Do you know the difference between a Champion and a Hero, is there any?

Webster’s defines a Champion as a person who has defeated all opponents in a competition or series of competitions, so as to hold first place. You can also Champion a cause or support someone else’s efforts.

They define a Hero as a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities. A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal. Can someone be both?  Absolutely!

Now I realize we all have heroes in our life; parents, spouses, friends, etc. but how many times have you had the chance to be a Champion and passed it up.  Too many times in our professional or personal lives for that matter, either we are given the opportunity to take a chance and reach beyond the reachable or we are called upon to support or lift up a colleague and in both cases we just plain look the other way.  Why?  Too much trouble?  Jealousy?  Fear?

Being given the opportunity to be a Champion whether it’s for yourself or for others should be embraced.  The world as we know it is constantly changing and we as active members of the human race need to change with it or we will most assuredly die.  What are you afraid of? Whether it’s your inner competitive heart that drives you every day to reach new goals or whether it’s your compassionate heart that every day takes time out to support and encourage someone else.  Marriage, friendships, you career;  Do something that takes you outside of your comfort zone and look for opportunities to champion someone else’s efforts.

Who knows you might even become that someone’s hero too.