Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.

True winners in life and sports understand that they can only control certain things. They take responsibility for those things and as a result gain ground in every other area of life.

Key Points:

  • True winners in life and sports understand that they can only control certain things. They take responsibility for those things and as a result gain ground in every other area of life. The victim mentality loses ground.
  • Victors gain ground by taking personal ownership of the controllables. As an athlete, there are certain things you can control and certain things you can’t control. In order to excel as an athlete, you need to understand this principle.
  • There are probably more things in life that you can’t control than those you can control. The key is to identify the things you can control and you can take ownership over.
  • Once you begin to take ownership, you gain ground. You begin taking control of more things. Your list of controllables becomes larger.
  • Victims are just the opposite. They say that they can’t control anything. They don’t take any ownership. Their controllable begin to shrink and they lose ground.
  • Think about this in your own life. What can you control? Once you figure that out you need to start taking ownership for those controllables. Don’t become a victim who can’t control anything in their life.

Quote This:

Long-term, we must begin to build our internal strengths. It isn’t just skills like computer technology. It’s the old-fashioned basics of self-reliance, self-motivation, self-reinforcement, self-discipline, self-command. -Steven Pressfield

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What things can you control? Why?
  3. What things can you not control? Why?
  4. Have you ever met someone who acts like a victim all the time? Describe what they were like.
  5. What are some practical ways you can take ownership of the “controllable” factors in your life?
  6. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.