The Journey to Excellence: How Athletes Become Super Champions, Champions, and Almosts
Saturday, October 26, 2024.
As a couples therapist, I often see parallels between the challenges faced by my clients and those encountered by athletes on their journey to success.
This post explores the unique experiences of athletes—categorized as "Super Champions," "Champions," and "Almosts"—as they navigate the winding path to the top of their sports.
Understanding these differences offers insight into the resilience, psychological fortitude, and mindset that can make or break success, whether on the playing field or in relationships.
Understanding the Athlete’s Path: It’s Not All Smooth Sailing
For athletes striving for greatness, the journey is rarely straightforward. Research shows that the path to elite status is often non-linear, filled with unexpected challenges, setbacks, and triumphs.
Unlike the linear progression suggested by theories like Ericsson’s Deliberate Practice Model, many successful athletes report a path that twists and turns.
They must adapt to evolving opportunities, injuries, and developmental milestones. Understanding what distinguishes those who reach the pinnacle from those who fall short can provide valuable lessons—not just for athletes, but for anyone facing life’s challenges.
The Role of Challenge: Not All Stress is Bad
The notion that “talent needs trauma” has become a hot topic in sports psychology.
It suggests that facing adversity is crucial for reaching elite levels. However, there’s been confusion about what kind of “trauma” or challenge is truly beneficial. Research into athletes’ experiences indicates that while overcoming challenges is key, it doesn’t mean enduring severe trauma.
Instead, a structured, well-supported approach to challenges—whether that means increased training intensity or playing in higher age groups—can foster resilience and growth.
The Study: Diving into the Differences Among Super Champions, Champions, and Almosts
To explore the factors that separate top-tier athletes from their peers, researchers conducted a series of retrospective interviews with 54 athletes from different sports.
Each athlete was categorized as a Super Champion (SC), Champion (C), or Almost (A) based on their achievements. These interviews aimed to identify key differences in how these athletes handled challenges, developed their skills, and responded to setbacks.
Phase 1: Mapping the Journey
The first step involved creating a visual timeline of each athlete’s career. This allowed researchers to capture the ups and downs each athlete experienced, from early successes to the pivotal moments that defined their journey.
Phase 2: Analyzing the Challenges
Next, the interviews delved deeper into the specific challenges faced by each athlete. This phase focused on the psychological obstacles they encountered, their reactions to setbacks, and the skills they used to bounce back.
Phase 3: Reflecting on “Traumatic” Experiences
Finally, the athletes reflected on what they considered “traumatic” experiences.
This included both sport-related challenges like injuries and personal struggles outside of their athletic lives.
Interestingly, the findings revealed that while facing adversity is common, it’s not necessarily the severity of these experiences that determines success. Instead, how athletes perceive and respond to challenges plays a more critical role.
What Sets the Super Champions Apart?
A Relentless Drive to Improve
Super Champions are known for their unwavering commitment to their sport.
Unlike some of their peers, they’re not just motivated by the love of the game—they’re driven by a desire to push their limits constantly. This intrinsic motivation is crucial for maintaining focus through tough training regimens and the inevitable disappointments of competition.
One SC described their drive this way: “I always felt that nobody could out-train me. Even though I was shy, I knew I was putting in more hours than anyone else.” This mindset wasn’t just about working hard; it was about a deep internal belief in their capacity for improvement.
Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones
Setbacks and injuries are part of every athlete’s journey, but Super Champions use these experiences as catalysts for growth. Rather than seeing a major injury as a career-ending event, they view it as an opportunity to come back stronger. This ability to reframe setbacks is a critical differentiator.
For example, one SC spoke about their recovery from a serious injury: “I never thought about giving up. There were tough days, but I focused on what I needed to do to get back. It changed me, made me mentally tougher.” This resilience is not just about enduring hardship—it’s about learning from it and using it to fuel future success.
Self-Reflection and Intrinsic Rewards
Super Champions often reflect deeply on their performances, analyzing every detail. This self-awareness helps them continually fine-tune their skills. It’s a practice that might feel familiar to those who journal about their emotional experiences in therapy, seeking to understand their patterns and find ways to grow.
One SC described it as an “inside commentator” always reviewing their game, replaying moments in their mind, and visualizing success. This kind of self-reflection isn’t about dwelling on mistakes; it’s about understanding what went well, what didn’t, and what to do next time.
Champions and Almosts: Where the Differences Lie
Champions: A Focus on External Validation
Champions share many traits with Super Champions, like their love for the sport and a strong work ethic.
However, they tend to rely more on external validation—ranking lists, scores, and comparisons with their peers. While this focus can drive them to succeed, it often leaves them less equipped to handle setbacks without external reassurance.
One Champion explained, “I was always checking my ranking and how I compared to others. If someone overtook me, I’d get frustrated.” This focus on external factors means that setbacks can hit harder, as they challenge the athlete’s sense of self-worth.
Almosts: Coasting Until the Challenge Hits
For the Almosts, the journey starts much like the others, filled with talent and early success.
But, when significant challenges arise, they often find themselves unprepared. Many describe feeling like they were on a “blessed” path—things came easily until they suddenly didn’t.
One Almost shared, “Everything seemed easy until that winter. Suddenly, I was lost, and the support I’d always had just disappeared.” This lack of preparation for setbacks highlights the importance of developing resilience early in the journey.
The Role of Support Systems: Coaches and Family Matter
Support systems play a crucial role in an athlete’s development, but how they interact with that support can vary widely between Super Champions, Champions, and Almosts.
Super Champions often describe a balance of encouragement without overbearing control. Their coaches and families offer guidance but allow them to take charge of their own journey, fostering self-reliance.
Champions might have a closer relationship with parents or coaches, sometimes feeling pressure to meet expectations. This can be motivating but also limiting if they don’t develop their own internal drive.
Almosts frequently describe a more directive style of support, with parents or coaches playing a dominant role. This can create dependency, making it harder for them to adapt when that support fades.
What Really Matters: It’s Not About the Trauma
Contrary to some theories, the study found no clear link between life trauma and athletic success.
While facing challenges is critical, it’s the athlete’s ability to cope and learn that makes the difference. This aligns with research on resilience, suggesting that it’s less about how much hardship you face and more about how you handle it.
For couples in therapy, the takeaway is clear: resilience comes from within.
The ability to adapt, learn, and grow in the face of challenges—whether in sports, relationships, or personal struggles—depends on the mindset we bring to those challenges.
Final Thoughts: Building a Path to Success, One Challenge at a Time
The road to becoming a Super Champion—or achieving any life goal—requires a blend of resilience, support, and a willingness to confront challenges head-on. It’s not about the number of setbacks or the intensity of those experiences, but how we respond to them.
In therapy, just like in sports, structured challenges can build the skills needed to thrive.
Whether you’re working through relationship struggles or aiming for a personal best, it’s the mindset of continuous growth and the support of those around you that pave the way to success.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
Collins D, MacNamara Á, McCarthy N. Super Champions, Champions, and Almosts: Important Differences and Commonalities on the Rocky Road. Front Psychol. 2016 Jan 11;6:2009. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02009. PMID: 26793141; PMCID: PMC4707280.