One of the cool things about working in the field of strength and conditioning is the opportunity to work with some great athletes. Over the years we've coached a number of Olympians. Some of them have reached the podium and won medals. And we've worked with athletes that have won championships at the highest levels of their sport.With enough time you recognize enough traits that the great ones all share. In particular there are 5 traits the best athletes all have in common. And spoiler alert! I t has nothing to do with talent!Below are the 5 Traits of the Best Athletes.1. They are CompetitiveThe best athletes always give their best. They aren't satisfied with mediocrity. They don't hold back. If you nudge them they push back a little harder.Now I don't mean to say these individuals go all out, all the time. They are smarter than that. They use their talents as weapons and only display them when the payoff is maximal.For example, I remember a few years a player for the Kelowna Rockets. Everytime he hit the ice he would fly around at top speed. Half of his hits would miss the mark. And even though he was going top-end all the time he seemed to be a step behind the play.Contrast this with another former Rocket, Jamie Benn, who almost appeared to be floating at times only to spot an opportunity and separate himself for a scoring chance.Another example that comes to mind is playing pick-up football with friends. If someone gets beat on defense the competitiveness shows up with what they do next. Do they quit  on the play? Or do they dig in, sprint and recover to prevent the opponent from scoring? In one moment I can tell if that player can become great or not...