By Marc Beauchamp
Bankcard Life
I've been sharing with you over these last few months what I feel are 10 distinctions that separate average producers from exceptional producers. Being a former Marine, I love the idea of living my life as a warrior. This means living a life that fosters love and compassion, delivers value to others, and is not consumed by the need for constant comfort or finding the easier path. This brings to mind the Roman proverb: It's better to live one day as a lion than a thousand as a lamb.
Every great civilization has fostered a warrior way of life and warrior legends. The Old Testament recounts the stories of a warrior people and a warrior God. In the ancient Mediterranean, the Spartans probably had the most legendary warrior tradition. From birth, Spartan society cultivated and trained their boys to become warriors, and that arduous training created men like Leonidas and his 300 soldiers that fought to the death. Japan had their courageous samurai warriors whose undaunted bravery came from living life as if they were already dead.
Today the warrior prototype is personified by those who serve in the military and is respected by people in all walks of life. The warrior prototype is also depicted in a positive light by media and in popular culture. General Maximus from Gladiator, William Wallace from Braveheart and King Leonidas from 300, all exemplify the classic warrior ideal.
My Marine Corps experience and involvement in Wake up Warrior keeps this concept fresh in my daily life. Each day, I strive to embrace the idea of being a warrior, not on the battlefield, but in my life and for my family. I fight for them every day. It is what drives me, and I bet it's what drives you.
Rest assured, when you hit the door in the morning, you're going out in the marketplace to do battle, but the enemy is not the competition. It's you. The most difficult battle to fight is the one that centers in your mind. Adopting a warrior mindset will help you overcome this challenge. This is the mindset that builds the resilience you need to handle any situation you encounter.
I remember when I first got off the bus for Marine Corps boot camp. The last thing on my mind was that I wanted to be a warrior. I was just looking to survive the first few days. But as time went on, they stripped me down physically, mentally and emotionally—and rebuilt my mindset. My belief in what was possible for myself and my fellow Marines was transformed: we had become brothers.
Extraordinary achievers embrace the fact that they are living the life of a warrior. They embrace the warrior energy that comes with the declaration: I am a warrior! Fighting itself is not bad; the question is simply: What are you fighting for? The warrior's energy is needed not only in times of war, but also on all the battlefields of life.
So, when I see elite performers, they exemplify the characteristics of warriors.
You can define what a warrior or even bankcard warrior means to you, but for me, such a warrior is:
Properly tapping into your warrior's energy provides an unsure passable power source that will fuel you to reach your targets, provide for your family, fight for worthy causes, achieve greatness and leave a lasting legacy. 
Marc Beauchamp is author of Survive and Thrive in the Merchant Services Industry and founder of Bankcard Life, a community for payments professionals. He is offering a free copy of his book to all payments professionals at www.bankcardlife.com/greensheet. Marc welcomes your comments and feedback at marcb@surviveandthrive.biz.
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
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