I'm a champion

About 5 months ago I was flown from Los Angeles to Miami to participate in a reality show for athletes. I was put in a hotel room for 14 days without being able to see anyone due to COVID-19. Meditation, painting, sculpting were some forms of entertainment I practiced, aside from working out and adopting a Champion's mind; I mind I wasn't looking for nor expecting to achieve. After 14 days of absolute isolation, I received a call from the network telling I had been cast. I was officially part of a brand-new TV show for athletes, the Ninja Warrior meets The Challenge kind of show.

During my entire life I've encountered a lot of challenging situations. Personal and physical. However, this was something I'd never felt before. 20 cast members, 2 teams of 10 athletes each. One team blue and the other team orange. What a thriller. 20 competitors competed every day to win money and save themselves from elimination. Five days a week, 2 hour show and five games every single day, all athletic and mental challenges.

Week 7, 8, 9,... 10. Christmas' break all alone in a hotel room. Weeks 12, 13 then New Years' break all alone again. Finally, I made it to the semi-finals after being up for elimination five times. Give me a break, I'm exhausted! I cannot win, I cannot do this!...but “Oh, Yes You Can”.... a voice said.

Out of 10 competitors my team is down to only 4, the last four, I'm tired, I can't do this, I cannot do this anymore, I can't even sleep. I can give my place to the Brazilian guy who left before me, and he can play in the finals with you guys, I don't have the guts.” But then a voice said: “Yes you can”. “Yes I can, yes I can, yes I can” was all I started to repeat every day. “I can do this, I want to do this. I am capable of achieving whatever is on my mind. I'm a champion. I'm a champion. I'm a champion”. The more tired I felt, the weaker I felt, the more I repeated these words and my game started to change.

In the mind of every person lives a craving for success, for having control over your emotions, your desires and, ultimately, be able to manifest whatever you want. And me having to go through this athletic competition put me face to face with my biggest fear, the fear of the competition, of the rival who even happens to be my friend. Why do I get so nervous, why so weak, so powerless in a way? It was my mind playing games with me, because after seeing my other 3 teammates think like warriors, behave like champions, use quotes from books, audio tracks, videos talking about personal development, growth, discovery and achievement, then that is what I became. And after 5 months of pure adrenaline and self discovery, we won the show. Me and my other 3 teammates ended up winning the entire season, despite all my fears and mental blocks.

This 2021 I want to encourage EVERYONE to say “Yes I can” whenever you feel like you can't. Say it like a mantra for hours and don't stop. “I'm a champion, I'm a champion, I'm a champion”, are the first worst that need to come out of your mouth the moment you open your eyes.

I think Gold, I don't settle for silver. I accept the challenge, the physical challenge, the mental challenge. I believe in myself so much more than I did yesterday. I am so much stronger than I was yesterday. I am so much more confident than I was yesterday. I am so present, so alive, so perfectly connected with myself and my desires and passions and things I know I can accomplish. I am so happy. I am good, I am good, I am good. I feel good, I feel good, I feel good. I am a champion and I'm going to defeat my opponent EVERY SINGLE TIME. I have the tools to defeat my opponent ever single time. Because I am a champion and I can achieve ANYTHING that is on my mind”

Those are my resolutions for this year, and of course, for the rest of my life. Welcome, 2021. You are a champion too.