In life, we will go through many challenges. We will win some and lose some of those said challenges. Can one victory determine the outcome of our life? Does the idea/action of winning correlate to long-lasting winning in life? Is it a temporary feeling, something short-lived, or something everlasting? Looking back at history, we can see all the great civilizations that have risen and fallen. I can imagine that they did not believe they would ever not be in existence. That thinking leads me to a winner vs. champion(WvC) type of mindset. It is almost like the saying, “You have won the battle but not the war.” In this blog, I will be breaking down the winner vs. champion mindset and the benefits they can give you.

A winner is someone who has taken first place and has won something. This could be a trophy, various prizes, or even bragging rights. Whatever the prize is, it is something the other person has achieved. They have overcome the odds and come out victorious. Winners typically have had a goal set in their mind of being in the first place. However, that does not guarantee victory. Just imagine running a marathon race with over 500 participants. There can only be one first-place winner in the race. Reaching that number one spot will be many people’s goals and desires, but to win, you have to want it the most.

The desire to win is something that stems from being human. (This is not to be confused with how animals determine leadership and dominance.) As a human, we want to be the top contender and a powerful force. In our current society, we get that thinking in our pre-teen and teen years of life. We have an urgency to fit in and be popular. This is a form of winning on a basic level. We dream of being popular and having all the other students recognize us. We envision happiness and the good life just from the idea if we could be somebody, then we could become the person everyone loved/wanted to be. Well, that type of winning is temporary. The same is true for winning that marathon.

The biggest difference between a winning vs. a champion mindset is that winning is momentary. You can win several times, but that does not give you a champion type of mindset. Winning feels good, but it doesn’t feel as good as losing hurts. In short, the hurt from losing can be a greater motivator than winning provides. They say that the person with nothing to lose is the most dangerous. I believe that to be true because when you are at the top, everyone wants a piece of you. If you think of winning as something like a moment/battle, then you will be in for a surprise when someone takes that crown from your head and claims the right to the throne.

A champion’s mindset is someone who is relentless. This type of mindset will not let a loss stop them. These people can turn defeat into new strength to overcome their obstacles. When I think about what would be an excellent example of a champion in life, I can not help but think of Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest boxers to have lived. Ali had a boxing record of 56 wins and five losses. Now, this record average has been beaten by other great fighters since he has been in the ring. Well, why is it that when we are thinking of boxing or a champion in general, Muhammad Ali is so easy to come to mind? The reason for that is that Ali had the mindset of a champion. Ali knew how great he was, and he wasn’t afraid to show it. Though he always had more to lose than his opponents, he went into battle with a sense of invulnerability. He created a mindset that became his strongest weapon in the arena.

The benefit of changing your mindset from winning to being a champion is what you will require to achieve in your life. Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, and Tom Brady are some of the best examples of a champion’s mindset. These champions had a relentless work ethic. They would make sure they were the first in and the last out to stay ahead. Their work ethic was unmatched by their competition. Even though they didn’t win every game/match, they left with more determination than they walked in with. There was no complacency in their minds because they knew that what made them champions was the never-ending journey to greatness. They were champions in their regard, and whether they won or lost, they would rise to greater heights.

Every new day we face, we are tasked to walk the battle called life. Most try to win the day to be rich, famous, happy, etc. However, there are a few who set up their days to win a constant interval. People have grown accustomed to the idea that they want it, and they need it now. I believe that to be closest to a winner mindset. That victory is all they can think about, when instead, what truly matters is the experience and stepping blocks that lead to the victory. Looking back at my first example, we all want to be acknowledged at some basic level in life. That comes from our desire to be needed. We as humans must be filled with a purpose to achieve at the greatest level possible.

To put it in simple terms, a WvC mindset differs in the results. A winner will be satisfied with being number one in a race. On the other hand, the champion is not worried about one race because he is going after the world. The dreams of a champion are bigger than those of a winner. They will be relentless until they accomplish their goals. Once a champion accomplishes their goals, they continue to hone their skills for subsequent challenges that they will face. A winner will be happy with the memory of the win and hold onto that glory even though it was temporary. Having a mindset focused on short intervals or a mindset focused on the end game leads to two different lives.

You can grow up in the same neighborhood as someone and have a drastically different life than the other person. I know many people use their environment as an excuse for why they cannot succeed in life. They blame being poor and attest that if they weren’t poor, they would be doing better in life. Well, I grew up in a not-so-nice neighborhood. From the drug deals on the corner to hearing gunfire in the middle of the night was normal for me. Some of my friends didn’t make it past the age of 21 to have a legal alcoholic beverage due to violence/drugs. That got my brain wondering why I was able to get out and achieve so much good in my life. What allowed me to win and also become relentless on my journey to be the best version of myself possible? Well, the answer is my soul was not happy with the life I was giving myself, and my mind went into action.

I knew what it felt like to win, and it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more than just a victory to be marked on my passport. I wanted to create a life that would create a legacy that would stand the test of time. I wanted more than just enough, and that is where adapting a champion mindset comes in. You can be satisfied going to a 9-5 job, and making a decent living enough to pay the bills, have two kids, a house with a white picket fence, two weeks off a year, and retire at 65 with your 401k. We are all sold on that American dream at an early age and told if we work hard, we can attain it. Well, it is true if you work hard, you can get all that in your life. What if you want more than just the standard dream? What if you wanted to create your own dream life and go after it? Well, I can attest that it is possible to swap your dreams for a different one. It can be as big as you want it to be. Do not let your predisposed thinking limit who you are able to become.

This is where the biggest difference in mindsets comes into play. You can win and have the typical dream everyone has, or you can forge your mindset to think like a champion and then go after what you want. Winning feels good, but that temporary feeling will leave you. I recommend swapping that thinking and becoming a champion in your regards. What are the things you want to accomplish in life? If it can be attained easily, then it is not worth having. You have to go after the impossible because that is when your mind will start to develop into one of a champion. Your life was not meant to be normal/typical. It was meant to be extravagant and grandiose.

Working to attain either of these mindsets can elevate your current situation. Not everyone will be willing to put in the work and sacrifice to attain a champion’s mindset. I understand this because I know it is not easy. Whichever one you choose, make sure your soul is not offended by your choice. If you wake up and dread the day, then you are going against your purpose. You have to find a balance that makes you happy and then go after what it is you are aiming for(goals). Just because you lost or have given up does not make you any less of a person.

In closing, what matters most is the mindset you set forth to assist you in attaining the life you desire. Your desires will be different than someone else’s, so whether you have a winner or champion mindset does not matter. What matters more is that you meet your expectations in life. Whether you choose to go beyond those expectations or not will separate you from the winners and the champions in life. I encourage all of my clients to create a legacy they can be proud of. I help them become more than what they ever dreamed of in hopes they realize that limitations are self-made. You can do anything in life! It starts and ends with the mindset you set forth each day of your life. Which mindset will you choose?

Until then,

Michael Rearden

CEO of Reven LLC.