5 Pieces of Advice from A National Champion!
You will only be as great as the people you surround yourself with
Welcome to the LiveFree Blog an inspirational asset you can benefit from today. The quote above says it all. You must surround yourself with smarter, more motivated, and like minded individuals to always push yourself in the right direction. Long time friend, National Champion, Eagle Scout, Motivational Speaker, health and wellness promoter, track athlete Brent Vogel!
The full interview is available upon request, but i wanted to keep this post somewhat reasonable for people to read so I have taken the key points from the interview and here they are for your viewing pleasure. (If you want the summary scroll to the bottom). Check out the bolded items for key points.
Brent, Please give us a little background information about yourself, who you are, your accomplishments, what you are doing right now, and most importantly your goals.
- My name is Brent Vogel. Age 23. Born and raised in Jefferson City, MO. I attended Helias High School where I played football and Track. I attended the University of Central Missouri where I had an illustrious track career and received my B.S. in Biology (Pre-Chiropractic) with a minor in Chemistry and a minor in Fitness/Wellness. I still reside in Warrensburg, MO to train with my coach and pursue a post-collegiate track career. I work from home and lead teams internationally; promoting healthy lifestyles and providing the public and athletes access to the #1 rated nutritional products for optimal living and athletic performance. I love to “life coach” my team as well. Personal development and inspirational speaking is a passion of mine. I am also a track and field personal trainer. I currently work one on one with high school athletes and I plan to host camps.
- I have many accomplishments I am proud of. First and foremost I am an Eagle Scout. Boy Scouts taught me early on the keys to successful and healthy living and I owe much of who I am to this organization. I have no prestigious athletic titles from high school.
- I was not recruited by any school for any sport so I walked on to DII Track and Field and made a dream come true. In Division II I won two National Championships; once in the Decathlon and once in the Heptathlon. I finished with 8 All-American titles; 6 from the multi events and 2 from the 4x400m relay. I held the Heptathlon DII National Record. I also won multiple MIAA conference championships; including the Decathlon, Heptathlon, 4x400m relay, and 600y run.
- My goals have changed year to year. This is a sign of great development. Currently I have three major goals. First goal is self-improvement. This includes consistent self-education, leadership development, and improving personal relationships. Second goal is to be the top Decathlete in the U.S. and the world. I aspire to compete for team USA on the international stage with the Olympic stage and medals being the ultimate goal. My third goal is to run a successful thriving business which grows to helping as many people across the world as possible. This business goal also includes me gaining the freedom to spend time with my family and volunteer my time back to the community.
In my experience, people who are destined for greatness have an enormous amount of belief, either in themselves, or in their faith. Where does your belief come from?
- This is correct. Those who are destined for greatness do in fact have an enormous amount of belief. It is literally a cornerstone of the foundation one must build for his or her self. So I will elaborate on the subject. Using athletes for example, in my experience it has been easy to notice that the greatest players have an enormous belief in their destiny for greatness. This belief in their destiny is typically pulled from one of two sources; a higher being, or themselves.
- Those who pull this belief from God tend to offer up their thanks and honor him publicly each time they reach a goal, for He has given them the strength and everything it takes to succeed. In this athlete’s mind there is no other option but success because it is God’s will.
- Those who pull this belief from themselves tend to come off conceited, for they know within themselves that they are the greatest and there is no other way. Even if they are not statistically the greatest athlete in their field, they know it within themselves with unwavering belief that they are. This simply allows them to go confidently on their path to success.
1.) Building on that, You and I always talk about our big “Why,” what is yours, and help us understand why it is important to determine your personal “Why.”
Logan, you and I do speak a lot about our “Why.” Most of the great leaders know it as an essential component to a successful lifestyle and business model.
- A “Why” is a reason behind the project. It’s a purpose behind the task. It is what gets us to do things necessary in order to reach the goal. I like to think of my “Why” as my fuel that gets me up in the day and keeps me going even when the times get rough and everything is telling me to just give up. Everyone’s “Why” is different but they are all passionate. It is important to determine your personal “Why” because it can be your tool used to tie your emotions to the goal. So when the “How” to do something looks difficult, all it will take is one quick look at your “Why” in order to get you into action.
- A great man once said that once your “Why” becomes big enough, the “How” becomes insignificant. Before establishing you “Why”, the road to get somewhere may look daunting. The work involved may seem insurmountable; but with a strong and powerful “Why” established, the long and rough road vanishes away. The daily tasks required to reach the end goal, no matter how far away the goal may be, are completed effortlessly and without question.
And in closing, please elaborate on my favorite quote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”
- This quote is a swift reminder that greatness is not uncontrolled. Greatness and success are achieved through consistent preparation. Then when the right opportunity arises, it doesn’t slip away. Instead, the moment is able to be captured and in turn an incredible path unfolds.
- So I challenge you. The next time you watch a sports star make a magnificent play, an actor play a big part in a film, or a millionaire mogul speak of his company, do not brush their success off as some type of mythical power or insane luck. Think logically and know they did everything in their power to study, practice, and prepare for that incredible opportunity which landed them where they are today.
Brent’s National Champion Advice in Summary:
- Start taking responsibility for everything in your life. This means absolutely every situation and every emotional habit. Once you can do this, you can stop blaming your circumstances and truly change and redirect your life to match your wildest dreams.
- Have UNWAVERING belief in yourself. Build the amount of confidence that leaves you no choice but to stand ten feet tall.
- Ask yourself what you desire to be, then be and do what that role would entail right now! I.e. be it and live it long before you have the physical title. E.g. I am a professional Decathlete and the CEO of my own business.
- Ask yourself what you desire from the world, and then give it first.
- Stop thinking you have to be perfect! The easiest way to fail is to expect that you will do every task and every step with absolutely no faults. Don’t lie to yourself! The greatest minds know that it won’t be easy. So when you miss a step or don’t complete a daily task, don’t give up and think, “Well I failed. I can’t do this.” Just pick up the pieces and promise yourself you will try better next time. I guarantee that you will impress yourself with how far you go if you follow this rule.
There you have it, your thoughts can become your reality. Really elaborate on Brent’s advice and apply it to your life. We would love to hear your feedback.
Thanks Brent for Sharing your message with us! Reach out to The National Champion at brent.michael.vogel@gmail.com
As Always,
LiveFree!
LiveFreeman 