Winning

Every routine has to factor in the possibility of uncertainty. If you prepare only for one scenario, you have no chance of surviving the volatility of real-game conditions. True in sports, true in business, true in life. If

There’s nothing normal about Winning. If you need normal, if you need to fit in, be prepared for a long stay in the middle of the pack. Winning requires you to be different, and different scares people. So if you’re worried about what others will say, the long-term effects, the sacrifices you’ll make, the sleep you’ll lose, your family being angry…

Distractions can be fatal to your goals, if you don’t manage them. Notice I said “manage,” not “eliminate.” I know, you’ve been told a thousand times to “eliminate distractions.” Not possible. You might be able to erase some, but people are still going to need you, there will still be tasks and chores to do, the phone and the TV and the refrigerato

He practiced and played in a routine as well. Every time he warmed up in practice, he started with a chest pass. The greatest player in the world, working on a basic chest pass. Why? Routine. Basics. Fundamentals. The court was his battlefield, and he knew where all the mines were planted.

I’ve seen great competitors get to the top by refusing to negotiate their ambition to win. They made every right choice, committed the time and effort, and did the work better than anyone. But as soon as they won, they renegotiated everything. The celebration began, the pressure was off, the priorities changed, and the focus on Winning was suddenly

I’ve dealt with so many athletes with brilliant talent, whose careers were completely destroyed inside their mental bomb shelters. They believed every gratuitous compliment about their greatness, every grandiose tribute to their excellence. From the time they were kids, they were told how special they were, which may have been true enough at the hi

When you start apologizing for who you are, you stop growing and you stop winning. Permanently.

MJ had the most disciplined game-day routine I’ve ever seen, from the way he selected his timepiece to the way he laced his shoes. He planned and organized every detail of his day, from the time of his workout to the car he drove to the arena. He put his clothes on in a specific order, organized the game tickets for his family and friends, ate at t

The more you win, the more others will try to inhibit your growth, tell you to slow down, stay in your lane. They’ll try to keep you in that one lane to control you. But Winning is about choosing any lane, changing lanes when you need to, and navigating each with equal skill, with an extra gear no one anticipated.