After years of working with and talking with champions in sport, business, and in life there are three things that I've learned. These three lessons are easy to understand and even easier to implement into your own life.

1) Get Up and Get Movin'

Champions are early risers. They get up early in the morning and get things done not because they have to, but because they want to. Sleeping in is nice to do periodically, but to do it consistently creates long term problems for your ability to get things done and accomplish those goals you're chasing after. You might be wondering what I mean by 'problems'. What I'm referring to is attitude development. The worst thing you can do is convince yourself that you are not a morning person. Anyone can be a morning person if they really choose to be. For those of you that insist that you're not a morning person I suggest you try it for a while. Get up extra early for a few weeks and you'll be amazed by how much you can actually accomplish during that time, in fact...this article was written at 6am. 

The Benefits to Getting up early:

1. Allows you to work undisturbed because everyone else that would normally distract you...is sleeping!
2. Allows you to prepare for your day without rushing. This works as a great stress reliever
3. Gives you the extra time you need to start your day with proper nutrition
4. Allows you to have the extra time you need to exercise. There go the excuses that so often get in the way!

Set your alarm early and get up eager to start your day and you'll be amazed by what you'll accomplish!

2) Write the Good Stuff Down

No matter what your focus is in life, profession, family, sports or recreation, you should keep a journal. All the top minds and athletes of the world have kept a journal at one time or another. The more we write about the positive things we want and accomplish in our lives the more likely we are to re-enforce and attract those positive elements in the future. The simple task of writing in a journal will help you to see all the positive things you have accomplished while you carve out your path in life. Many times it feels like you're not moving forward, but the truth is there are so many distractions in our lives that its sometimes hard to see the advancements we make. Take a few minutes each day to record your thoughts, dreams, desires, or progress and soon enough you'll have a great record of things you can reflect upon when you have a moment to reflect. Recently I went through my personal journal and discovered an amazing number of accomplishments that I had achieved without realizing it. My life had become so busy I forgot to reflect and when I did take the time...I was very happy with the results.

Tips for Writing in Your Journal:

1. Keep it short and simple. This makes it easier to commit to writing in your journal.
2. Only write things from a positive perspective. To some this is difficult, but your journal should reflect your positive actions or outlooks. Don't re-enforce the negative.
3. Review your journal every so often. This gives you a chance to pat yourself on the back for your list of accomplishments and it can help you stay on track with your life's mission.

3) I am a Champion!

Belief is the cornerstone for all great accomplishments. If you truly believe you have what it takes inside of you to become a champion then eventually you will. It's just a matter of discipline and time. The world is full of people with a ton of potential who will never achieve one tenth of what they are capable of because they don't believe in themselves. I reviewed various videos of my past bouts and determined that the only difference between my early matches and the later ones is that I believed in myself. The skill set was always there. I had always trained hard and was in shape. Believing that I already had what it took to be a champion was the only thing missing in the early days.

Champions are few and far between because of one simple detail...most people can find 99 different reasons why they can't accomplish something whereas a champion only needs one really good reason why they can succeed and that becomes more powerful than anything else. Belief in themselves is what gives them the determination to succeed.

Develop an Impenetrable Belief in Yourself:

1. Embrace your fears and starting spending time doing things outside your comfort zone.
2. Start taking immediate action when it comes to your dreams. Stop putting them off until later!
3. Get really good at recognizing the things you do well before you recognize your mistakes
4. Re-enforce the good you've done by writing down your successes in your journal
5. Create a scrapbook that is filled with all of your accomplishments big and small. Review it every time your down and out. This will help you to stay on track!

It's not easy to become a Champion at anything in life but with a strong desire, bullet proof focus, and rock solid determination...anything is possible. Start with the 3 Things Champions Always Do and you'll find yourself one step closer to what you want!

John McMahon