Steve Backley, The Champion in all of Us: 12 Rules for Success

"It is action that creates motivation."

"You have to create your self-belief by going to your core to find the probable reasons for the negativity in you, and then demolish them."

"Look for solutions, instead of being difficult; be more thoughtful, instead of allowing anger to burn you out. Look at things from a different perspective, embrace change, look out for opportunities and you will feel much more in control."

"Nothing could be any worse than having to turn to your friends, your colleagues and your loved ones and say –‘I gave up too soon’."

"Athletes who are able to stay completely focused in pursuit of their dreams are the ones that are most likely to become champions."

"When you think a positive thought, you become positive."

"To deliver your own personal maximum, you’ll realise there are no shortcuts; if you want to be a champion it is all about rolling your sleeves up and getting stuck in."

"Success is a decision, not a gift."

"If not you, who?"

"The challenge for you is to decide not what is important, but what is most important and then focus your attention on that."

"The sprint is like life ... blink and you miss it."

"It is true to say that the secret of a winning formula is the ability to accept that there is a vast area of unexploited potential beyond what you currently perceive to be your maximum."

"If you want to continue to be the best in the world, then you have to train and compete like you are second best in the world."

"For many, lack of achievement is more a consequence of fear of taking a chance and getting uncomfortable."

"Share your aspirations only with those who will support you, not those who will respond with doubt or lack of interest."

"The first step is the most important. It is the most crucial and the most effective as it will initiate the direction you have chosen."

"There are three types of people in this world. Firstly, there are people who make things happen. Then there are people who watch things happen. Lastly, there are people who ask, what happened? Which do you want to be?"

"Tell me your thinking, and I’ll tell you what your life looks like."

"If not now, when?"

"Every time a champion makes a decision they have a chance to learn something new, regardless of the outcome."