I like to imitate John Wooden (10 NCAA DI Basketball Championships between ’64-’75) , who said that balance is his second-favorite word, behind love. No disagreements here, but in this article, I am promoting Harvey Dorfman‘s favorite word: relentlessness. Do you want to know my least favorite words to hear during competition? “Nice try.” Arrrgggghhhhhhh. It’s like nails on a chalkboard. I’m not 6-years old. I’m not playing just to try; I’m here to get the job done! On the flip side, if my competitor comments that I am “relentless,” I will have a huge smile (on the inside).
Coaches want leadership and toughness from their players. They get it when their athletes understand what it means to give their best effort one step at a time. So often, unfortunately, athletes allow the situation and their fears to keep them from giving their best effort. I don’t know the athlete in this video (other than his name is Igor Plotnikov), but I believe he has plenty of toughness.
Normal athletes don’t max out their effort consistently. Of course, the goal is not to be normal, because that would involve losing just as much as you win. Normal athletes have an unseen safety net that holds them back because they don’t believe that their best effort is always good enough. It’s tough to say always, but your best is ALWAYS good enough…if you define success the way Coach Wooden did: the peace of mind that comes from knowing you did your best.
That’s a tough perspective to swallow, but I hope you’ll try. Even athletes who do gain this healthy willingness to “fail” often hold back until the situation is perceived to be particularly important: a big game or moment in the game, a rival opponent, or an “important” audience. Some “gamers” coast along early in the contest and truly put out their best effort only when they fall behind or it’s close late in the game. Many others push at the start, then coast if they get a lead. Others quit working hard when way behind because they don’t think a comeback is going to happen. Most athletes have a natural letdown when the opponent is perceived to be weak.
Coasting is not the only reason athletes fail to relentlessly give their best effort one play at a time. “Normal” competitors have trouble staying confident when things aren’t going well, and they don’t perform as well when they’re not confident. Some athletes become negative when it’s too cold, too hot, too steep, too bumpy, too far, too dry, too wet, or too dirty — even though they know they give a better effort when they are positive and having fun. Many lose intensity in particular situations. Some stop putting out their best effort when they perceive (whether it’s true or not) that the referee, a teammate, or a coach is putting out less than his or her best effort. Whatever the situation, all of these examples represent a lack of mental toughness, a lack of leadership by example, and a missed opportunity to practice giving another best effort performance.
Hopefully athletes learn the dangers of letting an inferior opponent hang around, the risks of taking any situation lightly, and the joys of walking through the door that the other team left open for a great comeback. Hopefully athletes learn to compete one play at a time.
Now ask: what about relentlessness in practice? If you are going to be relentless, it’s not good enough to just turn it on at game time. You have to always be “on” because winning begins now! Of course this is difficult, but that’s no reason not to strive for perfection. If you can do what’s difficult and do it with enthusiasm, you’ll gain an edge over your competition. (Remember not to expect perfection while you’re striving for it, though). A great exercise: at the end of practice, rate how well you did at being relentless today on a scale of 1-100. Then, set a goal at the beginning of the next workout to be 5% better.
