Psychology is the study of the mind and it is the relationship we have with our own mind that can make the biggest difference in our chances of success. Your attitude determines your altitude so when a person’s attitude is lacking they will never raise to great heights. Over the months we will be covering various areas of psychology (or attitudes) that play an important role in becoming a champion. Attitudes such as hunger, discipline, spirit, faith, self-belief, work ethic etc are among the primary ingredients that make up a champion.

DESIRE
This month on the topic of psychology we will be covering Desire. As a coach I would prefer to take on a student with little natural ability, yet possesses a burning desire to succeed, over a student who has an abundance of natural talent but lacks hunger to succeed. I was once told ‘Of all the traits of a champion, desire is the most important. Because with this, all other traits are attainable”.

Perhaps you don’t see the importance that the role desire plays in success. Unfortunately most sports journalists, spectators, or critics will never talk of the attitudes of champions when describing them. Instead of looking deep into the person, they focus on something more tangible. All too often I have heard things like “Stan the man Longinidis is a champion because he over-powers his opponents with his kicks”. “Ian Thorpe has big feet”. “Michael Jordan is blessed with superhuman athleticism”. “Kostya Tszu hits harder than anyone else in his weight division, that’s why he is unbeatable”.

Where these may be true, rarely do they talk about the fact that they put in unimaginable hours of training. I recently read Kostya Tszu’s book titled ‘My Story’. This is a book I would recommend to anyone wishing success. In it he spoke often of his training regime. He had a theory that if he trained harder than any of his opponents would even dare dream of, surely he would beat them. George Forman I believe once said, “Champions are not made under the bright lights of the ring, they are merely recognised there. Champions are made in the dark hours of the morning”.

People used to watch Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricketer of all time, and say “I wish I had his talent”. They use the word talent as if he was born with it. They don’t talk about the fact that he spent hours each day hitting a golf ball with a cricket stump against corrugated iron. You rarely hear how Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, motivating him to go and train so hard he would become the greatest player the game has ever known.

All of the above people have tangible traits that appear to set them apart from the rest. Yet while these traits may grab the attention of the masses, it is what goes on behind the scenes that gave them these traits. They, and all other successful people had a burning desire to succeed. It got them up early and kept them training hard throughout the day.

Angela Uytingco pictured above. A Disire to succeed helps her put 100% in to her training.

Have I exhausted my point? I cannot stress enough the importance of the role desire plays in any future success you may have. Whether it’s in the martial arts or in life.

Now to finish on the topic of psychology, you know your desire levels are strong enough when your discipline levels raise and you no longer tolerate excuses from yourself. Many of you right now may be thinking, ‘but I do have a burning desire to succeed, but I work long hours’. ‘If only I had more time. Or, but I have this injured ankle at the moment, if only it were easier for me I could commit and succeed.’ These excuses and most others are garbage! There is always something that can be done if you’re brave enough to look.

Hannibal said, “If we cannot find a way, we will make one”. Champions take control over their lives. They don’t wish for things to be easier, they wish for themselves to become better. They don’t wish for more time, because they know there is no more time. It’s just 24 hours a day - for everyone! They instead wish for better time management. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Take control of your life and don’t let excuses hold you back. Champions never tolerate excuses from themselves and neither should you.

So you have to ask yourself. If I want to become a champion, how bad do I want it? Why do I want it? Because until you truly want to succeed, you will never get there.