---
title: "Super Champions and Almost Champions"
date: 2023-11-11
categories: ["Mindset"]
url: https://www.semiprocycling.com/digest/super-champions-and-almost-champions
author: Damian Ruse (SEMIPRO Cycling)
---
# Super Champions and Almost Champions

![](https://www.semiprocycling.com/digest/images/47509324d43ff8d58bac8ff6.webp)

![](https://www.semiprocycling.com/digest/images/0022f018485c101828854df6.webp)

[What's the difference between a super champion and an almost champion?](https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/8/3/138)

Exceptional athletes captivate us. Watching the best of the best in action is thrilling. While talent plays a role, emulating their habits can help us improve. However, there is another group worth considering: the almost-champions. These individuals once competed with the elite but now perform on smaller stages.

The difference between the super-champions and the almost-champions seems to be influenced by how they handle setbacks. Champions face adversity with unwavering determination, while the nearly-greats lose motivation and withdraw.In a study published in 'Frontiers in Psychology', researchers explored the traits that distinguish world-class athletes, known as 'super-champions', from their counterparts, called 'almost-champions'.

Super-champions excel in top-tier leagues and on the global stage, such as the Olympics. Almost-champions, although successful in their youth, find themselves in less prestigious adult leagues.

Super-champions have an almost obsessive passion for overcoming obstacles, viewing them as opportunities for growth and driven by an insatiable desire to succeed. In contrast, almost-champions attribute setbacks to external factors, succumb to pessimism, and lose their drive. Despite facing similar challenges, the athletes' personal histories and attitudes make a distinct difference.These findings emphasise the significant impact of personal stories on resilience. By examining these narratives, we can discover ways to cultivate unwavering dedication and a mindset of constant improvement that draws strength from adversity, both in ourselves and in others.

This study can also help guide us and our children to put us in a position where these success factors are possible. The playbook looks like this:

1. Follow your interests

2. Focus on self-improvement

3. Have supportive but not obsessive parenting

4. Seek empowering mentorship.

Super-champions excel by exploring diverse activities, while almost-champions struggle with aversion towards practice. Super-champions measure progress internally, while almost- champions focus on external benchmarks. Super-champions benefit from coaches who prioritise growth, while almost-champions face frequent coach changes. Adversity and failure contribute to persistent effort and success. These principles apply to various fields, not just sports.

For deeper understanding, read the full study here: [https://www.frontiersin.org/ar...](https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02009/full)

## On my mind: i+1 Learning

Ever chatted with someone who's a tad overconfident in their science knowledge? It can be a maze of half-truths and strong opinions, all precariously balanced!

Now, there's a friendly alternative that I recently learnt about called the i+1 learning method.

Here’s the lowdown on “i+1”:

Dreamt up by the linguist Stephen Krashen, it's a gentle way of learning that begins with language. Instead of drowning in grammar and vocab flashcards, you start with just one concept you understand well—that's your "i". Once you’ve got that down, you simply add one more tiny detail, your "+1".

It’s like learning a catchy tune on the piano—you don’t start with a Beethoven sonata, right? You learn it note by note.

So, let's apply the i+1 learning concept to cycling:

i+1 Cycling Learning Example:

**Bicycle Basics**
Get to know your bike's parts: frame, wheels, handlebars, seat, pedals.

**Pedaling Technique**
Learn to pedal smoothly on a flat surface.

**Gear Usage**
Understand how changing gears affects your ride.

**Cadence**
Practice keeping a steady pedaling speed.

**Drafting**
Try riding behind another cyclist to reduce wind resistance.

**Interval Training**
Introduce bursts of speed into your cycling routine.

By building knowledge step by step, you won't get overwhelmed and will gradually master cycling. This might be a pretty basic example, but I think it can help overcome the overwhelm we all feel when it comes to things like cycling science.   
  
So more than anything this is a reminder that it is very effective to take it slow to understand the basics and then build on each concept with the addition of a new, small piece of information (i+1), a cyclist can develop a comprehensive understanding of the sport without feeling overwhelmed. Each new concept is integrated into the existing knowledge base, ensuring a solid foundation is in place before moving on to more complex ideas.

Ridewell!

Damian