“I’m a great believer that you can’t make anyone a champion unless they want to be a champion.  You can’t make someone something without it being inside of them to start with.”  

Sharon Davies, Swimming Silver Medal, 1980 Moscow Olympic Games

These words come from an Olympian with experiential knowledge on the subject.  Life observation suggests we are  safe to add this: the desire to become a champion has to be strong enough to motivate a day-by-day pursuit of champion-like traits and characteristics. 

It’s been said that having a will to win is truly not the issue; everyone wants to win.  Rather, having a will to practice as intensely as you would perform in competition is what makes a champion.  The rush of excitment a person feels when inspired fades at light-speed, but desire sufficient to produce daily action towards the goal is the ground from which a champion will spring.  When no one cheers, knows, or cares a champion will still demonstrate discipline, intelligent effort, and a commitment to excellence.

“What I do is what I really believe; all the rest is just talk.”  (unknown) Watch me for a while…you’ll know if I possess the genuine desire to be a champion.