The mindset of champions
I watched the finale of Champion of Champions.
The TV show follows top Swedish athletes who have won gold in their respective fields.
But physical strength, technique, and stamina were only one part of their success.
An oft-overlooked part of the equation was the mental training required to win... and to keep going.
What set them apart was their champion mindset. But what, exactly, does that mean?
They compete against themselves
The champions defined what winning meant to them. They taught themselves to do the sports for their own sake.
As the ice skater Nils van der Poel said:
To value one's efforts over results is a winning attitude that allows people to grow and learn.
In short: It helps them become the best in the world.
They build their support network
"Go at it alone" is one of those dangerous myths that permeate our culture.
All athletes highlighted their support network as a key ingredient behind their success. Especially those doing solo sports.
(During the show, the champions got messages from their biggest supporters. They all got very teary-eyed when they saw them on the screen. Great TV.)
The lesson: If you want to go quickly, go alone. But if you want to go far, go with a group.
They train their weaknesses but compete on their strengths
Each athlete found their own winning difference by focusing on their strengths. Their quest for personal growth circled back to these questions:
What's my next action? (despite thoughts, feelings, referee, audience, etc)
How can I make myself (and my teammates) better?
They built their careers on what was going well and then continued on that.
Over to you
What counts as a "win" for you? More importantly, do you have the support network to help you get there?
I'm cheering you on. Have a great week!
Cheers,
Olle
Olle Lindholm
A Sweden-based author and coach.
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