“The harder you WORK, the harder it is to SURRENDER” Marv Levy
Champions are different. You don’t decide to be a champion. You choose your habits and those habits decide your destiny – A Champion. Think about that! Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, made a remarkable observation: “We are what we repeatedly do. Success, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”
Champions are Consistent
Great players understand that one great practice, one great play, one great game, or one great tournament doesn’t make them great. What makes them great is the ability to produce at a high level consistently, day after day, regardless of the circumstances. They continuously work on their routine to keep their football mind fresh. That means consistent championship habits. What you do as a player every day translates into the type of player you are or will become.
Practice During Off Season
Past wins don’t guarantee future success, and champions are always operating under the goal of self-improvement, regardless of their achievements. Football player Alex Morgan says she’s approaching her bid at the U.S. Olympics as strongly as she did when she and her team won the gold medal at the World Cup.
The off-season is when athletes can improve their football mental game, mental toughness and the physical drills of the game.
They Work Hard
The quality of your success is proportional to the amount of pain and work you can tolerate. In whatever area you aim to succeed, success will not penetrate if you avoid pain and failure.
Steve McNair is the definition of playing through pain. The former Titans star quarterback has injured nearly every part of his body at one time or another. He has played through numerous injuries such as a separated right clavicle, an infected right shoulder, a dislocated ring finger on his right hand, torn cartilage in his right knee, a strained calf, a hip pointer, a ruptured disk, back spasms, strained rib cartilage, severely bruised ribs, a left knee sprain, an MCL sprain, a left ankle sprain, severe turf toe, a cracked bone spur in his left ankle, a bone spur in his toe, and a severely bruised sternum. The 2003 NFL MVP, McNair has never missed a playoff start and led the Titans to the Super Bowl in 1999.
Most Athletes have soaring football confidence in the beginning. But as the challenges progress, their motivation and confidence slowly regress. This is why they leave their dreams hanging and settle with what life gives them. To be a successful athlete, start incorporating these habits. You will like the results.
*Download the free mental game assessment and get started on Improving your Mental Game in Football.
