8 Rules of Understanding

I came across an article about a High School cross-country running coach named Joe Newton. Coach Newton has won 26 state championships, been named as the manager in charge of marathon runners for the 1988 Olympic Team, been named National Cross Country Coach of the Year four times and has written four books on the link between concentration and training with regard to athletic success.

Coach Newton listed 8 Rules of Understanding that athletes MUST follow to become a champion.

1. You must learn to compete. Competition is basic to human life. Life is not easy, competing against the best brings out the best. You must learn to compete against the best as you will be doing it all your life.

2. You must be able to think under pressure. You need to maintain your style and efficiency. You must have a plan and a strategy. You must concentrate on what you are doing.

3. You must learn to go through pain and agony. Dr James Councilman says no athlete ever became a champion without going through hurt, pain, and agony. You must learn to live with pain and keep going when the body is hurting.

4. You must get a goal and follow through. Life is only meaningful if you have a goal. If you have a goal it will pull out every-single ability that you have.

5. You must aim for the top. This is the most important one of all. No matter what the record is, you must think you can break it. You can do the impossible with the proper state of mind. You can get the job done, regardless of the odds.

6. You will be frustrated. You must learn to deal with the frustrations you will encounter. Sometimes we give everything we have and we still lose. In striving for victory, you will learn about life. You must bounce back after each fall. You must pick yourself up and try again.

7. You must never give up. Hang on by even a thread of desire. When all else is lost, there is always hope.

8. You must reach for character and morality. If you are spiritually oriented, you will discipline yourself to be better. You will work harder because you understand a commitment. With faith you can accomplish your goal.

"A person can have some talent and some character and have the chance to succeed. But, if she has tons of talent and no character, she will fail."
4:13