10 Steps to Athlete Success

10 Steps to Athlete Success

I have studied champions at every level, and a few things have become obvious. Champions do simple things really well and have a ridiculous attention to detail. After examining these championship characteristics, I have put together what I believe are ten steps, essential, to athlete success. By themselves, these habits are not special. What is special, and very rare, is finding an athlete, that will close the gap between knowing these steps are essential to success and actually doing them, CONSISTENTLY.

I hope you are one of the few.

1. Stay in Your Lane

Do you know what John Stockton and Steve Nash had in common? Yes, they are both undersized point guards. Yes, they were both amazing passers, shooters and leaders. What their coaches have told me is that both knew what they were good at and what they were not good at. Both of these All-Stars stuck to their strengths and didn’t try to do things they couldn’t do.

To be a successful athlete, know what you do well. Master that strength and show it off. 

2. Stretch Yourself

If you set a goal that is easily attainable, you will not maximize your talent. Set a goal that most people will scoff at and say is unattainable. Set a goal that is surprising in it’s audacity.

To be a successful athlete, set goals that are uncomfortable.

3. Write it Down

Most of the athletes, I encounter, I ask one simple question: What are your aspirations as a basketball player? Most say the same thing: “I want to play in college,” or “I want to play pro ball.”

Now, I ask them: Do you have that written down somewhere where you read it once a day? Guess what … NO ONE DOES! I tell them that if they have not written it down, I can’t take their goal seriously and can’t help them. If you cannot be disciplined enough to write it down and read it daily, I doubt you can muster the discipline to do the work needed every day.

To be a successful athlete, be disciplined enough to do the daily work needed to reach your goal.

4. Deliver by Deadlines

When you write down your goal or plan, be specific about when you want to complete your goal. If you want to make 2,000 three pointers or earn a spot on a certain team, write down when you want to have that accomplished. If you don’t hit your goal, write a new one and be sure to set a new timeline.

To be a successful athlete, hold yourself accountable to deadlines.

5. Measure Your Improvement

Most athletes don’t measure their workouts. The secret to improving is to measure your workouts by time, makes or competition against a partner. Write down your scores, and BEAT YOU YESTERDAY. If you are not measuring your daily improvement, you are achieving success that is below your maximum capacity.

To be a successful athlete, strive to be better every day.

Read More: Don’t Waste Your Time Getting Seen

6. PLAN DAILY

Before you start your day, you should finish it on paper. This is such a valuable trait of successful athletes. Do not go to the gym without a plan. Write down what you will do for your training each day, even if it is only 20 minutes. Write down your focus, your workout and even the mindset you are committed to bringing to your workout.

To be a successful athlete, you must have daily habits.

7. Set Short Term Goals

Not all goals are created equal. Your goals do not need to exceed 30 days in length. Short term goals are achievable and force you to energize daily to reach them. Make sure your goals have a specific measurement that stretches you.

To be a successful athlete, learn to energize yourself on a daily basis.

8 Long Term Goals

A long term goal is any part of your vision that will take more than 6 months to complete. I suggest having 2–3 of these goals, at all times. Each of them will have different time-tables and completion dates. I like having a 6 month goal, a 1 year goal, and a 3+ year goal.

To be a successful athlete, have checkpoints to keep you on track.

9. Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

You will notice that in this list there is a lot of information on goal setting and planning. This is CENTRAL to your success and successful people in all walks of life. I have not met anyone who achieved great things without setting goals and having plans to achieve them. The road to success is littered with the well intentioned athletes that failed to have a plan.

To be a successful athlete, learn to map out your road to success.

10. Repeat Until Rich

Most athletes execute a plan once or twice (or maybe even a few times), but then they get bored, discouraged or frustrated with a lack of improvement. Special athletes are those that are able to master the boring of daily effort. What they do in the dark will be rewarded under the lights. There is no magic pill that will guarantee your success, but one common habit among champions is their ability to repeat the mundane with high energy over and over and over again.

To be a successful athlete, master the boring and fall in love with the process.

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