In your manifesto of excellence, what are the primary ingredients? Though this list is surely not exhaustive, prone for adaptation, and highly subjective, it’s a start. And it’s not cliche, which is why it’s worth a read.

1. Confidence – not the macho, hubris-infused kind. Not the kind that eludes all of you introspective complainers. The only confidence you actually need is a confidence in your ability to figure things out and get through it — whatever it may be.
2. Perseverance – you can’t develop confidence without being refined through all sorts of fires.
3. Awareness – it bequeaths humility and when applied to training, allows for proper recovery. In the heat of the battle, it helps, too, though in a different sense.
4. Desire – the difference between great athletes and legendary athletes is that the latter simply refused to be just great. Obsession, when channelled properly and neatly controlled by the application of the third trait, can be used for good. This trait also covers ‘hard work, dedication and discipline,’ — all important — because if you really want something, those traits will show up naturally.
5. Purpose – A caveat — you don’t need a great purpose to be successful, but 1) it helps, 2) it’s impossible to define and account for success without it, and 3) without acknowledging some level of foundation, what’s the point of success in the first place