Tom Brady, for example, is arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all time. Many athletes say they want to become the best at what they do, but that’s just it. It’s just words.
They aren’t willing to do what it takes to be the best. What’s the point in wanting something if you know you won’t do what’s necessary to get it. Brady and Phelps weren’t born the greatest of all time. No, they had to work for it. Simply being the best wasn’t good enough for them, and that is why they succeeded. When being good is not enough Many athletes say they want it bad, but those same athletes are fine with just being good. That’s when you have to ask yourself, “Why do it then?” Why spend so much time and energy perfecting a particular skill if you are fine with just being good. You have to be willing to do something today that will make you better tomorrow. Don’t settle for being one of the “good” ones. To reach the top, you have to go the extra mile. When being better is not enough You are doing something now to make you better tomorrow. You are beating your competition more consistently. You are better than you used to be. You can see yourself improving and you love it. However, this is not the time to stop. So many athletes significantly get better every day. They are destroying their best times. They are killing it in practice every day. The people they used to see as competition are gone now. They settled for being simply better than those around them, because that’s where they got all the attention. At the end, that was good enough for them. Eventually, they will stop progressing and won’t understand why. This is the phase when you need to stay humble. Show up to practice as if you are the underdog. There will always be someone for you to beat. Practice being that person. The person that everyone wants to beat. You are never too good to take it easy during practice. Always practice beating the best, not beating the rest. When being the best is not enough This is when you exactly know where you want to be in life, and you are willing to do whatever it takes to get yourself there. The great Thomas Jefferson said it best, “If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” If you want something so bad that you are willing to do everything in your power to get it, then you will be successful. If being the best is not good enough for you, then you will continue to grow and improve. That is the ultimate goal in life. To realize that even being the best is not good enough. You can’t stop working hard just because you are the best now. You have to keep on pushing. Matthew McConaughey said one of the greatest things when he won his Oscar, “Your hero needs to be you in 10 years. After 10 years, your hero is still you in 10 years. That gives you someone to always keep on chasing.” Don’t worry about what those around you are doing. They are working hard so they can beat you. You need to be working hard so you can beat yourself. You see, when you compete against other people, you get stuck on their level. However, once you realize you are your only and greatest competition, that is when you start moving forward. You won’t ever beat yourself and that is the beauty of it. It forces you to keep working hard and in doing so, you move forward. NEVER LET IT REST! Dream. Dare. Succeed. If you enjoyed this article, please CLICK HERE to receive exclusive articles, tips, and more! Comment below and tell me what you thought of this article!
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Share this postAuthorRudo Loock is a former elite swimmer from South Africa. His journey to America started at Florida State University, where he studied and competed.
He learned valuable mental strategies during a difficult time in his career after battling a major injury. Following that, he had one of the best swimming years of his career. Alpha Mindz is a community he created to help struggling athletes overcome the many obstacles they face everyday. |