We quickly think of exceptional athletes and those who have reached the pinnacle of their sports when we hear the phrase "champion." Despite the fact that it may appear scary to some, being a "champion" is a fairly attainable goal. It is a distinction that can be attained by practically anyone if they are willing to make the appropriate sacrifices. After all, even the greatest of champions had to start somewhere.
Here are some of the most crucial steps to achieving your goal of becoming a world champion.
HARD WORK:
Talent trumps hard labor. Malcom Gladwell claims in his book "Outliers: The Story of Success" that the key to success in any industry is to practice a given task for a total of 10,000 hours. In other words, if you practice for 3 1/2 hours a day, 6 days a week for 10 years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, or MMA, you will become a master.
Don’t Quit:
Assume you've completed your 10,000 hours of work and are now considered an expert. What comes next? Should you take a break while you're still ahead? The process of learning should never come to a halt. Every day, we should strive to improve ourselves by at least 1%. We are exposed to new knowledge and challenges as a result of our ongoing learning, which not only makes us better athletes but also more well-rounded humans.
Surround yourself with world champions:
Surround yourself with individuals that push you to your limits and expect the most from you so that you may adopt their mindset and follow their lead. They'll show you that you're capable of much more than you think you are.
Hector Vasquez is a five-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as a great mentor of world champions like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Brandon Moreno. Hector constantly recommends surrounding yourself with other champions because they will encourage you to practice like them and push you to be a greater fighter than you are now. Hector has a very active Instagram account, @hectorvasquezbjj (https://www.instagram.com/hectorvasquezbjj/).
KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES:
A fighter should always be aware of his strengths and limitations, particularly his vulnerabilities, and try to better them so that his opponent has no advantage over him. If a fighter can't overcome his flaws, he should focus on finding a way out of a bad circumstance, which is what a world champion excels at.
Now it's your turn... go ahead and take a huge risk. Develop become something fantastic. Keep in mind that anyone may become a champion. All you have to do is believe in yourself, and everything else will take care of itself.