A Champion is Made Not Born

BEING A CHAMPION IS PUSHING YOURSELF

Although the word “champion” is synonymous with sports, you don’t necessarily need to be an athlete to be a champion. I have never considered myself a natural athlete, and truth be told, I don’t usually enjoy exercise or sports much. But a few years ago, I had my sights set on challenging this not-so-athletic side to me. So I trained hard and completed two Spartan and three 10KM runs within 2 years. I realised then that you don’t know the extent of your inner strength until you do something that challenges and pushes you to your limits.

I constantly challenge myself, which keeps me on my toes and proves that I can achieve any goals that I’ve set for myself. And the more people say I can’t do something, the more I am motivated to prove them wrong. One thing that always comes through for me is my “champion” attitude.

You see, being a champion doesn’t mean being naturally good at everything you do. It means having a winning mindset in everything you do.

BEING A CHAMPION IS ABOUT TRAINING YOURSELF

For me, it started early in life when my late dad taught me how to play chess. He was the kind of father who never let me win just because I was young and still learning.

He believed in preparing me for the real world, where things don’t always come easy. He also taught me to be a sharp thinker. He did this by encouraging me to be quick and pre-empt his next move. He would say, “You should know me by now, so what’s my next move going to be?” He was a pro at chess and told me he already knew what my next two moves would be.

These early life lessons still hold true for me. To be a skilled strategist, I pride myself on being two steps ahead. You also need to understand your audience and how they engage. Truly understanding your audience is the key to nailing your strategy.

Years later, I finally won a set game against my dad!

BEING A CHAMPION IS NEVER GIVING UP

A true champion doesn’t always win on their first try. However, a true champion keeps trying!

Returning from school one day, I was pretty upset about not winning first place for an art project and conveyed this to my dad. He said, “The person who won wanted it more.” It was simple yet profound. I told him that I couldn’t accept it as all I could think about was winning – not to mention all the hard work I put into the project. To this, he added, “You don’t really lose. You learn.” I had learnt a valuable lesson that day. I would keep trying, so I could be even better the next time.

When my time came, and I got a fantastic opportunity. We were asked to design a token gift to the Minister, the chief guest, at our official school opening ceremony. My design was a hand-crafted wooden chess set. I gave it my all, with my little heart firmly set on winning. This time, my chess set was selected as the gift of choice!

To this day, these early lessons guide me, and my dad’s voice is the steadying and encouraging force that keeps me wanting to be a champion in everything I undertake.

If you are afraid or unsure if you can do something, that’s all the more reason that YOU SHOULD DO IT! Be the champion you know you are! Of course, you need to be committed and put in the time and effort to make sure you are ready for whatever comes your way.