Being a Champion - Why it Matters

Being a Champion - Why it Matters

This past Friday night, the Colorado Auctioneer Association named the 2011 Colorado State Champion Auctioneer, Mr. Adam Kevil. Adam is a phenomenal auctioneer and a true gentlemen. We have the honor of Adam working for us at the Denver Impound Auction. I also have the personal privilege of Adam being one of my mentors. He must be good, as I won the Championship last year.

So, now, we’re both champions, so what. Well for one, it shows the world that we are at the top of our game. But it’s what makes us champions that is important. To be a champion means hard work, practice, determination, perseverance, and the willingness to accept that sometimes, we’re just not champion material.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a champion skier, pilot, race car driver, or auctioneer. They all have the same roots.

First, you have to be doing something you love. Your passion for your trade is essential, and no matter how good you are, you can’t ever be a champion without it. Passion is the driving force behind everything you do.

Second, you had better learn, and keep learning. Being a champion means being a master, knowing as much as possible about your skills, your competition, your environment, and yourself. You have to study, evaluate, change, modify, and try again. And then do that again, and again. Because your competition is doing that, and you need to be one step ahead.

Third, you have to be willing to make mistakes. Try something new. Change something. Then practice that, and try again, because you know it will be a while before you get it right. And once you have practiced, you need to keep practicing because you have to be great, not just good.

Fourth, you have to be willing to accept defeat. It will happen. Sometimes, others have worked just a little harder, or learned just a little more, or got just a little bit luckier. Regardless, you won’t always win. And there are few champions in any field that haven’t experienced defeat - some of them many, many times.

Lastly, you need strength - strength to keep trying, strength to push just a little more, strength when you have been defeated and still need to hold your head up high. You need the strength to fight your self-doubts, and your inner demons. You need strength to try, and try again. You need strength to practice and push.

Then, if the stars are aligned, you’ll be a champion.

So what? So, that means when you practice your trade, in our case being Auctioneers, you’ll have the confidence that you are doing your best and that you’re a winner. Your clients, customers, friends, colleagues and everyone else will know you’re a champion. You’ll do better, and will continue to do better.

That’s what it’s all about - constant improvement. Being a champion means that you keep raising the bar and challenging yourself to continue to be a champion. There doesn’t have to be a title or a trophy involved, just the desire to be a winner.

I’d like to think that the championships and awards we have won at Schur Success Auction & Appraisal are just the beginning of us being champions. We’ll continue to love what we’re doing, learn more about our profession, try new things, accept that we will sometimes lose, and find the strength to keep moving forward. That’s what makes us champions.

Come see us in action... Adam is the main auctioneer for our Denver Sheriff's Impound Auction. You don't need to buy a car to enjoy his work (but we sure would appreciate if you did).