By Jill Koenig
Although I had a busy travel schedule this past week, just
like millions of people around the world, I was glued to the
television every time Michael Phelps took to the water in
the Olympics. Because success leaves clues, I study the
best of the best in every sport, business or craft I
possibly can, and you should too.

Sometimes in life what separates first place from second
place is one point, a fraction of an inch or even a tiny
millisecond that requires the most sophisticated technology
to measure. Those small gaps define who wears the Gold Medal
around their neck, who breaks a world record, who earns
millions of dollars in endorsements and who graces the top
magazine covers.

You may feel you have nothing in common with Michael Phelps
but the fact is that there is a Champion inside you.

There is a Champion inside you.

Perhaps your area of passion is being a parent or an
entrepreneur or a weekend athlete or a singer or writer…
whatever your Goal, you don’t have to be a swimmer to unleash
it. All you have to do is apply a few simple strategies to
your own pursuits and practice them consistently everyday.

Here are Five Things You Can Do Today to Be a Champion Like
Michael Phelps

1. Improve on the Small Things that Make a Big Difference

Phelps was asked how he can break world records, sometimes
by a whopping one or two seconds (in swimming this is
huge). His answer was simple and something you can apply
to your own life starting today: Phelps said, “In swimming
there are so many little things you can change that really
do make a big difference in the end. We’re able to go back
to the drawing board and work on the small things that can
make a big difference.”

What areas of your life can you change some small things
that will make a big difference? Perhaps it is something
as simple as going to bed a little earlier, eating
healthier, exercising smarter, reading more, advancing
your education by taking a class, scheduling regular dates
with your spouse and children or getting a Coach to help
you improve your efficiency, proficiency and stay on track
with your Goals. Whatever it is, identify those areas and
make the change.

2. Study Other Champions

Phelps was asked what separates those who are gifted from
those who performed in clutch moments and won. Phelps
said, “For me when I watch other sports, when I watch
Tiger Woods, when I watch Roger Federer, when I watch
Rafael Nadal, the best athletes can compete under any
circumstances. No matter what it is, no matter what the
pressure, you can always overcome whatever is put in your
way.”

I have studied top athletes long enough to know that there
is an inner game and an outer game that must be harnessed
for one to achieve absolute Mastery of a thing. There are
many long hours of practice as well as having the attitude
that you will overcome anything that comes your way. Work
on both your inner game and your outer game simultaneously.
Phelps studies Champions in other sports and you should
too. There are always lessons to be learned and applied to
your life.

3. Put Blinders on to Focus Your Energy When it’s Time to
Perform

Did you notice that prior to entering the water for each
race, Michael Phelps was wearing headphones and covered his
head with a hoodie? This was to block out the outer noise
and distractions and stay focused on his own predetermined
priorities. He was in his own world, he was in the zone.

We all have those moments when we must perform at our very
best. This could be during a sales call, a workout, a
meeting with your boss, a presentation in front of a live
audience, etc. During those times it is important to get
yourself into a peak state of focused concentration. You
can do this to begin your day, prepare for a race, get
psyched for a workout or any occasion anytime you want.
Phelps listened to Young Jeezy during the World
Championships which he dominated. Choose the music that
gets you revved up and visualize yourself succeeding in the
activity. Practice positive self talk. You’re the best at
what you do. See it. Go there. Be it.

4. Do what you love

Phelps was asked how it feels to be the worlds fastest
swimmer. He said, “I don’t think about it like that. I
think of it as something I love to do and I am having fun
with it.”

Champions do what they love and love what they do. The
amount of time it takes to achieve the level where you’re
competing against the best of the best and come out on top
means you must be extraordinary. To be extraordinary,
sometimes you have to give up some of the things normal
people do like hanging out with friends, eating fatty fast
foods, staying up late and vegging out for hours in front
of the tv. Instead you use those hours to practice and
with the hours in between, you treat your mind/body like
the fine tuned, high performing machine that it is.

Phelps recognized he had the opportunity of a lifetime.
When asked what scarifies he had to make for swimming, he
said, “Doing normal high school kid things was something I
was willing to give up. I know I won’t have opportunities
like this in the sport for the rest of my life.”

What areas of your life could you rearrange or re prioritize
in order to raise another certain area of your life to new
levels? What could you let go of to make room for the
Goals and Dreams you truly desire?

5. Finish Strong

The race that absolutely left me speechless was the
“Miracle Finish” in the race between Phelps and Serbia’s
Milorad Cavic. In the final seconds, it appeared Phelps
would come in second. In the last few feet at the finish,
Cavic coasted to the end while Phelps fought for it with
everything he had. Even when Cavic had the lead, Phelps
never gave up. He fought to the finish.

I wondered how many times in life we go 90% of the way
there only to fizzle out or coast at the end. Regardless
of whether you think you have it won or not, give it your
all right up to the very end. That’s what Champions do.

I learned in working with my Trainers Darin and Cordell, that
your greatest growth comes when your muscles burn and fatigue
and every sensation is telling you to quit. At first it seems
like that’s all you have left. But those one or two extra reps
AFTER that point are the key.

That extra effort is where the real growth and magic happens.

These few lessons are just some of what I extracted from
watching Michael Phelps become the greatest Olympian of all
time. They are things that you and I can easily do every
single day if we simply apply them to our lives.

Unleash your inner Champion.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

http://www.goalguru.com

Jill Koenig, the “Goal Guru” is America’s Top Goal Strategist.
A best selling Author, Coach and Motivational Speaker, she is
an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management and
Business Success. Her Goal in life is to help you UNLEASH
your untapped potential. Learn cutting edge Goal Strategies at
http://www.GoalGuru.com

Media Requests: Jill Koenig is a dynamic high energy tv and
radio guest available for interviews and corporate speaking
engagements.

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