Goals are great. They provide direction, focus, clarity.

A team that intends to win a state championship will approach the game differently than a team that is just playing for the fun of it.

An athlete who intends to qualify for the Olympics will train differently than an athlete who only intends to earn a college scholarship.

And an athlete who intends to earn a college scholarship will practice harder than a player who just plays for fun.

The state championship. Olympics. The university scholarship. They are all examples of goals. Results-oriented goals.

But how does a champion react when he doesn’t achieve his objective? When the results of his actions don’t live up to his expectations?

Respond with dignity. Because you know your focus is what counts. Your focus is what you can control; not the result. Not the results.

For example, a swimmer who wants to qualify for the Olympic Games cannot control the outcome of his race. Although he may swim the best heat of his life, his best level may not be better than the other swimmers in the competition. So he doesn’t qualify.

Does that mean he’s not a champion?

He does if he gives up. he gives up He gives up because the results didn’t turn out the way he wanted.

But if it continues. If you persevere. If you keep your head up knowing you performed to the best of your ability. So he is a champion. Because he became someone worth being in pursuit of his goals.

He learned to work hard. How to train hard. How to overcome obstacles. How to use his mind to propel him toward personal success.

So the results don’t determine the champions. Because results are the one thing athletes can’t control. Therefore, how athletes respond to those uncontrollable outcomes determines champions.

How does your athlete respond to the results? Remember that your results affect your thoughts. What affects your language. What affects your actions. Which then affects new results. And the cycle continues.

So if you can never change your thoughts to think like a champion, you will never speak like a champion. Or act like a champion. Or reap the rewards of being a champion.

Success begins in the mind. with a dream And champions are people who take faithful, consistent and disciplined actions in pursuit of their dreams.