"The magic is in the work." Gather 'hard work' success stories and sources with translatable specifics.
David Cottrell shares great information in Tuesday Morning Coaching. One of his key phrases is and then some. Here's a screenshot of a chapter summary.
Compile hard work stories.
Outwork the competition. On his drive to UNC, Coach Anson Dorrance saw his star Mia Hamm running sprints alone in a park. Work makes magic.
Make the big time where you are. Floyd Lee took an assignment in Bagdad, Iraq to operate the Pegasus Chow Hall. He crafted a quality dining experience for soldiers amidst war. He assembled the best staff, served meals on linen tablecloths and proclaimed he wasn't in charge of food service but in charge of morale.
Craft excellence. Kobe Bryant worked hours a day in the 'offseason' because he understood that 1000 shots times 100 days meant 100,000 shots. In Mamba Mentality, he said, "I can’t relate to lazy people. We don’t speak the same language. I don’t understand you. I don’t want to understand you."
Good enough isn't enough. When Michael Jordan went to UNC, assistant coach Roy Williams asked how hard he was willing to work. Jordan answered, "I will work as hard as any player ever at Carolina." Williams told him that if he wanted to be the best, then he had to work harder than that.
Dream big and then work. As a child in New Zealand, young Richie McCaw dreamt of being a star rugger for the the All-Blacks national team. His uncle had him sign a paper, Richie McCaw, G.A.B. He committed to being a "Great All Black." Before every game, he wrote, START AGAIN in a notebook, because you have to prove yourself every day.
Renaissance man. A banker's son, Bill Bradley wasn't the fastest or the most explosive. At age twelve, he began a weekday training program of three hours a day and all day Saturday. He led Princeton to the Final Four and scored 58 points against Wichita State, the most points ever in Final Four game. He earned a Rhodes Scholarship, two NBA titles, and became a United States Senator.
More than walking. One of 22 children, Wilma Rudolph suffered polio as a child and was told she would never walk again. She didn't accept that prognosis. At the 1960 Olympics, she won three gold medals and set three world records.
Don't let people tell you what you can't do; show them what you can do.
If excellence matters:
- Find a mentor.
- Outwork the competition.
- Become your own coach.
- Invest your time, don't spend it.
- Ask better questions.
- Improve and track habits.
- Become a learning machine.
Lagniappe. "Be quick but don't hurry." - John Wooden Develop a quicker release being shot ready and practicing a quicker release.
Lagniappe 2. Face up. Give yourself more or better options.