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.

There’s a big difference between working out and training. I say this often, and I’ll say it again: a workout without purpose is just sweat. But a training session—when executed with clear intention and thoughtful design—is a step forward toward your goals.

At Conquer Athlete, we believe the magic of progress doesn’t lie in fancy programming or random intensity. It lives at the intersection of athlete understanding and coach precision.

When your numbers refuse to budge, it isn’t willpower you’re missing—it’s a new stimulus. Strength plateaus happen because your nervous system has milked every drop of adaptation from the straight-set routine you keep repeating. Below are three evidence-backed ways to jolt progress back to life.Walk into any box on a Saturday morning and you’ll see it: a row of athletes who have mortgages, kids’ soccer games, and maybe a little gray at the temples—but they’re still hunting PRs like it’s 2009. I love coaching this crowd because they bring two priceless assets to the floor: life experience and a deep respect for smart preparation. Neither sport—whether it’s the chaos of CrossFit or the predictability of HYROX—makes concessions for age, so our programming can’t rely on shortcuts or nostalgia. We need training that honors physiology and ambition.

When your numbers refuse to budge, it isn’t willpower you’re missing—it’s a new stimulus. Strength plateaus happen because your nervous system has milked every drop of adaptation from the straight-set routine you keep repeating. Below are three evidence-backed ways to jolt progress back to life.

Ask any seasoned strength and conditioning coach what separates athletes who peak once from those who progress for decades and you’ll hear one phrase on repeat: mental resilience. It’s the capacity to absorb pressure, re‑frame setbacks, and stay mission‑focused when training, life, or competition throws an unexpected curveball.

You’re looking to build muscle, you log every lift, and the gym floor knows your sweat pattern by heart—yet the tape measure hasn’t budged. You’ve entered the empty-effort cycle: tons of grind, minimal growth. There’s no magic exercise that fixes this. Instead, you must master three levers physiology flat-out refuses to negotiate on. Miss even one, and hypertrophy stalls—no matter how heroic your work ethic.

As a mindset coach, I've seen firsthand how the mental state of an individual can dramatically influence their performance. On the day of competition, it's not just about the physical preparation you've done leading up to this moment—it's about cultivating a strong, focused, and resilient mindset that will carry you through every challenge you face. Here are some strategies to help you get into that optimal mental zone and compete at your very best.

For Masters athletes in CrossFit, understanding fatigue is crucial for navigating the fine line between progress and potential setbacks. In strength and conditioning, fatigue isn't simply the feeling of being tired after a workout—it's a complex biological response that directly influences your performance, recovery, and overall adaptation. With age, understanding and managing fatigue becomes even more essential for optimizing results and ensuring longevity in the sport.

When it comes to preparing Masters athletes for peak performance in CrossFit, tapering is an essential yet often misunderstood component of the training process. As a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with athletes across various age groups, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of a well-executed taper. In this essay, I will outline the most important aspects of tapering for masters athletes, explain how to effectively implement a taper, and delve into why tapering is crucial for optimizing performance and recovery.

In the dynamic and demanding world of CrossFit, the pursuit of excellence is not just for the young. Masters athletes, those bravely competing in age categories ranging from 35 and above, face unique challenges and opportunities. Embracing an elite mindset is crucial not only for performance but also for longevity in the sport. Here’s how you can cultivate this mindset, backed by strength and conditioning principles and inspiring stories of athletes who have mastered the art.

One of the most common questions I receive is, "Should I still train if I'm not feeling my best?" Whether you're dealing with minor aches, mild illness, or just feeling unmotivated, maintaining your training routine is crucial. Let's delve into why it's important to keep moving even when you're not at 100%.

In the world of strength and conditioning, the journey of athletes is marked by both triumphs and setbacks. The mindset of champions, however, sets them apart. Their ability to navigate challenges and turn setbacks into stepping stones is what ultimately leads to their success. Let’s explore how elite athletes cultivate this mindset and the strategies they employ to overcome obstacles.

Learn how to “go to the well” when the situation calls for it, and you’ll see your ability to compete improve.

Let’s into the world of growth mindsets. As a strength and conditioning coach, over the years I’ve observed firsthand how the mental framework we adopt influences our physical training and overall well-being.

In the realm of sports, success isn't solely determined by physical prowess or natural talent. A crucial factor lies in the mindset of the athlete. As a strength and conditioning coach, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of a growth mindset in athletes. It's the foundation upon which champions are built, the mindset that propels individuals beyond their perceived limitations. In this short essay we will delve into the principles and practices of cultivating a growth mindset to unlock your full athletic potential.

To maximize your athletic potential, long-term thinking has to be part of your mindset.

A big portion of that includes training smart, training consistently, and avoiding injuries.

Creating long-term habits can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be a boring one! Whether you're looking to ditch bad habits or adopt new, positive ones, the journey to lasting change can be enjoyable and rewarding. In this article, we'll explore five light-hearted and fun ideas that can help you make lasting changes to your habits.

Everything's impossible until it's not! And without these athletes who are willing to fail time after time, none of it would be possible. Failure is a part of the process for everyone, including the immortals. If you truly want to accomplish your goals, you just need to be willing to work for them.

The ultimate goal of every Crossfit competitor is to qualify for the “Crossfit Games”. The Crossfit Games is an annual event that showcases the fittest athletes competing against one another in various modalities of fitness. In order to compete at this level, an athlete must posses amazing work ethic, talent and some luck. Today, we will be addressing the sport requirements to compete at each stage of the Crossfit Games season. We’re hopeful that by the end of this, you will have a better understanding of what you need to address in order to compete!

Training athletes can be as "simple" or as detailed as you want it to be. But simple doesn't always mean it's going to be effective nor does being complex. If something isn't working, you have to be able and willing to pivot and try something new. When trying something new, review the old, look at your data points, talk to your athlete and allow that to drive your next decision.