Victoria Mitchell

They say success occurs when preparation meets opportunity. So what does it mean to prepare for success? To me that means doing want you can with what you have today and then the next and so forth, moving closer towards your goal in some way each and every day. There are many ways you can do this; in thoughts, words and actions. And it has even greater impact when these are all aligned. One must not only train like an athlete but also think like one, speak like one, eat like one…live like one. You’ll be most successful if you embody and embrace the role you need to play to become the person needed to achieve your goals. And any step in the direction of your goal is progress, no matter how small. Whether it is doing that extra rep or run when you really don’t feel like it or simply pushing through those thoughts of self-doubt and finishing a session when you thought you couldn’t go on. It is the sum of these that move you forward. The mind & spirit is a major factor in performance and it’s important not to think of the body as separate from these. Your body hears everything you think so think well. Your imagination is also a preview of life’s coming attractions! So focus on playing out those joyful scenarios in your minds eye instead of those filled with anxiety. I’m not a perfect person and definitely not a perfect athlete. I don’t eat clean often, I don’t stretch much and I probably drink too much coffee! But I try to be the best athlete I can be each day in many different ways, just as I try to be the best person I can be. Whether that means not succumbing to road rage in the morning traffic or having one less judgemental thought per day! We know the virtues of great athletes and great people and we can all work towards being an example of them each day. That’s what successful people do, they don’t stay in their comfort zones, they reach for more and try to grow and change on a daily basis. To change energy takes energy so that’s why change/growth can seem so hard for us. We like to stay as we are, solidifying our identities and being a slave to them. It’s crazy, stop limiting yourself! Be a warrior in sport and life and spend your energy wisely on creating yourself in whatever way you choose. Just keep on trying with each new day and you’ll soon be at another level looking back and seeing how far you’ve come! And all this will be accompanied with new perspectives which can be life changers. That’s success, that’s winning!