CHAMPIONS MINDSET Over the past 30-plus years of coaching athletes, the ones that get the most out of the sport develop a Champions Mindset. I came across this book in 2015 and it stuck with me as I hope these B.E.S.T words will stick with you and your athlete.

Dr. Jim Afremow has written an incredible book on how we as athletes, leaders, teachers, and parents can develop a "Champion's Mindset," emphasizing that before we can perform like a champion, we must remove self-doubt and think like one.

Preparing your mind to be the best starts with B.E.S.T.

B. Belief. When you believe you can become a champion, your training is champion-like.  What Afremow suggests to the athletes he trains is to believe they finished second in the last event--fuel the belief with needing to raise your level ever so slightly.

E. Enjoyment. We gain more enjoyment when we enjoy the process and look forward to working. Embrace the work. Love it, and with enjoyment comes progress.

S. Self Talk. We hate having ants in our homes — and we should never have ants on our minds. ANTS (Automatic Negative Thoughts) create doubt, they create uncertainty and the quicker we remove them, the better we prepare.

T. Toughness. Being mentally tough means moving on from a mistake while remaining positive and proactive.

Having great athletic talent is a wonderful skill, but without a champion's mindset, it can never reach its full potential.

Link to Book