After concluding an intense training session with the under-16s rugby lads, a boy came forward. His jersey, dampened by sweat and stained with grass and soil, spoke volumes of his zest for the sport. Without any hesitation, he voiced his uncertainty, “What must I do to be a champion?”
His enquiry was deeper than someone at his tender age could comprehend. In essence, he was seeking to ascertain, “Can I make my dreams a reality?” From my own journey of pursuing dreams, I realised the immoral act it would be as an adult influence to thoughtlessly diminish their dreams. After all, dreams form the cornerstone of our accomplishments and occasionally, they do manifest into reality.
This boy displayed his athletic prowess and muscular form as an outside back. His vitality and positivity marked his leadership among the peers. His confidence in confronting the sport’s physicality and superior skills for his age indicated he was an exceptional player in his cohort.
However, the young man was yet to realise the true essence of the training ground – the birthplace of champions. The unparalleled standards set on the training field sculpt champions. The performance we witness in great players is fundamentally a reflection of their training regimen. In the heat of the match, the quality of training habits governs their performance.
As Joe Hyams insightfully reflected in Zen in the Martial Arts: “Practice mirrors life itself, where we confront our personal fears, insecurities, reactions and habits. It is a confined battleground where the opponent is essentially a collaborator, assisting in deepening our self-understanding…”
Although the young chap was on the journey to potentially becoming a champion on the rugby field, he was still yet to comprehend that being a champion extends beyond his current perception.
The indomitable spirit, commitment, courage, sacrifice, patience, tenacity and strength shown by my mother in raising four assertive sons single-handedly is the recipe of real champions. I couldn’t guarantee that the young lad would realise his dream to represent his country, but I was confident that, in chasing that dream, he would discover the ingredients required to be a champion in life.
“Making progress in the pursuit of sporting achievement holds greater value than the ultimate fulfillment of hoisting a trophy. This reflect the underlying purpose of engaging in sports in our youth. Unconsciously, the challenges we conquer in our quest of reaching our athletic ambitions equip us with the essential abilities for succeeding in life’s significant missions.
It is the hope that a sports player will embrace this perspective in the future.
Currently, he is under the illusion of a so-called “hack” to success, a phantom shortcut which he believes experienced athletes keep secret from newcomers. The reality, however, is significantly different. I expounded that achieving success involves enduring a rigorous, deeply gratifying journey, which could be compared to going on a personal pilgrimage. This path is filled with perseverance, determination, obstacles, disappointment and also joy. However, this was a concept too grand for him to grasp at the moment. He was in search of strategies and techniques, quite opposed to the idea of gaining wisdom from experience.
So, I initiated Champion 101, demonstrating that real champions step outside their comfort zones, not just meeting expectations but surpassing them. If one desires to succeed, they must go beyond what is asked of them by their coaches.
Champions manifest an inner discipline to push further.
Even when they are reluctant, they do what is necessary when required. This self-discipline acquired is not only vital for emerging as a rugby victor, but also transcends into all dimensions of successful life.
There’s truth in the well-known adage, “Victory isn’t a cakewalk. Were it so, it wouldn’t be uncommon.” Winning and achieving champion status is daunting. A silver lining, though, is that life gives us the freedom to pick our own “daunting.”
Pursuing your dreams with unwavering discipline is a challenge as much as being indisciplined and giving up on your dreams is. Thus, choose your challenge wisely.
To my surprise, he then posed a thoughtful question for his age, “What insights have you gathered about those who reach their goals and those who don’t?”
Over time, the response to this query has become crystal clear.
Those who succeed are those who cultivate an unyielding emotional resilience and courage, while those who do not, tend to falter. Several physically advantaged athletes do not make it, while those who may not measure up physically but harbor strong emotional fortitude, excel.
Individuals who lack mental fortitude often avoid taking responsibility for their actions, blaming others instead and resenting constructive criticism. On the other hand, true champions actively seek feedback, showing a willingness to undertake whatever is necessary for victory, including confronting the discomfort of analysing their own faults on the game day, learning from their mistakes to enhance their performance. They are mindful that nobody is coming to their aid; they have to rely on themselves like everyone else.
I then shared with him a hard but essential truth which might have been a hard pill to swallow for such a young soul, but I determined he had the mental strength to handle this harsh reality. If he was sincerely committed to achieving his dreams, he would have to exert more effort than he ever thought possible to turn those dreams into reality.
The journey he’d embarked on was not meant for the faint-hearted. It could also be an isolating experience. Not everyone will grasp your fervour. However, the rewards could be vast and remarkable.
He took a second to contemplate, seemingly trying to balance the hardship of commitment required against the potential pleasure. As we were parting ways, he expressed his gratitude. With a somewhat impish smile, he trotted off, chasing after his future self, hoping to emerge as a champion.