WINNERS KEEP WINNING
Winning championships season after season is a matter of mind. The body controls the motorcycle, but the mind controls the winning. Believing in yourself is a great asset. Genuine confidence, created by hard work and past results, fuels the discipline needed for consistent, winning performance.
In 1979 I said that I saw no reason why a rider couldn’t win eight of 12 world trials in any given year. It was in 1980 that my record shows six world wins with two DNFs that year. Toni Bou has proven over and over again, what is possible. His ability, attitude and preparation feed his confidence, which has resulted in consistent results for over a decade. Confidence and winning offer a double-plus factor. It can boost your spirits while demoralising your competition. A competitor who thinks he can’t win usually won’t.
Motivation is the initiative for starting a task. It includes a person’s reasons and desires for engaging in a particular behaviour to achieve a goal. Dedication goes beyond a mere desire, though — if you think about it, anyone can be motivated to do something.
Toni Bou has total dedication to practising and improving his performance. Winning streaks eventually end because winners can get over-confident, slipping into arrogance or complacency, or because the competition gets better. But champions can build on a positive spirit, disciplined focus and respect, lots of practice on the details, and lasting support systems that can make success more likely. Behind every highperformance athlete is a team support system; a cadre of coaches, friends and fans that fuel motivation. Winning enlarges the circle of support.
In 1980 and 1982, I changed manufacturers, and that had a major effect on my confidence at first. Staying motivated when changing from one manufacturer to another is a very difficult task due to many uncertainties.
My father taught me not to be afraid of failure by not helping me up when I fell! I thank him for his guidance to dust off, rise again and continue moving ahead. The mountain usually isn’t so tall, once you check it out.
Eliminating the unknown can really increase your confidence. Being a champion is not about talent, resources, connections, wealth or luck, it’s about resourcefulness and work ethic, doing whatever it takes to achieve the goal. Period. Champions don’t just do a job, they excel at it, reinvent it, define it and exceed expectations. They own their craft, they own their potential, they own their game, and their performance. Take it one section at a time. That advice is easy to give, but not always easy to follow!
Keep safe and well – Bernie Schreiber.