We have studied the lives of the 5 best athletes of all time, inside and outside their sports. We have seen the lives of: Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps and Tiger Woods.

A-The common denominator: So what was common between these champions? What is one factor that everyone shared and can we say that this factor is your weapon? It’s yours … Power of the mind.

First of all, they had a genuine passion for their sport. They aimed to be the best and wrote that goal. And they were focused and determined to achieve their goals. Second, they believed in their ability. They believed that they could be the best at anything. And they never had doubts. They had confidence and trust in themselves more than anything in the world. Third, they welcomed the challenges. They never used excuses for their failures. They always had the will to improve. And they were competitive. They always wanted to win and hated to lose. Finally, they never gave up. They had the willpower to keep going. They refused to give up. They had the strength to survive and recover in the midst of all obstacles.

Today, more and more people are focusing on the psychological aspects of competitive sports training. They are emphasizing mental conditioning in each competition. Research shows that top-level athletic performance is directly related to the balance between mental toughness and intensive training. One of these factors alone may not be enough to achieve long-term athletic success. Natural talent and training are no longer guaranteed to win championships. Mental preparation is now perceived as important as physical training. Emotional attitudes are equally important, especially motivation, self-confidence, and deep interest in the game. An athlete can have all the talent and physical ability, but if he is underestimated, he can end up losing the game.

B- The champions: Why are champions mentally strong? What are the things that made them different from others?

1-They are competitive: Competitive people love a challenge. For example, when Michael Jordan was young, he was always beaten at the horse game. He didn’t like that so he kept challenging them until he won. Muhammad Ali, used to say this quote “I never thought about losing …”. Roger Federer loved competition as he once said: “I like to play against guys who beat me, especially early in the race, try to get them back.” Tiger Woods always wanted to be the best.

2-They are focused and determined: Focused and determined people set their own goals and work hard to achieve them. They do not give up. They believe in the saying, “try and try until you succeed.” For example, when Michael Phelps was young he had ADHD or Attention Disorder / Hyperactivity Disorder. His teacher complained that he couldn’t keep quiet, wouldn’t sit down, and kept doing things to get attention. One teacher even said that he could never focus on anything, but this teacher was wrong. Muhammad Ali was also very determined. Tiger Woods loved the big tournaments. Michael Jordan had no problem with determination.

3-They have confidence: Self-confident people believe in themselves and look at success more than failure. They believe in their ability to succeed. And they are not shaken by pressure.

4-They are optimistic: Optimistic people always look for the bright side of life. They focus on the good things. They are not bothered by stress, anxiety, or even past failures. For example, when Rodger Federer was struggling to regain his spot as No. 1, people anticipated his downfall. They said it was over. But Roger stayed positive. He did not let these negative comments affect him. Tiger was always optimistic. He said this: “One of the things my parents have taught me is never to listen to other people’s expectations.”

5-They anticipated their success: There is a proverb that says: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” It means that people become what they think. If you believe that you will be successful, then you will be successful. Champions visualize their success. They hope to claim their victory. These champions have this strong mindset because they envision their success, are free from negative thoughts, believe in themselves, and constantly strive to be the best.

C-Helpful ways to strengthen your mindset: Having a strong mindset is necessary to achieve optimal performance in all competitions. Here are some suggestions to strengthen your thinking.

1-Be really passionate about what you are doing.: You must enjoy what you are doing. Be enthusiastic each day you are awake to strive to master and hone your skills. You must have the inner drive to be the best!

2-Set a goal: Having a goal will help you focus. Write your goals on paper or use worksheets with deadlines. Create a plan to achieve your goals. Remind yourself of your goals. Remember that goals without a deadline or plan are just dreams. Set your goals as SMART.

3-be optimistic: First of all, you need to focus on the good things that are happening to you. Focus your thoughts on your progress each day. Think about the things you did well. You may experience mistakes, setbacks, and unexpected events, and thinking positively will help you deal with them. Second, make positive affirmations every day. Always have positive things to talk about with yourself. Tell yourself how good you are and do it with conviction. This will greatly increase your self-confidence. And lastly, have your own positive expectations. Expect to be successful. Visualize yourself as the victor. Never doubt yourself!

4-have confidence: Always believe in yourself. Look forward to your success. Visualize it. Always trust yourself, whatever happens.

D-Conclusion: Champions are not born. None of the top five athletes we talk about in this article was born a winner. They all faced failure at some point. All were defeated in at least one championship or tournament. Some of them were even discarded by people, they were thought to be finished, and their careers came to an end. But time and time again, these champions rise above all challenges and through thick and thin to win, redeem themselves, and ultimately earn their deserved recognition. We have seen this with Muhammad Ali, when he defeated George Forman. We have witnessed it with Michael Jordan, upon his return from retirement. Roger Federer did it after almost everyone said he was done. These champions are humans like us, but they are different in their inner thinking, in their motivation, in their strong determination to overcome all obstacles. They achieved achievements beyond our imagination. Imagine a man who can accumulate 18 gold medals in just 3 Olympic Games and a total of 22 unprecedented medals. This legend did this while believing that nothing is impossible. We can think of them as supermen, but we saw them cry and laugh, like any human being, like any of us. What distinguishes them from us is not their birth body, but how they used their brain and emotions differently from us.

A champion is a model. You can repeat the model if you do what the model did. We can replicate champions. Records can be broken. Gold medals can be accumulated. Championships can be won, but only if we follow the pattern of champions. We all have the ability to be champions, but once we encounter a setback or an obstacle, we begin to focus on the negative side of the road. Some people are capable of dreaming big, they are capable of believing in the possible, and they ignore inferior ideas, and thus they defeat others and become what we call them … Champions.