WHAT WILL KEEP YOU FROM YOUR VERY BEST?
There are many ways champions separate themselves from everyone else, but one of the most obvious is in their effort. Champions are fully committed to giving their very best. Giving that kind of effort doesn’t guarantee them the outcome they’re after, of course, but it does put them in the best position to win. The same is true for each of us. The standard we set for our own effort - both mentally and physically, in any area of life - is so critical in determining our success.
So today, I want to start by asking you a simple question: what does your very best look like? Clarifying that vision of you, the champion, is really important. Physically, your very best means going all out, and willingly, intentionally choosing to push yourself outside your comfort zone. It includes some straining and striving and sweating, maybe even to the point of pain or exhaustion. Mentally, your very best means showing up focused and driven. You’ve arrived with an attitude and an energy that are almost palpable. You're locked in, and your confidence and your commitment are evident.
Can you press pause for a second today to clarify that vision of yourself, and to consider the last time that version of you showed up? That is you at your very best. That’s you, the champion. The problem is, that you can be really hard to find sometimes. For each of us, the unexpected and often unwelcome circumstances of daily life regularly step in and challenge our very best. In those moments, each of us have an important choice to make.
When we choose to do what losers do - when we allow ourselves to give in to those circumstances and let them affect the effort we give, either physically or mentally - then we become a victim to that circumstance. And every time we let that happen - every time we choose to accept something less than our best - we step away from our champion self, and we make it easier to justify giving in next time, often to an even weaker or less worthy challenge to come.
At the same time, when we do what champions do - when we stand up and decide that we won’t allow the circumstances we’re facing to influence our effort, when we commit to giving our very best, no matter what - then we strengthen ourselves for next time. The more we mindfully and intentionally choose to give our best, no matter the situation, the more of a habit it becomes. With each winning choice, the more prepared we are to face and overcome an even bigger, more challenging circumstance next time.
So that brings me to my second question for today: what circumstances will you allow yourself to become a victim to? What will you allow to keep you from your very best? No matter who you are or what you’re doing today, you’ll have plenty of circumstances to face.
If you’re reading along here as an athlete, some of those circumstances may be physical. You are tired, sore, or in pain. Will you allow that circumstance to keep you from giving your best? Maybe you are limited today in your God-given ability compared to those around you. You are shorter, slower, or weaker than your competition. Will you allow that circumstance to keep you from giving your best? Maybe you’re limited in your sport-specific skill - you aren’t as good a ball-handler, hitter, kicker, or player as those around you. Will you allow that circumstance to keep you from giving your best?
Other circumstances you face may be mental. Maybe you’re frustrated, bored, or feel you’ve been treated unfairly. Maybe you didn’t get something you thought you were entitled to from a coach, a teammate, or a referee. Maybe you’re clearly superior to your competition. Maybe you’re clearly inferior to your competition. Maybe you’re winning. Maybe you’re losing. Will you allow any of those circumstances to keep you from giving your best?
If you’re reading along here as a parent, a coach, or an administrator, your circumstances may look different than those of your athletes, but your choice in those challenging moments remains the same. Maybe you, too, are tired or sore or in pain. Maybe you are frustrated by some difficult dynamic at work or at home. Maybe you are upset today because your young athlete hasn’t given their best. Will you allow any of those circumstances to keep you from giving your best?
For each of us, there are more than just those we listed here, but stop and think about the people you look up to - those you consider champions in your field. Those are people who have probably decided, at some point along the journey, that the answer to most or all of those questions is “no.” No, I will not allow being tired or sore or in pain to keep me from giving my best. No, I will not allow my frustration to keep me from giving my best. No, I will not allow the scoreboard to keep me from giving my best. No, I will not allow someone else not giving their best to keep me from giving my best. Champions give a singular effort, period. They don’t allow the circumstances of their situation to determine the effort they give. That means if you’re serious about becoming a champion today, neither can you.