In management, this is known as the “aggregation of marginal gains.”

Once those traits are developed, we can start to follow the process. When character and process are both in place, the results will take care of themselves.

Ultimate confidence is the understanding that you simply need to find a way to give your best at every moment and every opportunity in order to measure up to your own standard of success.

The athletes are accountable for the development of their mental toughness through a pre-training mindfulness practice on a daily basis, as well as other character-development exercises.

Psychologists call this adversarial growth. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is not a cliché but a fact. It’s a classic example of the way successful people use adversity to grow and thrive.

For years, I practiced visualization in this fashion. I had my athletes visualize perfection, executing flawlessly, achieving their desired outcomes, decimating the competition, and doing it all effortlessly.

Along the way, you have to practice like you’re possessed. The kind of deliberate practice that leads to success takes a level of commitment, dedication, patience, focus, grit, and resilience that is impossible without an essential ingredient. Passion.

“Exceptional competitors understand that the primary competition is themselves. They understand that the biggest struggle is always the one within, the struggle to bring their best physical and mental self to the competition floor and maintain that presence until they cross the finish line.”

The personalities on those two teams will be different, but both teams will have the same thing in common: habits. Boring old habits. I know you want me to let you in on some big secret to success in the NBA. The secret is there is no secret. It’s just boring old habits.