Heart of a Champion by Bob Richards
Seven mindset lessons from one of the most underrated books on greatness
Few people have accomplished as much as legendary wrestler Dan Gable.
This Iowa native became a state wrestling champion… an NCAA champion… then an Olympic champion. Then he became a coach at the University of Iowa and trained 152 All-Americans, 45 NCAA champions, 10 Olympians, 4 Olympic Gold Medalists and led the college to 15 NCAA championships.
While entire volumes can be written on the high-performance habits of Dan Gable, one book that was instrumental throughout his career as a wrestler and then a coach was Heart of a Champion by Bob Richards.
According to Gable:
“Anytime I had an issue or problem in my training up to the Olympic Games, I would look to this book for a solution. I always found the answer within the pages of this book. I continued to use it through my collegiate, post-collegiate and coaching years – as a resource for answers and encouragement to stay at the top of my competition.”
Richards, a former Olympic record holder in pole vaulting, shares his lessons along with the incredible true stories of other Olympians. In essence, he gives us a peek into the mindset of champions. Even though he shares stories from the top 1% of athletes – these lessons transcend to any level of fitness – and even go beyond fitness.
In fact, there are a surprising number of examples from athletes who faced enormous physical and mental challenges who still rose to glory in their sports. In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated books on athletic greatness out there.
And while it was extremely difficult to narrow down a list of top takeaways, here are a handful of my favorite that may pique your interest and possibly inspire you to keep charging after your dreams and aspirations.
Enjoy,
Seven Mindset Lessons from Heart of a Champion
#1: Awaken Inspiration
Richards states to be great in sports requires a will to win and inspiration. But what if you aren’t inspired? What if you’re in a downward cycle of self-doubt and self-criticism? He offers a powerful lesson for awakening this indomitable resource.
“It’s when they see themselves not as they are but as they can become. It’s when they see themselves, not in terms of their weaknesses and shortcomings, their failures and inadequacies, but in terms of what they can be, when they begin to believe they can be what their vision tells them – that’s when they’re inspired. When they no longer see their weaknesses, but their greatnesses, by emphasizing their strengths they go on to do things they never dreamed of.”
#2: The Real Secret of Winning
This is one of my favorite lessons from Richards. It’s arguably the deepest kind of victory in athletics and it can be the deepest kind of victory in fitness as well.
“The essential thing in life is not conquering, but fighting well. This doesn’t mean you won’t conquer. It doesn’t mean you won’t find victory. It means that when you do your best, you find the deepest kind of conquering, the deepest kind of victory. Do your best no matter what, and you’ve found the real secret of winning.”
#3: Go On – No Matter What Happens
Whether it’s injuries… doubts… or setbacks this mental attitude is a difference maker. I’m hard-pressed to find someone who has accomplished great things in fitness without it. And while it’s cliché, it’s invaluable on your fitness journey.
“It’s that sort of thing that makes a champion in athletics. It’s that refusal to give up. It’s that resolve in the mind to go on, no matter what may happen. I’ve come to believe that it’s necessary in life. I don’t care what avenue of life you’re in, whether it’s selling, whether it’s business or religion or education – whatever it may be – you’ve got to have this mental attitude.”
#4: The True Story Behind Athletics
“It’s the story of young men and women who come along and say, “No matter what others say, I believe the record can be broken.” These young men and women, with faith and courage and vision in their hearts, daring to believe the impossible and training themselves to a peak of perfection, have broken every record in the books, and they will continue to break them. Why? It is a mental horizon, a mental vision, a mental attitude of faith that dares to go beyond what has already been accomplished.”
#5: The Greatest Things Are Yet to Be Done
It’s one thing to hold this belief for technology… innovation… and business – it’s another to hold it for your physical potential. This is another powerful piece of high-performance psychology.
“Frankly, it’s my personal conviction that the greatest things in this world have not yet been done…. I believe that the men and women who will accomplish them are the men and women who dare to believe the impossible. And with this faith and vision in their hearts they will go out to do it.”
#6: Cut Loose With Everything You’ve Got
One of the most incredible stories is of Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
After smashing five home runs at a baseball game she earned her legendary nickname “Babe”. But her accomplishments went well beyond baseball and she became an All-American in softball and basketball. She also excelled at swimming, tennis archery and horseback riding. Then she became a national champion in track in field. This led her to compete in the 1932 Olympics where she broke three world records, won a silver medal in high jump and two gold medals in the javelin and 80 meter hurdles.
What’s incredible about her story is her training did not consist of state-of-the-art equipment or facilities. She ran through backyards and hurdled shrubs. If that wasn’t impressive enough, when her track career was over she transitioned to golf where she became the first woman to compete in the PGA tour… broke even more records and won 14 tournaments in a row (a record that stands to this day).
“My main idea in any kind of competition always has been to go out there and cut loose with everything I’ve got. I’ve never been afraid to go up against anything. I’ve always had the confidence that I was capable of winning out.” – Babe Didrikson Zaharias
#7: A Reserve of Power
Richards described watching Czech distance runner, Emil Zatopek compete in Helsinki.
He saw him running around the track cringing in pain. He thought that there was no way he could keep going. It looked like he was going to collapse. But he kept going. Not only that, he increased his pace each lap, while his competitors fell behind. Richards was amazed by his performance. After Zapotek won, Richards approached him and asked about his training.
Zatopek told him:
“I’ve learned that if I can just get beyond fatigue, there is a reserve of power that I never dreamed I had, and then I go on to run my best races.”
Final Thoughts:
While many authors and speakers share incredible true stories of athletic greatness – there’s something even more powerful when it comes from someone who has walked the same path. It’s hard not to be moved by Richard’s enthusiasm and passion for athleticism and fighting the good fight in life.
There’s a reason the great Dan Gable has continually revisited this book.
“He took home not only the silver medal, but something infinitely greater: he took home character, he took home courage, he took home a winning personality. I don’t think you really win until you live up to that high thing within you that says, “Do your best, no matter what.”
– Bob Richards
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