There is an energy, a frequency of vibration, an essence of character and personality found in people, an inherent quality in the way a person thinks, acts, experiences and feels about who he is and what he does in demonstrating a champion’s mindset.

Like potential, the possibilities are there for anyone to exhibit the traits of a champion. I wasn’t born with a champion’s mindset, but my early life, situations, circumstance and experiences came together at various time to create the foundation for me to gravitate toward that mindset.

Mother’s death and friend’s rejection were contributing factors in creating a champion’s mindset.

There were two major experiences when I was 8 years old which contributed to the formation of a champion’s mindset. The first experience was the death of my mother. My mother’s death was a very traumatic experience, but not in the usual emotions of a traumatic loss of love. Of course I was sad, but that emotion soon turned into anger. I became a loner, withdrawn, quiet, serious, angry and aggressive.



Instead of developing the proverbial “chip” on my shoulders, I created full grown trees. Anger and aggression were attitude sought after in sports like boxing and football so, I gravitated to these sports early in life. I was blessed in having coaches who taught me through expressing kindness, understanding and patience. If you are blessed with great teachers and coaches early in life they can and will create a strong foundation of trust, faith and belief in your abilities, skills and talents. Continuous, consistent, conscious awareness through focused attention will create miraculous results in whatever you desire to achieve.

My mother’s death created a major shift in my thought process that I was not consciously aware of at that time. It planted a seed, like a grain of sand inside an oyster which served to irritate and interrupt my state of being and drove me to be my best. The goal was never to be better than my opponent, but in being my best. Within the next 10 years this dive to excellence solidified itself into a pearl, in the form of a champion’s mindset. All decisions produce results, outcomes and consequences, so be careful what you choose.

The second incident, at 8 years old, feeling crushed by the rejection of childhood “friends”. The incident occurred one day as I was looking out my bedroom window watching them playing basketball. I quickly ran across the street, running back and forth as they played, asking to join them. They kept telling me I couldn’t play with them by telling me I was too young, not tall enough, not big, strong or fast enough. The next reason they gave shocked me when they said, I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t believe it. Was he a psychic or psychotic? I choose not to accept their final remark that I wasn’t good enough. As part of my martial arts training I was told, whenever confronted with a crisis, or trauma we react in three ways, we fight, run, or hide.

I found myself running home to my father and asked if he remembered a list of the gifts I wanted for Christmas. Without waiting for a reply I told him that I didn’t want all those gifts, I only wanted a basketball. As I was saying this, a part of my mind was said, “shut-up dummy take it all.” But I knew instinctively, all I needed was a basketball. Christmas morning while all my siblings were opening 4 or 5 gifts each, I reached over, picked up this round object covered with red, green, and white Christmas wrapping, held it close to my ear and shook it, as if I was trying to figure out what was inside. My father thought I was crazy. I tore the wrapping off, ran across the street to the basketball court and immediately began this new passion I felt inside, called being my best, not doing my best but being my best. To fully appreciate the distinction between doing and being and you will improve your skills instantly.

In a relatively short time, I was selected to the EMCA All-star Basketball Team. I had created a champion’s mindset at 14 years of age. From that point on in my life it was natural, effortless and abundance for me to express myself this way each and every time. From that point on in my life abundance represented trophies, awards, medals, certificates, recognition, fame, honor, respect, and admiration. Expressing gratitude, and appreciation for these blessings it only created more of the same forms of abundance.

Don’t take my word for it, do it yourself and receive the benefits I speak of.

https://www.mikestonemartialarts.com/online-course

https://courses.martialartsuniversities.com/courses/mastering-the-technical-mindset

https://vimeo.com/132486388 = Interview