Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Here's What the Champions Do...

The psychology or thought process behind why a person does what they do is more important to me than what they actually do.  
 
For example, if someone donates to charity strictly because they want to help a needy  cause - that is fantastic!  
 
If someone only donates because of what the donating party can gain because of donating such as tax write off, exposure in the community or other self motivated reasons, their charitable contributions aren't as impressive to me.  
 
It's still great that they donated but the motivation behind it changes my outlook on the situation a bit. 
 
Did your girlfriend/boyfriend start a fight with you because you legitimately did something to upset them or is picking a fight with you their way of showing you that you are not paying them enough attention?  
 
There is a big difference because one motivating factor comes from the heart while the other is just because you screwed up. 
 
What really impresses me are champions.  
 
To be more specific, world champions.  
 
Yes, the fact that they won a world championship is very impressive but what is more impressive to me is the mindset of the individual that won the world championship.  
 
The reason why that is important to me is because I want to know what makes them tick so I can learn from them and become better at my craft.
 
I have a lot of friends and network connections in the fitness industry and have strong relationships with some of the biggest, most popular names in fitness.  
 
Recently I was having coffee (actually bottled water but it was at Starbucks) with 2x Ms. Olympia Figure Division champion and Arnold Classic champion Erin Stern.   
 
Erin and I workout at the same gym and have been friends for about 3 years.  She is a very sweet, humble person and is great for conversation.  
 
One of the questions that I asked her was "What does it feel like to be the best in the world at what you do?" because I really wanted to know what that feels like. 
 
She just kind of smiled and took a very humble approach in answering the question but that is just Erin being Erin.  
 
However, if you have ever seen her workout or how she approaches life, everything is fitness related in some sense.  
 
She never drinks, smokes or eats anything remotely close to what I would consider a "cheat meal".  
 
She works out like a beast and I don't know of too many men or women that could hang with her for a workout.   
 
She lives the champion's lifestyle and she has earned everything that she has accomplished through some of the hardest work that I have ever seen, extreme discipline and a pure love and passion for fitness. 
 
I workout hard 6 days per week, my diet is impeccable and I LOVE fitness but there is no way that I could do what she does because I don't have the passion to take it that far.  
 
I like to drink some beer, eat some pizza, go out a bit, etc.  Although many people consider me to be VERY disciplined in my fitness, I am nothing remotely close to her level of discipline.
 
Legendary former NBA coach Pat Riley who won 5 world championships as a head coach, one as an assistant coach, one as a player, and three more as team president of the Miami Heat had one of my favorite speeches in sports history.  
 
One of the hardest things in the world to do is win a world championship but what is even harder is winning another world championship after you have already won one.  
 
They say it's because a bit of the hunger, motivation and drive wears off after you win one and complacency sets in.  
 
Complacency is one of the worst things in the world for anybody but especially an athlete or business owner.   
 
So how does a world champion maintain their determination to win again?
 
When Pat Riley had just won a world championship with the Lakers almost 30 years ago the entire team and coaching staff were celebrating with one another, drinking champagne and truly loving the moment of a well earned victory.  
 
The team earned the right to be a champion so they deserve the right to celebrate and enjoy the moment.  
 
After things settled down in the locker room, Pat got up to give his speech to the team.  
 
His speech was primarily about congratulating the players.  He was proud of all of their hard work and their commitment to excellence but he was smart and wanted to make sure that the Lakers would win again the following year. 
 
While he was giving his team their well deserved praise, he also started getting them mentally prepared for the following season.  
 
Pat had told them that they all did an exceptional job but then he asked them if each individual player could give 1% more than they had that championship season.   
 
He told them that the only way that they could win another championship is if they would all give 1% more next season because their "100%" this year wouldn't be good enough for the following season.   
 
Also he knew that it is very rare that people, even professional athletes give 100% of what they are truly capable of. 
 
When he asked if they could all give 1% more, every player on that team said that they could.  
 
Long story short, the players all gave at least 1% more the following year and they won another NBA World Championship.
 
How does Erin Stern and Pat Riley concern you and your PT business?
 
To be the best at what you do you have to be willing to do the things that others are not willing to do.  You have to be willing to give that extra 1% very few are willing to give. 
 
You have to go above and beyond what everyone else is doing and you have to go above and beyond anything that you have ever done.  
 
The only way that your business will continually get better is if you are truly willing to give at least an extra 1% in all areas that you do. 
 
Whether you want to be a world champion, the best trainer in your area or the most successful trainer that you can be you have to be willing to do the things that non-champions don't do.  
 
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.  
 
Commit to having the mindset of a champion, give 1% more every day, do what others may not be willing to do and you will be a champion.