02 Nov The Alphabet of a Champion
Do this for 60 days and you will always think like a champion.
Champions, those people who define success on their own terms, know that they can make choices that create and shape their lives; sometimes simple choices which each day move them closer to their goals. It’s not rocket science but it is a discipline. You see, our habits and our behaviors are shaped by our thoughts. They are shaped deep within our unreasoning basel ganglia and brain stem, according to Reza Habib (as recounted by Charles Duhig, in his book The Power of Habit). Think the right thoughts often enough and you shape your behavior in a positive way; you expect success. Think the wrong thoughts and you expect failure.
So, here’s a short exercise. Go through this Alphabet of a Champion every day; read it to yourself–replace some of the words with your own if you want–but never stop reminding yourself that your choices of the thoughts you put into your head are the choices that shape who you will be. Do this for 60 days because that’s how long it takes to create habits and shape behaviors.
A–Affirmation. Tell yourself outloud who you are and what you want to be.
B–Bravery. Each day manifest your bravery in some small way.
C–Commitment. Life gives us excuses. Commitment ignores them.
D–Dedication. Find something worthy of your time and don’t let go.
E – Execute on your dreams, because ideas are plentiful, but time is short.
F–Fearlessness, because the only thing holding you back is yourself.
G–Goals. If you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there.
H–Happiness; it’s always a conscious choice.
I – Inspiration, for yourself and those around you to reach beyond what’s possible.
J–Joy. Every situation provides an opportunity to find it. Look hard.
K–Knowledge. Gaining it and using it is ultimately your only achievement.
L–Love what you do or you’ll never do it well enough.
M–Motivation comes from within. It’s not “out there.”
N–Never give up. NEVER!
O–Optimism is taking a chance when the odds tell you not to.
P–Perservere, when others won’t or can’t.
Q–Question everything, even yourself, because nothing stands still.
R–Risk is a your compass for where others fear to go.
S–Strength; the power to choose to move forward when everything else is holding you back.
T–Be Tough, especially when the world seems tougher.
U–Unflappable. Keep your wings steady while the storm rages.
V–Vision is seeing what everyone else sees, but doing what everyone else won’t.
W–Believe you are Worthy of success
X–eXpect that you will succeed; imagine it, envision it, and feel it long before you achieve it.
Y–Yearn for something, because it’s the only way to keep your passion alive.
Z–There is no “Z” because champions see no end. Their success is always a journey into the future, with new goals to accomplish and new mountains to crest.
Learn it; recite it; live it! Be a champion.
Tom Koulopoulos is the author of ten books and founder of the Delphi Group, a 25-year-old Boston-based think tank and a past Inc 500 company, which focuses on innovation and the future of business. He is also an adjunct professor at the Boston University Graduate School of Management, an Executive in Residence at Bentley University, the past Executive Director of the Babson College Center for Business Innovation, and a frequent keynote speaker. The late Peter Drucker once said of his writing, that it challenges not only the way you run your business but the way you run yourself. Tom’s latest book is The Gen Z Effect: The Six Forces Shaping The Future of Business.
This post was originally published on Inc.com.
The opinions expressed herein or statements made in the above column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of WTN Media