“I am a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Many of my readers don’t know I have a Sixth Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. After winning 17 titles of World Champion, I have frequently been asked how I achieved this challenging goal of becoming a World Champion.
Angela Crance with Valdosta Technical College asked me to speak at the annual leadership conference — A Gathering of Eagles. At this event, I shared some of the training principles I applied to the achievement of this goal. I believe these principles will make a champion of anyone who applies them; whether you want to be a leader in your organization, a great partner, an amazing parent, or a wonderful friend. Whatever your dream may be, these principles will work in any area of your life.
One of the main lessons I learned in my quest was that you set a goal not for the achievement itself but for what you become in the process.
Here are 7 Principles for Success:
1). If you want the things that most people do not have, you must be willing to do the things that most people will not do.
Determine that you will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. Be willing to pay the price. The rewards of a goal obtained are usually worth it. Keep your priorities straight and you won’t have any regrets. Be willing to do more than the average person. Do not settle for less than what you are truly capable of achieving.
2). Work so hard that if you fail you will have no excuses.
When I returned from the Taekwondo Fall National Tournament in October 2007, I was very discouraged. I did not place in any event. I had competed against the best in the country and my performance was not in their league. I decided that I was going to give my training all that I could give. I would train every morning and again when I finished work for the day. I was not going to allow any slack in my efforts over the next eight months to follow. I would make no exceptions because if I lost at the 2008 World Championships I did not want to live with the awareness that if I had trained harder at some point along the way, I might have won.
3). Show Up…and then just keep moving.
Most people’s dreams will never become a reality because people never even begin. Most people never get beyond the “thinking about it” stage. If you will simply get started you will be surprised at how things will evolve. It is like the Chinese Proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” So if your goal is to become a leader in your industry, read a book on the subject. Then read another or perhaps go to a seminar. Maybe you could talk with someone in our community who is already doing what you want to do and ask them their secrets to success. Success leaves clues. Follow the steps. These steps added together will eventually create a leader out of you.
4). Have a question that drives you.
A great question can keep you going. A lot of my training had to be done outdoors because my competition weapon was a bow staff (a six foot long wooden staff). I love to work out but I struggled almost every morning with getting out of bed. There were many cold, rainy mornings when I did not want to get out of bed at 3:00 am. The question that kept me going was “What would a champion do?”
Even though my body said, “NO”, my heart answered, “A champion would get up and start his training.” And I did.
Your question could be: What would a great husband or wife do? What would a great father or mother do?
5). Tap into the power of your hardheadedness.
If you are like most of us, you are hardheaded. Use this attribute to your advantage. I like working with hardheaded clients because once they decide to do something, they achieve it. Make your mind up that your are going to accomplish your goal. Pretend that someone has said to you that you are not man or woman enough to do what you have set out to do. You know that pulls your chain; your response is, “I’ll show them!” This determination has amazing power. Tap into it!
6). Call things forth as if they were true.
A very simple yet powerful technique is to write down your goals. This can be done privately in a notebook or posted somewhere you will see often. I wrote my first one to read, “Mark Webb is the 2008 World Champion in Forms and Weapons” on a 5×7 index card and put it on my refrigerator. I saw it every day and six months later it was true.
I also encourage you to say your goal out loud. There is more power in the spoken word. Remember, God spoke the world into existence. You do not have to say it in front of anyone, but it does help you to verbally claim it.
7). Apply your spiritual beliefs.
After I had completely prepared myself, I asked God to bless me with victory. I did not ask without having done my part. I had trained daily and traveled many weekends to cities far away. Ask God to bless you in your endeavors.
I encourage you to set big goals. Be committed and persistent. You can have more and be more. Once you achieve this goal, set another, then another.
Mark Webb is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice at South Georgia Psychiatric and Counseling Center in Valdosta. He is the author of How To Be A Great Partner and How To Argueproof Your Relationship. Read more of his articles www.TheRelationshipSpecialist.com
