Coach Leo Frincu with his star pupil, UFC women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey
Coach Leo Frincu with one of his star pupils, UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey
There are three categories of athletes.

  1. There are 70% who want to stay but need to go.
  2. There are 25% who want to go but need to stay.
  3. And the 2% who want to go but also know when they should stay.

Oxygen is what fuels us. Our heart is our engine and our mind is our navigation system. Our body always knows better what we need, while our corrupt heads often steer us in the wrong direction.

It is not our heart that tells us we’re not good enough. It is our minds. It’s not our intellect that gives us confidence. It is our gut. Our bodies power our actions, which are initiated by our minds.

In athleticism, the only reason athletes are training is to perform a skill under pressure. Pressure is what shapes the human character, and without our knowledge, brings the subconscious to our conscious. Under pressure everything comes out, the good, the bad, and the ugly. That is when you need someone with an objective eye to help you see what you can’t see.

Your body is constantly trying to communicate with you. Every second and every minute you’re being bombarded with feedback about the human condition. The reason you’re missing all this information is because you are not looking for it.

That is when it’s vital for your mind to be on the same page with your body. The reason most athletes struggle with their performance is because there is a disconnect between the mind and the body.

Often times, in training and in competition, athletes’ bodies and energy are screaming for a break when the circumstances are forcing them to keep going. This is the bad part of being disconnected from your energy source. There is a bad part and a worse part of being disconnected from your core power. The bad part is when you are in good shape but you make really bad decisions. The worse part is when you are running out of breath and making bad decisions at the same time.

The reason this goes unnoticed is because it is happening at a subconscious level. We’re just not aware of it.

When athletes are struggling to catch their breath they claim, and believe that they are just out of shape. Problem solved, or better-said “problem covered”. You must trust that there is more than what your eye can see. You can’t be doing the same thing, or more of the same thing, and expect different results. There is another way you can go about accomplishing your goals. It is so simple and yet so hard to achieve. It is so clear and yet so complicated.

However, there are a very small percentage of athletes who want to go but also know when they should stay.

And, of course, YOU are a part of this small percentage.

There are a very few athletes who are winning in every aspect of their life. These are the real winners, the ones who are in great shape and self-aware. These are the ones who think in advance and respond timely. Winners breathe for a reason and with a purpose.

Performing is living at your highest level. Competing at your highest potential is trusting your core values to support your character in the pursuit of your ideals. Winners dig deep where losers stay at the surface.

Athleticism is professionalism where professionalism is individualism.

In order to reach your highest potential you must first find out who you truly are. You must own this level in order to take it to the next level. You first need to find yourself before you can become your best self.

Good luck.

leo frincu photosLeo Frincu came to the United States from Communist Romania with $10, a backpack and four words of English. Now, he’s a businessman, renowned trainer and mentor for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Among his many athletic accomplishments, Leo is a six-time Romanian wrestling champion, four-time European champion and was also trainer and coach for the 2003 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. Leo is the author of the book “Choosing Freedom”, which details the steps he took to leave the oppressive Romanian society through wrestling and how his experiences have helped him in the United States – going from a bus boy to successful entrepreneur. You can learn more about Leo Frincu on his website www.LeoFrincu.com. Also, follow Leo on Twitter @leofrincu and “LIKE” his page on Facebook.

Be sure to check out Leo’s book: High Performance Mentality

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