No pain, no gain

Anything that means anything to you will demand that you sacrifice something to accomplish it, be it your time, your friends, your money. Bodybuilders know that to build your muscles demands performing an action against a resistance and that resistance has to be sufficient enough to fatigue you. As the muscles are pushed they begin to rapture and the healing process adds more muscle. No pain, no gain

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross - Hebrews 12:2

Your victory is at the end of that pain, that sacrifice, Jesus endured pain, he endured the cross for the Joy that was beyond that cross. I recently heard a quote that just stood out "Champions are made when no-one is looking, history is made when everyone is watching." That training period, that sacrifice is unseen to many, but the rewards can be great. When David slew the lion and the bear no-one was watching, but when he slew Goliath in front the Army he was celebrated and promoted. To David he had done this before in his back yard and it was not a big deal.

David said moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and the paw the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine 1 Samuel 17:37

Genesis records the account of  Jacob wrestling  an angel, he wrestled till it was daybreak, when the angel could not prevail he dislocated Jacobs hip, but Jacob did not let go, (he was tenacious and focused), he demanded a blessing and he got an upgrade from a Jacob (supplanter, deceiver) to an Israel (one who wrestles with God, Prince of God). Jacob still came out of the fight with a limp caused by the dislocation.

Sometimes the price for that victory is the pain that lingers on, lost friendships, alienation, etc. Jacob wrestled for the blessing (victory), "No pain, no gain."

Michael Jackson sacrificed his childhood for his excellence in his music and dance, the pain lingered for the loss of his childhood and this was demonstrated by his continuous association with children. Nothing worth accomplishing can be done without sacrifice.

... let us throw off every thing that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us Hebrews 12:2

The legacy that you choose to leave, identify it, pursue it, fight for it, sacrifice for it.
 "

All human actions have one or more of these causes, chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, desire." - Aristotle

BE THAT CHAMPION!!!