What is the difference between elite athletes-those athletes who perform their best on a consistent basis- and other athletes? Elite athletes in every different sport master one thing above all else: championship attitude. This attitude is what separates them from other athletes, and they utilize it during every competition. Elite athletes actually think differently than most everyone else. And, accordingly, they get far different results than most everyone else. So how do they do it? Through mastering the following principles:

1. Exerting appropriate focus

Appropriate focus is always internally directed. Elite athletes understand that their attitude is their responsibility. That may sound simplistic, but it cannot be understated. A large portion of their championship attitude comes from understanding at the outset of sport participation that the one thing that they can truly control is their perceptions of the world. Therefore, events are less important than their views of these events.

Active perception is the key "ingredient" here: To gain a championship attitude, you must be able to filter information in ways that are beneficial to you. Rather than focusing on how difficult the situation is, how painful the loss was, or how good your competition is, try the converse: Think about how hard you have worked to put yourself in this position, how much you can learn from that loss, and how enjoyable it is to compete against the very best. Active perception means that you consciously choose how you want to feel through first choosing how you want to think. Elite athletes master this principle, and thus are prepared for anything that comes their way. They simply do not subscribe to pity, negativity, or pessimism.

2. Love of competition

Love of competition means that you compete solely because you love the challenge of bettering yourself. If you find that you are competing for other reasons (money, fame, reputation) you won't last as long and you wont do as well. After all, money, fame, and reputation are all fleeting aspects of being an athlete anyway. Today's stars become yesterday's news. If you ever stop and analyze why some athletes in different sports enjoy long and fruitful careers, you'll find that the primary reason is that they love to compete. They love to test their abilities, and to challenge themselves. Elite athletes carry this love of competition with them in everything they do-if you play them in checkers, they will compete in the same manner. If they are learning a new skill, they intend to perfect it. They are "addicted" to bettering themselves, and competition in sport provides the perfect venue for such "addictions."

3. Process-oriented rather than results-oriented

Elite athletes care less about the end results (winning, points, stats, and standings) than they do the process (doing their best, competing with heart, never giving up). Why? Because the results are not really something that they can completely control. They can score a hundred points in a losing effort. They can hit a record number of home runs and their team never makes it to the world series. They can break a national record-and come in second place. It's happened before, and it will happen again. Elite athletes are able to keep things in perspective, and thus are able to still enjoy their sport in the midst of a big loss or upset. They do this through focusing more on their effort than the results that their effort brings.

4. Deserving success

Deserving success means that you have done everything in your power to earn the right to succeed in competition. You set the game up to win rather than to lose. Too often today, I see and hear about athletes who feel that winning is a right afforded to them rather than a privilege. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Winning is the end result of deserving success, and is a by-product of putting in the time to do everything within your power to master the fundamentals, principles and strategies of your sport. If you deserve success, you have mastered the following areas of your sport:

• Physical - you are in great shape, and are physically able to excel, despite the rigors of the particular sport
• Fundamentals - if you do not master the basics, how can you really expect to excel?
• Strategy - you understand tactics of your sport, and have a game plan that is flexible enough to allow you to succeed no matter what happens during competition
• Mental - you carry a championship attitude with you into competition, and experience feelings of excitement and exhilaration with regards to the upcoming competition

As you can see, the mental side is merely one aspect of deserving success. Championship attitude is nothing without mastery of the other areas. However, it is also probably the most neglected area of the four I listed. Begin today to master it, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.