The Champion's Choice: Finding Clarity in the 7 Cups of Self-Doubt

We all have limits, but it's whether you listen to them that determines whether or not you’re acting as your own champion. 

Many blogs will state that a champion is someone who pushes through to be the best, but in a world that puts so many demands on us, the decision to burn a candle from both ends doesn’t serve us in the long run. 

As noted above, acting as your own champion is all about recognising your capabilities, but it’s also about practising self-love. Without self-love, you run the risk of overload burnout, which, according to WebMD, occurs “...when you work harder and harder, becoming frantic in your pursuit of success.” 

Continuing, WebMD acknowledges that burnout from overload often coincides with an individual’s willingness to risk both their personal health and home life to be successful. In simple terms, this just isn’t good.

Championing yourself means believing in yourself and recognising your hard work and efforts. So, if you’re constantly judging yourself or being critical of your work or ideas, then you’re not doing yourself any favours. 

If anything, you’re making it more difficult to believe in yourself, which is just the opposite of what you should be doing if you want to be your own champion.

Think of any champion in sports. Chances are, they didn’t become a champion by themselves. Instead, they relied on others' business acumen, support, resources, and industry knowledge. They may have been the ones to push themselves to keep striving for success, but they didn’t achieve it on their own. 

This same concept applies to acting as your own champion. You have to know when to ask for help, and even more importantly, learn to accept it. Remember, no one is an island. However, if you’re operating as if you are, it’s going to make accomplishing your goals all the more difficult. 

Setbacks Hold You Back From Pushing Forward

Ask any successful football player, artist, or wrestler if they had an easy time getting to where they are currently, and you’ll likely be told no. 

However, if you ask whether or not those defeats and setbacks stopped them from pursuing their dreams, the answer will also be no. That’s because individuals with a champion mindset don’t just hope for the best in every scenario; they maintain a positive attitude when things don't go their way. 

Remember, setbacks are a normal part of life and any pursuit. You will experience them; however, it’s how you respond to them that makes the difference. If setbacks make you question what you’re doing or trigger feelings of self-doubt, you’re letting the fear of failure put an indefinite hold on your dreams.

Regardless of how small, you should always celebrate your wins. For starters, celebrating your wins gives you the motivation you need to carry on. However, it is also just as important to do. 

As the entry below will touch on, there’s no magic formula for success or even a true definition of it. What is considered a big win or meaningful to you may not be to someone else, and that’s okay! 

Take the time to recognise that your hard work and efforts have paid off and have got you to this point. Not doing so means you’re not acting as your own champion, because champions celebrate their accomplishments because they know that each one brings them one step closer to their goal.

Sometimes a champion attitude lets you go to the top of the mountain. And sometimes it doesn’t. However, that doesn’t mean you failed. In fact, quite the opposite! 

One of the biggest signs that you’re not acting as your own champion is having only one idea or definition of success. However, if you worked hard and persevered in the face of adversity, you were still successful. 

Success for me today was creating the above card for my deck with the help of good old AI. I often do tarot journeys, and today I am on the 7 of cups. I chose my health and trusted that I know my needs best. I also wrote this blog, which is a big deal in my life.

Remember, success isn’t a mile marker. It isn’t always accomplished with an end goal, but rather by the conscious decision to see your dream through, regardless of whether it worked out or even brought you happiness in the end. Sometimes you pursue something only to realise it’s not for you. 

A true champion mindset is the result of wanting something and not giving up when it would have been easier to do so, regardless of whether it worked out. If you relate to any of these, don’t worry - there is a way to overcome it! You can start by recognising that you are enough and that your skills, talents, and ideas can change your life in many positive ways. You just take small steps from there. The first is signing up for my newsletter, to receive a variety of helpful tools to support you on your journey