“I built my talent on the shoulders of someone else’s talent”- Michael Jordan.
One of the most important things when looking for success in anything is to find someone you can look up to. Someone who might have done what you’re trying to do or is an inspiration in some way, shape, or form. Michael Jordan as well as anyone who has ever been successful at anything will tell you that they drew inspiration from somewhere outside themselves. This inspiration doesn’t have to mean that you emulate or try to copy someone. In fact, your inspiration for success could be from someone that has accomplished something in a completely different field. Bruce Lee changed martial arts, he would look to other individuals and forms of martial arts that led him to be so creative and revolutionary.
I will always look to others for inspiration while trying to achieve personal accomplishments. It’s evident in the sports I compete in, jobs I’ve had, and the friends I associate with. It’s also evident in how I train.
Primarily my training regimens are benchmarked from top athletes in various sports. From boxing and MMA, to football, basketball, and soccer, the idea is to highlight a small portion of what it takes to get to that elite level in hopes of continuing to inspire others as well as myself.
I’ve had the privilege of not only training at high levels but also being around those who do. Being that close to the action, you adapt the mentality of what it takes. You then realize that victory isn’t for everyone. Sun Tzu in his infamous Art of War put it best when he said “Victory is reserved for those willing to pay the price”. That price is simply too high for some people.
I’ve compiled a list.
1. Imperfect action. No individual, spends too much time worrying about insignificant details. Scientific methods states for anything important to start, begin imperfectly and work towards perfecting it versus waiting till the time is just right. The time will never be just right for anything. You can read all you want to about it, but I promise you that you’ll be ahead of the game if you take a basic understanding and put it to use rather than sitting on an idea. I’m guilty of this. However, I’ve learned that if I just get started, even if it’s not perfect, I can correct actions along the way. Even if I’m wrong, I’ve gained experience that can’t be taught in books.
2. Patience. This one gets everyone. It happens when you watch or see something or someone that inspires you to begin. Maybe it’s a sports figure or movie, whatever it is, it makes say “I’m going to do that”. Then you start doing it and you start to realize after a few days that it sucks. People that reach the highest levels of anything realize and appreciate the process. They understand that nothing happens overnight and that the “grind” is the best part of the process.
3. Intensity. If you were to see how some of the top Olympic or sport athletes train, it would blow your mind. Just the thought of 2 to 3 training sessions a day that last at least 2 hours a piece is hard for some people to wrap their minds around. Pushing yourself to the apex takes a commitment and desire that most will never understand. However, if you’re going to pay the price for victory, get used to pushing yourself to the limit. Find comfort in the discomfort.
4. Focus. Training is like being on a hill with a pair of skates. If you aren’t going forward, you’re going backwards and fast. When you’re competing at the highest levels of sport or business, there is no off season. Everything you do revolves around the goals you place for yourself. This isn’t to say you can’t take breaks every now and then, you must allow time for mental and physical rest. With clear understanding it’s to make you better, not a license to do whatever you want.
