Bolts of Lightning

Part II: Are YOU a High Level Athlete?

THE TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON

PART II: NUMBERS 4-6

Throughout my 11 years of training athletes, I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with many individuals that have gone on to very successful careers in their sport.   From Division I Football, to the NFL, to one of the top training centers in the country that has allowed me to work with Division I and Professional basketball players, this path has enabled me to see that high level athletes exhibit many of the same qualities and perform many of the same actions.  This is not to say that every top athlete in the world adheres to every one of these, but, without question, there is a common thread that leads to big-time success.  The following is a list of the TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON.

Last week, we looked at the first three.  Here's a quick review:

   1. They Put Themselves in Competitive Situations
   2. They're Superstitious, which leads to an Established Gameday Routine
   3. They Listen to Motivational Music

 

For this week, here are Numbers 4, 5, and 6:

   4. They Give Daily Effort to Max Out their "Crate of Potential"
Every athlete is born with a certain potential to achieve.  You should always, ALWAYS maintain the mindset that you will continue to improve all the time, but there are realistic, genetic, limits as to how tall you will get, how fast you will get, how high you will jump, and other variables.  Otherwise, you would see NBA level players growing to 9 and 10 feet tall, and vertical jumps would be in the 60 inch range by the time they retired!  This simple truth is not a big deal... if you do not let it limit your mindset and understand that this potential is nearly impossible to max out.  The key is to think of your genetic potential as a big empty storage crate.  It is your job, throughout your entire athletic career, to fill that crate with as much stuff as possible to completely maximize the space allowed.  This "stuffing" comes in the form of intense conditioning, limitless practice, heavy weight training, countless hours of film study, continually developing your "game IQ", and always seeking out new ideas on how to get better.   High level athletes have embraced the idea that they will never get a bigger crate to work with; that is not an issue to them.  They believe, however, that it is their duty as athletes to maintain an unending desire to get that crate as full as possible.  And they work each and every day to do just that.

   5.They Disagree Respectfully
You don't always have to agree with the Coach.  There are certainly situations when high level athletes do not.  Coaches make decisions based on a common goal of team success, and there are times when that may not be in line with what you feel is best from your "athlete" perspective.  That is ok, and you should voice that perspective... RESPECTFULLY. Challenging your Coach publicly or making a scene on the sideline is not the way to do it.  A professional conversation, where both sides get to state their views and the reasons behind them, in a calm setting, is the way to do it.  Gameday is probably not the time to do it.  Knocking on your Coach's door during office hours probably is.  High level athletes understand this premise, and always make an effort to disagree in the appropriate manner.

   6.They have Interests and Success Outside of the Sports Arena
It pays to be well-rounded, and high level athletes know this.  Your spare time does not always have to be spent working to get better at your sport.  There are countless other ways that you can contribute to your personal development, character, and life success out of the gym or weightroom.  In my time around big-time athletics, I have met high level athletes that are also religious leaders, movie producers, musicians, poets, DJ's, teachers, and countless other professions that have nothing to do with their athleticism.  These outside interests demonstrate the balance in their lives, and the ability to manage their time effectively enough to positively impact others in many different areas.  Maintaining balance in your life is a sure-fire way to reduce the stress and tension that comes with any one endeavor, and to contribute to long-term, lasting success.  High level athletes recognize this, and find ways to incorporate this principle into their lives as well.

Are YOU a high level athlete?

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  For programs that can make your athleticism high level, take a minute to check out www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

Are YOU a High Level Athlete?

Before I get to this week's BOLT, just a few quick follow-ups from last week:

   1. The first part of my new ebook, MISSION: FAT BURN, was mailed out this past week with a BANG!  The workout portion of the book was sent to a select list of willing readers and the response was great!  I hope all of you began the first week of workouts, are training intensely, and are a little bit sore from this new brand of exercise (.. in a good way, of course!)  Believe me, you are on your way to reaching your goals!

You can still get your copy, but this is the last week for the FREE offer!  Simply email me back and let me know you want the freebie, and I will get it out to you.  LAST CHANCE!

    2.  I introduced you all to the football game and documentary that I was invited to participate in last week.  The first episode of the game has been posted on the main website for all to view.  It's less than 10 minutes long, so check it out when you get the chance.. IT'S REALLY COOL and very well done!  (Oh, and I'm #12 on the Easton team in red.. forgive the buzz cut!)

    http://www.missiong.com/show/Replay

And for this week's BOLT!

THE TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT
HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON

Throughout my 11 years of training athletes, I've had the fortunate opportunity to work with many individuals that have gone on to very successful careers in their sport.   From Division I Football, to the NFL, to one of the top training centers in the country that has allowed me to work with Division I and Professional basketball players, this path has enabled me to see that high level athletes exhibit many of the same qualities and perform many of the same actions.  This is not to say that every top athlete in the world adheres to every one of these, but, without question, there is a common thread that leads to big-time success.  The following is a list of the TOP 12 ACTIONS AND TRAITS THAT HIGH LEVEL ATHLETES HAVE IN COMMON.
 
For this week, here are numbers 1 through 3:

    1.They Put Themselves in Competitive Situations
Whether it is an "I can do more pull-ups than you" spur-of-the-moment contest or a planned out 1-on-1 training drill or game, high level athletes absolutely LOVE to compete.  They know internally that that is what is going to ultimately make them better, and that going up against someone else can bring out the best in them.   Great athletes are constantly aware of what the other guy is doing, how well he is doing it, and what he can do to surpass that level.  Competition breeds success, and to become a really high-level athlete, you must embrace this concept.

     2.They're Superstitious, which leads to an Established Gameday Routine
We've all heard of the guys that wear the same underwear until they lose and the girls that pull their hair back with the same rubber band all year.   That's not so much where I'm going here, but close.  It's more along the lines of a set pre-game or pre-competition routine.  This could come in the form of waking up at the same time on gamedays, eating the same meals at the same time, or arriving at the arena or stadium at the exact same time the day of a game.  It is a personal thing, and could really be whatever you make of it.  The message here is that high level athletes fall into a set routine surrounding their competition.  Each one of them will tell you that it contributes to them finding a gameday rhythm that they can count on, and that they draw success from.

     3.They Listen to Motivational Music
Think about the times you've seen high level athletes on a bus or  in the in locker room on SportsCenter or the news... rarely do you see them without IPod headphones on, right?  High level athletes can't be without motivational music!  Whether it is their own individual preparation for games or in the weightroom in the off-season, the highly successful athletes love the outside motivation that a loud, pounding song can provide.  It's one small way they motivate themselves to achieve more, and it works!

Yours in Strength,

Jesse

PS.  For programs that can make your athleticism high level, take a minute to check out www.worldwidesportsperformance.com!

THE Basketball Legend

Apologies I went dark for a week there.  SOOO much going on, both personally and professionally, it's been a hectic 2 weeks since I last wrote!  Here are 2 of the cool things going on:

    1. To those that signed on to receive an advanced copy of MISSION: FAT BURN, my new ebook that will be your solution to shattering your body fat and getting you that toned looked that you so eagerly want! (By the way, each workout will also get you in and out of the gym in one hour, including your shower!):  You will be getting your workouts by week's end for sure.  The book is growing and growing with each page that gets completed, but you will be able to begin your "fat sizzling" workouts next Monday! 

   

Anyone that has not reserved their copy yet but would still like to, just reply to this email saying that you would like one.. and its YOURS!

     2. This next one is so cool, I just had to share it with you all.  Right before Thanksgiving last year, that week's "Bolt" was titled "The Greatest Game Ever," and described the high school football rivalry between Easton HS in Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg HS in New Jersey.  Well, I wasn't lying to you when I said "greatest", because the game has caught the eye of the biggest sports drink company in the history of the world.. GATORADE!   They have come up with a new reality show concept called "Replay," and the 1993 game between the two schools will be the subject for the very first series of shows.  Check out the trailer (just move the foam finger to "watch trailer"):

    http://www.missiong.com/show/Replay

   1993 just happened to be my Junior year in high school and I have been invited to play in this renewal game!  You have it right.. a bunch of 30-something-year-olds in pads again, replaying a game that ended in a tie 16 years ago.  I never dreamed I'd have a chance to play football again, let alone in this historic rivalry.  Needless to say, my training has taken on a whole new life, and I am so jacked and excited to get out there again!  I'll be making a lot of my own personal workouts for this game available to you guys in future Bolts (and in other cool ways), so stay tuned..

So in the spirit of competition, this week I simply wanted to leave you with a few quotes from THE Coaching Legend, John Wooden.  He is arguably the greatest coach ever.. in any sport, at any level, any era.  He was most known for his ability to teach and educate athletes, and his words were known to inspire.  Here are a few of my favorites:

"Undirected diligence isn't very efficient; therefore, an element of planning must go into hard work."

"We should never let ambition cause us to sacrifice our integrity or diminish our efforts in other areas.  However, we need to remember that we never reach a serious goal unless we have the intention of doing so."
 
 "Players with fight never lose a game; they just run out of time."

Yours in Strength,

Jesse