Mind, body and soul - what makes a champion?

Obviously this is a complex subject, laden with minefields, but it certainly would appear that 'raw talent' as we normally define it, is not crucial for success.

So what is it that differentiates the champions from the rest of the pack? I believe that it is primarily due to their mindset. And here is why.

Various studies show that the great achievers often create dreams or visions of exactly what they want to do and how they are actually going to do it. Of course, the role of dreams and mental imagery is legendary for those in the creative arts and sciences.

But if it works in the arts and sciences, could mental imagery possibly be of any value for enhancing an athlete's performance? Can you, for example, imagine athletes lying about on couches mentally rehearsing every move of their event?

Now that seems a bit crazy, just thinking about an event, could make athletes better at it? Yet, in one recent study, 99 per cent of Canadian Olympians reported that they used mental imagery as a preparation strategy – they actually visualised their winning performance, step by step. Some for as many as two and three hours at a time.

And, to add to the mystery, new research from Manchester University shows that physical strength can be enhanced by just thinking about an exercise.

What does all this tell us? Great achievers have a vision that they will succeed and sometimes they even see the steps leading to their success. So, in my opinion, what makes a champion, and I mean a champion in the broadest sense, is a champion mindset.

A champion mindset! The world is viewed in its totality through this mindset.

And, if you have done something great in one field, you are far more able to do it in another. Your champion mindset is the transferable commodity and not the skill itself.

Take Edwin Flack, after his double gold Olympic win in 1896, he went on to lead a firm which ultimately became Price Waterhouse Australia and New Zealand.

Take Roger Bannister, after breaking the 4-minute mile, went on to become a renowned clinical neurologist.

It is our mindsets that ultimately limit our expectations of ourselves and which circumscribe our boundaries. It is our mindsets that determine whether or not we have the courage to challenge others and to expand our horizons.