run2run - 2014-03-03 11:40 PM Here's the interview. Judge for yourself .. 'Losing is not an option,' says Tuf Cooper Champion Tie-Down Roper Tuf Cooper comes from a rodeo family. Taking a moment to talk with RFD-TV, Cooper described what it was like growing up and achieving his goals. "I grew up in the most famous family in rodeo. I didn't know any difference growing up besides this is what we did, is we traveled, we went to rodeos, we roped. Growing up in that atmosphere was, you know, that's – it's what I did. I was riding a horse and roping whenever I was four or five years old," said Cooper. "I had the best childhood of any of my friends that I know. Growing up, it was – being 10 years old, traveling all over the country, getting home-schooled, getting to ride horses, getting to be outside, and then being with my family, you know, every part of the day. That's what prepared me whenever – for today, for my job today – is growing up in it my entire life. That prepared me for what I was going to do in my career." Success at a young age "I believe the comment of having success too soon is something that people that don't achieve success at a young age come up with. The difference for me was whenever I was 12 years old, I knew exactly what I wanted to do in life. I set my goals whenever I was 12, 13, 14 years old. And I went to work then to achieve my goals. My first goal – wanted to be the first, the youngest guy to ever make the National Finals Rodeo. When I turned 18 – you have to be 18 to be professional. Nobody's ever made the finals when they're 18. That was my goal. I gave up sports. I gave up hanging out with my friends, preparing myself for the future so I can reach the goals that I've set, which are the highest goals." Winning and Opportunity "I never feel bad about winning. I would feel bad if I didn't win because of the opportunities I've been given. I've had better opportunities growing up in a family that I've grown up in. Better opportunities to be a champion than probably anybody in the history of rodeo. So whenever I do win, which is expected, I don't feel bad for all those, all those other guys that didn't win because they didn't have the same opportunity as I did. So I better win. I better win because, if not, then that means that I didn't work as hard, I didn't put as much into it because those guys who had less opportunity put a thousand times more into it than I did." "I don't want to lack in any area of my roping because I know I've had the opportunity to have done the most and to be the very best roper there will ever be." THE AMERICAN "When I first heard about THE AMERICAN -- blew my mind. I was like this is – I'm so excited. I got fired up about rodeo and roping and I was so ready for it. Ever since then, I'm like March 2nd, here we come." "What fears me about THE AMERICAN is all those other guys walking away disappointed, all my friends walking away disappointed because they didn't win it because I was standing up there on the stage and took the big purse back to Decatur, Texas." "Losing is not an option and it's not an option at THE AMERICAN. It's not going to happen."

cruise - 2014-03-04 8:03 AM Personally, as I read each word of this interview, as a parent, I thought these are some of the values I have tried to instill in my own children.  Read it all - not just the end and to me it was a fantastic interview.  Anyone can be half a** - you have to work to be best.