will be people who are trying to help you. Let them. Do not be afraid to ask questions.