Not too long ago we talked about how much I enjoy training in the rain.

I mentioned how I start every Trail workout with the same (super simple) Spartan warmup. Skipping. Bear crawls—forward and back. Air squats. Pull-ups. Ankle/wrist mobility. Boom. Go!

I forgot to mention that on that particularly wet and muddy morning, in the midst of doing my backward bear crawls and splashing myself with mud, I had a flashback to one of the brilliant Ideas we captured in our Notes on Jim Afremow’s The Champion’s Mind.

Here it is: “My favorite description of what excellence in the sports world looks like comes from Anson Dorrance, the legendary University of North Carolina women’s soccer coach. He was driving to work early one morning, and as he passed a deserted field, he noticed one of his players off in the distance doing extra training by herself. He kept driving, but he later left a note in her locker: ‘The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching.’ The young woman, Mia Hamm, would go on to become one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Having a big dream—and a clear vision of what you will look like while pursuing competitive excellence—always inspires greatness. What is your dream goal? What does excellence in your game look like when you are fully dialed in and passionately pursuing your dream—becoming the best you can be in your sport? Make the description vivid and powerful enough to give you that burst of adrenaline when you need it, a burst that can only come from connecting completely with your heart’s true desire.”

So, yah.

I might have been having fun channeling some Mia Hamm mojo that muddy morning. (Hah!)

Today’s +1.

How about you?

Let’s take a moment to reflect on Afremow’s inquiries:

What is your dream goal?

What does excellence in your “game” look like when you are fully dialed in and passionately pursuing your dream—becoming the best you can possibly be in life?

Let’s make that description vivid and powerful enough to give us the energy we need to make Today awesome.

Here’s to your excellence!

Mud optional. Grit required.

Channeling Mia Hamm #693

The Vision of a Champion

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