• The champion is optimistic. The champion has internalized his goal and expects to achieve it. He has faith in himself and in his calling, allowing him to overcome all obstacles. The champion practices positive thinking, recognizing the irrefutable law that "as a man thinks, so shall he become." Positive thinking begets positive results. Think about it.
  
  
• The champion has humility. Those that don’t, learn it the hard way. A champion realizes that winning or accomplishing doesn’t make him "better" than anyone else. Although a champion has a healthy ego, he is never conceited. He respects the God-given intrinsic worth of every human being.
  
  

• The champion is a good sportsman. A champion is humble in victory, and gracious in defeat. He never talks about his competitors unless he has something positive to say.
  
  
• The champion is introspective. He gives himself credit not only for his successes, for even the basest men do that, but also takes responsibility for his failures. The champion doesn’t blame others or factors outside himself for his shortcomings. Instead, he looks inside himself for ways to improve, learning from his failures and realizing that failures are only opportunities to improve.
  
  
• The champion is selfless. The champion gives back. He is friendly and helpful, and always looking for ways to improve the lot of others. He realizes that it is a privilege to be regarded as a champion and held in high esteem by others, and will act accordingly. The champion works not only to better himself, but to better the field in which he excels.
  
  
• The champion exercises the responsibility that his position carries. Like it or not, a champion is a role model for others, many times children and young people. A champion lives his life correctly, knowing that others will be watching and emulating him. The world is full of superstar athletes that live lives of debauchery and excess. They are not to be confused for champions. If it weren’t for their God-given talent, they would be losers.
  
  

• The champion keeps it all in perspective. A champion realizes that he is a physical, mental, and spiritual being and keeps balance in his life. He realizes early on that the world does not revolve around him.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the truths I have learned during my years as a professional athlete. I wish that I could say that I practiced them all at every point of my life, but that would be a falsehood. No, these are things I have learned over time, through my experiences. They are not always easy to employ in one’s life, and they are a process, not an end in themselves. Remember that it is the path that makes the champion. Being a winner does not make one a champion. There are many winners who are not champions, and many champions who have not experienced public victories. Here’s to all the future champions of the world and especially all of the unsung heroes... my champions.

About the Author

Lee Labrada, is a former IFBB Mr. Universe and IFFB Pro World Cup winner. He is one of few men in history to place in the top four in the Mr. Olympia seven consecutive times, and was recently inducted into the IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Hall of Fame. Lee is President/CEO of Houston-based Labrada Nutrition.