What Sets High Performers Apart — 10 Traits I See Over and Over Again
Written by Conquer Athlete Coach Jason Leydon, CSCS
In my 20+ years of coaching, I’ve worked with some of the most elite individuals across sport and life—CrossFit Games athletes, military special operations, professional athletes, and high-level business performers. I’ve also worked with everyday people who operate at an extremely high standard, and you start to notice something after a while:
High performers move differently—not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and behaviorally.
It’s not about talent. Not genetics. Not even just work ethic. It’s about character. The traits that are ingrained deep in their DNA—traits that show up when it’s hard, when no one is watching, and when the stakes are high.
Here are the 10 character traits I see time and time again in high performers. If you want to operate at the next level, this is where the work begins.
1. Relentless Self-Discipline
Discipline is the foundation. Period.
High performers don’t just do what’s required when they feel good—they do it when they’re tired, stressed, unmotivated, and doubting themselves. They have trained themselves to show up regardless. Whether it’s training, nutrition, sleep, or the way they communicate—discipline bleeds into every part of their life.
They don’t negotiate with the work. They execute.
2. Clear Purpose
Every high performer I’ve coached has had a deep, emotional “why.” They aren’t just training to win—they’re training to express something. For some, it’s proving something to themselves. For others, it’s about legacy, service, or mastery.
That clear sense of purpose fuels their consistency. It keeps them grounded during setbacks and focused in the chaos.
3. Extreme Ownership
High performers don’t point fingers. They own everything—results, mistakes, and outcomes.
If they underperform, they don’t blame the coach or the program. They look inward, assess, and adjust. This mindset of extreme ownership gives them control in every situation, because they’re not waiting on someone else to fix their path.
4. Growth-Centric Mindset
The best aren’t afraid to fail—they expect it. They understand that growth isn’t linear and that every setback is simply feedback.
They lean into challenges, seek discomfort, and constantly ask, “How can I get better?” They don’t get stuck defending who they are—they’re busy becoming who they want to be.
5. Intentional Actions
Nothing they do is wasted. Their warm-ups, their reps, their meals, their recovery routines—it’s all done with intention.
They aren’t just clocking time in the gym. They’re maximizing their time, extracting value from every moment, and treating every decision as a brick in the foundation of their performance.
6. Calm in Chaos
When the pressure rises, the noise gets loud, and everyone else starts to break—that’s when the high performers start to shine.
They’ve trained themselves to stay calm under pressure. You see it on the competition floor, in stressful conversations, and in high-stakes situations. Their ability to stay level-headed and execute under stress is one of their most dangerous weapons.
7. Adaptable
No plan survives first contact with reality. High performers know this, and they’re fluid without being fragile.
If the schedule changes, they adapt. If life throws a curveball, they adjust. They aren’t rigid—they’re resilient. They don’t crumble when things don’t go as planned, because they’ve trained themselves to find a way forward, regardless.
8. They See the Forest Through the Trees
Where most people chase the next shiny object or get distracted by short-term wins, high performers stay anchored in the big picture.
They don’t panic if progress is slow one week. They don’t throw the plan out because of one bad workout. They play the long game, staying connected to the vision while executing the day-to-day.
This perspective allows them to move with patience, purpose, and clarity.
9. Coachable
Here’s the thing—the highest performers I coach are also the most coachable. They ask questions. They welcome feedback. They want to be told the truth, even if it stings.
They leave their ego at the door because they care more about growth than being right. They trust the process, trust the coach, and trust themselves to do the work.
If you’re uncoachable, you’re untrainable. And high performers know this.
10. Mental Resilience
They can take hits. They can get knocked down, lose, fail, or fall short—and they get back up every time.
Resilience isn’t about pretending everything’s okay. It’s about acknowledging the struggle and choosing to respond with action instead of excuses.
The elite don’t just have physical grit. They have mental armor. They’ve been tested, and they’ve earned their calluses.
In Conclusion
None of these traits are inherited. They’re built—brick by brick, choice by choice, rep by rep.
And here’s the good news: you can build them too.
At Conquer Athlete, we don’t just write programs—we develop people. Our approach to individual design isn’t just about physical training. It’s about developing the traits, habits, and systems that unlock high performance across the board.
If you’re tired of spinning your wheels on a program that doesn’t know you… if you’re ready to operate like the person you say you want to be—apply for Individual Design. We’ll meet you where you are and build the roadmap to where you’re meant to go.
