Key to Success, Be Proactive
Before we get into the specifics it is first important for you to come up with your own personal definitions of success and failure. This will allow you to shift your mindset from only being happy from outcome based results to enjoying the process.
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
- Winston Churchill
Be willing to ask questions:
A few great questions to ask yourself are: Who can I ask for help? Where can I look for help?
Everyone is skilled at something so by taking full advantage of the resources around you will help you identify who or where to go for specific types of information. We have most of the answers to our problems at the tips of our fingers by utilizing online resources such as YouTube and Google.
Conduct a personal needs analysis:
What is the number one thing holding you back from being the best student and athlete you can possibly be? Once you have identified this area you are going to focus on then the next step is reaching out to an expert in that field to help you put together a very specific action plan to improve in the area you are going to focus on.
Focus on the solution not the problem:
Replace the “Why” questions with the “How” questions. This will allow you to be more efficient with your time instead of dwelling on the problem. A simple formula to live by is devoting 90% of your time on the solution and only 10% of your time on the problem. Many student athletes believe that more is always better but the more accurate way to think is more efficient time is better. “It’s not how much time you are spending, it’s how you are spending your time.”
Reward for the hustle:
If you are a coach or teacher implement incentives that reward for the elements the student or athletes can control instead of all results based rewards. Strong examples include: Attendance, asking questions in class or practice, staying after class or practice, helping another classmate or teammate and anything that falls into the category of doing more than expected.