SCRIPT: Winning
What makes a winner in sports? How does a gold medal winner differ from a silver or bronze medal winner, or from someone who didn’t even make the finals? Is it just a question of talent and physique? We are born with talent; we can develop physique through diet and training. Is there some other ingredient in the mix that makes someone a winner?
The answer is “yes.” The key to true and lasting success is not found in height or muscle strength, nor is it found in high-tech athletic shoes or training equipment. The key to success is in the mind. The mentality of the athlete is the determining factor for success.
Researchers in sports psychology are discovering more about the balance between the ingredients for success. They have identified several key mental qualities that are essential for success at sports.
These qualities include a strong work ethic. It is not enough to have the talent. Without regular training and dedication, this talent will amount to nothing. Many people are born with talent; few people use it as well as they could.
Humility, the understanding that you are not always the best, is another important ingredient for a top sportsperson. You always have to work your hardest. You can’t sit back and wait to be rewarded for just being you.
Winners also have strong planning skills. They can look at a situation and see what is needed. They make a plan, they set their goals, and they think about strategies. Then they adopt these strategies, they make changes, and they succeed.
Focus and concentration are also essential for success. The athlete needs to be focused during months or years of training, and he must be able to keep going without immediate rewards – for example, there are four years between each Olympics™. Then in the few minutes before the race or the game, when the crowds are cheering and the athletes are surrounded by their opponents, they need to keep that focus to achieve success.
But perhaps one of the most important mental qualities needed for success on the sports field is the ability to trust yourself – to trust that right here and right now, you can use everything you have been practicing for months. You can use the skills you have developed and you can apply the strategies you have practiced. You have to trust that yes, you can do it. Yes, you can be a winner. That, yes, you are a winner.