World Champion downhill skier Lindsey Vonn has the amazing physical talents necessary to compete at the highest levels of her sport, but all those she competes against also have those talents.

She has the support of coaches, trainers, nutritionists and equipment specialists, but so do all the other athletes at the top level of sport. In the off-season, Vonn works out in the gym an amazing seven hours a day working on strength, flexibility and focus.

In a sport in which races are won or lost by thousandths of a second, it is the mental toughness on top of the physical attributes and support that makes champions.

Those who are willing to sweat it out in preparation are the toughest competitors. Those with the same talents and support who are not willing to put in extraordinary effort make up the rest of the field. Those with a passion for the sport but don't have the talent sit on the sidelines and cheer. It's the same in every sport and the same in business.

In the business world, champions are the ones that put in the effort to create business plans, strategic plans, marketing plans and then revise their plans as conditions evolve. They put in the effort to conduct performance reviews, set challenging expectations then motivate and coach their staff to meet and exceed those expectations. They put in the effort to gaze into the future and create expansive visions, then articulate that vision to pull their company forward toward reaching the goals.

I could go further down this thought process, but these are unusual, perhaps unique, economic times. Companies are threatened in many unusual ways because of the financial situation. I guarantee you that those business people who are willing to "sweat it out in the gym" will be so much better positioned to survive and thrive than those who attend to "business as usual" and neglect the planning, the motivation, the inspiration, the vision.

Those that in more normal times are satisfied to be "also-rans" may end up sitting on the sidelines watching. It's a choice.

My choice is to get in the gym.

Opinions expressed solely are those of the writer. Larry Galler, of Larry Galler & Associates, is a marketing and management consultant for small and mid-size companies. For more information or to get his free report, "Tolerations driving you nuts? Eliminate them now!" contact larry@larrygaller.com or call (219) 464-9463.