You will be what you think you can be and nothing more. The limits for your life are in your mind because what you thinks grows in your heart and then comes forth to direct your path.

Two years ago, Michael Phelps was poised to win more gold medals than any person in Olympic history. I read an interview with one of his competitors. “I am NOT swimming for gold. I am swimming for silver.” His name did not stick in my memory, but his words did. It had already settled in his heart that he could not beat Phelps and he was right. That competitor did NOT get gold.

Phelps was an incredible competitor, but not invincible. The swimmer was defeated by his thoughts. He was swimming for second place.

Twenty years before, again in the summer Olympics, America had no hope for a medal in diving. The great Greg Louganis had retired so what hope could we have? Mark Lenzi was an unknown in the diving community. He had only been diving for a few years after switching from wrestling – although his switch was motivated by the determination of Louganis in the 1984 Olympics.

Lenzi did not hear the reports about America’s lack of chance in diving or maybe his purpose was so settled in his heart that he chose not to listen. He prepared to win and he did win. He performed some of the most difficult dives that had been completed in competition up until that time. He scored higher than Louganis had scored. He was expecting gold and he got gold.

This mind set is not just about sports or the Olympics. The thoughts that I have for my life will determine the direction of my life. My expectations have been set to second place. The lack of motivation, desire or just determination to push a little harder drives my path. I have settled.

My current position does not dictate my future journey. At any point I can choose to make the changes necessary for a life that looks to gold. The quest for the goal has to be something that comes from deep inside and must be rooted in my heart to such an extent that the words of the world and the circumstances that come will never be able to uproot my focus. It has to be settled in my heart.

A gold winning attitude springs from good, positive and uplifting thoughts planted and cultivated over time. Write out one goal that you want to accomplish in statement form: I AM the winner of the Gold. Create action steps that will push you to that goal. Repeat your statement in the mirror every day. Visualize the goal as a reality for your life. When you can only see the goal as the reality and nothing else then you are ready for the harvest.

Success grows from thoughts put into action in order to breathe life into dreams.