SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH CHAMPIONS

When an athlete trains for an event, you will usually find that they surround themselves with other athletes. Heres why:
#1 Athletes are usually on a strict diet! They will only eat food that will help them in their training and those foods are usually pretty boring and bland. That means no sugar and if they're cutting weight....no salt!

#2 They have a rigorous training schedule to keep. Unfortunately, athletes miss a LOT of fun in their lives due to the path they have chosen of being exactly what they are...Humans who train and live a different way in order for them to win the prize, achieve the goal, or hit the mark.

#3 Athletes go through mental breakdowns full of doubt or fear that they are not good enough. Even the best Athletes will go through a brief period of self-doubt regardless of their accomplishments.

But what separates a Champion from an Athlete? Champions will do #'s 1,2, and 3 BETTER! A Champion will not always be a winner because of physical ability. It's because they made better choices during the time that led up to the main event. To give you an example of what I mean...lets break down the UFC Fight between BJ Penn and GSP.

#1 GSP kept a VERY STRICT and CLEAN diet to optimize every training session. Usually 2 per day.

#1 Unfortunately for BJ, he had to go up in weight class so there wasn't much he could do about this. Well, he chose to do battle in a heavier weight class so his body was going to have to take the toll of gaining weight. NOT FUN!

#2 GSP Kept up with a GRUELING SCHEDULE! No breaks, no complaints, at one point he even said, "I feel like I got hit by a truck....5 trucks!" But never used how he "FELT" as an excuse to stop working. He is not one that is influenced by what he "FEELS." He just goes out there and does what he has to do!

#2 BJ "FELT" that his body was shutting down so he "FELT" that he needed to rest. So he and his boys take of to relax in the sun and crack jokes about how GSP is probably stuck in a snow storm.

#3 GSP surrounded himself with people who would definitely push him! Athletes such as Nate Marquardt, Donald Cerrone, and even the current UFC L.H. Champ, Rashad Evans! In addition to the awesome training partners, he had a coach who has won my deepest respect...sorry I don't remember his name. Thats what usually what happens with coaches.....i.e. Tiger Woods...whats his caddys name? HAHA unless you are an avid Golf fan you probably don't know that he is the one who guides Tiger on the course.

#3 BJ surrounded himself with people he could beat! If you saw his training session he was tearing through everyone he was around. It was almost as if, he trained with people who he liked to be around because they made him believe in himself more. I could be wrong, but thats what I saw. As far as coaching goes, I have no comment besides the fact that he got OUT COACHED.

The outcome was GSP delivering a BRILLIANT game plan developed by his Coach, and outclassing his opponent due to the superior training with the help of his training team! And MOST IMPORTANTLY THE GREAT CHOICES MADE BY GSP! I am sure he didn't make everyone happy when he chose to be around those individuals only, there are always haters but hey...He CHOSE to separate himself from the rest so that he could be the best!

***Special Note to my princess: Try not to find friends that make you feel great because you know you are better than them. Make friends that make you want to be BETTER then who you are. Friends that motivate you to be smarter....Friends that motivate you to want to be successful....Friends that motivate you to have a GREAT family. Find a mentor who has a genuine interest in you that can guide you. I love you and remember....complacency kills!

P.S. The mentor better be a female or Daddy will rip his arms off!