Being Positive not only in sport but life in general is so important, here is an article I particularly like. Some “Food for Thought”.

Always Think Positive Thoughts - by Shelley Taylor Smith (Former Long Distance Swimmer and Holder of 7 World Titles)

Things turn out best for those people
who can make the best out of the way things turn out.
It’s not the situation, it’s your response to the situation.
The reality in your life may result from many outside factors,
none of which you can control, or can you?

Your attitude, however,
reflects the ways in which you deal with what is happening to you.
Life at any time can become difficult.
Life at any time can become easy.
It all depends on how you adjust yourself to life.

You cannot always control your circumstances.
But, you can control your own thoughts.
There is nothing, neither good nor bad,
only your thinking makes it so.

To never stop learning has always been a familiar concept for the Japanese, and learning over a long period of time became an integral part of lifestyle. Continuous Education is a concept that has become very popular throughout the Western world in more recent times.

The code of the Samurai required that warriors also became highly trained, not only in fighting but skilled in Literature, including Poetry and other Fine Arts. The Samurai continued honing their physical and mental combat skills as their lives depended on it. The theory to never stop learning was of utmost importance.

There are stories of some very famous Samurai who had become undefeatable in battle through years of training and then continued this effort to never stop learning throughout their entire lives in order to fulfill their lifelong goals.

Self Improvement is highly popular and it is now very common for people throughout the World to continue the trait to never stop learning and to continue developing throughout life.

I love this Definition of a Warrior by Heraclitus in 500 BC -

Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there,

Eighty are just targets,

Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them,

for they make the battle.

Ah, but the one,

One is a Warrior,

And he will bring the others back.