Choose your reactions. Choose your emotions. Choose your confidence levels. Choose your commitment levels. Choose what you WILL accomplish today. Make the choice.

You’re not a slave to outcomes. Your confidence level isn’t dictated by how well you play or the “grade” you receive. You have the choice to learn HOW to create confidence during down times — it’s still in your control. Confidence definitely grows when you have positive results, but it doesn’t have to diminish after poor outcomes. You have the power to draw from past experiences, when everything was working perfectly. You have the choice to mentally “go back” and FEEL the emotions related to those positive experiences. This is how you continue confidence growth during bad days. It does take work, but you have the choice to put in the time.

You have the choice to pre accept all outcomes. If you don’t, you’ll never feel peace about the process. You make the choice to say, “As long as I work to my maximum effort, I accept all good and bad results.” There’s nothing quite like the feeling of total contentment and peace during what most people would describe as Pressure Moments. You choose whether or not pressure really exists.

You make the choice to jump out of bed when your alarm sounds at 5:30 am, and commit to attaining 1% success. You’re in total control of how you decide to attack what the so-called experts say is impossible. Choose wisely.

Becoming the 1% isn’t a technique. It isn’t a magic pill. It isn’t about taking a weekend motivational seminar. The 1% is a way of being; a mindset that believes possibility is everywhere … no matter what anyone says or tries to prove.

One of the most difficult parts of this journey is the naysayers’ opinions of “why you can’t, why you won’t, and why you shouldn’t even try.” As humans, we naturally want to be liked and want others to agree with what we believe, but this instinct must be extinguished in order to separate from the pack.

As you move closer and closer to your goals, you’ll notice how many people think it’s o.k. to share their negative opinions about your personal expectations. Today, I had to remind a student to focus on the reasons behind his naysayers’ opinions. The harder he works, the more pronounced their weaknesses become, as if he’s holding a mirror to their faces. His passion and discipline reminds them of their lack of self belief and willingness to step out of their comfort zone. Their lack of strength is magnified by the intensity of his daily action and risk-taking. Instead of taking these insults personally, take them as compliments – their attacks mean you’re doing something right.

Every time someone tells me I can’t or won’t, I smile, knowing I’m getting close. We all have the choice to feel sorry for ourselves, take the insults personally, or instead, flip the meaning 180 degrees. When 99 people tell you it’ll never happen, do you believe them … or do you go inside, trusting the 1 and only person that matters?!

Explaining why he’s working so hard to reach a new level, a student said to me, “There’s no other choice… period!” 


This player isn’t focused on what-if he doesn’t make it. He’s absolutely convinced there’s no other option. He doesn’t have a backup plan, “just in case…” He has 100% belief that success will be a real part of his future. In his mind, his goals have already been reached. All that’s left is to see how they’re going to unfold.

The details of his work ethic scream at him every morning when his alarm sounds before 6:00. There’s no other choice! He must wake up that early and get his workout in, because he can’t afford to allow his opponents to jump out of bed earlier. The other day, he was practicing at 6:30 am with only one other player in the entire practice facility. This “other player” just happened to be a Top 10 player in the world in that specific sport. I’d say he gets it. To be the best, he knows he must do what the rest aren’t.

He completely changed his diet, as he attempts to reshape his body from the inside-out. There’s no other choice! We communicate every day, focusing on his mental improvements and the soon-to-be improvements. He doesn’t stop asking questions about how to reach the 1%. He won’t quit stepping towards that next level. He has no other choice! To be the best, he knows he must risk what no one else is willing to risk. He understands his comfort zones need to be destroyed.

This student sends me a text each morning at 6, reminding me that he’s working … challenging me to get my butt out of bed. “Rise and shine, Bigg Dogg” is his good morning to me. As I’m wiping the sleep out of my eyes, he’s already been up for an hour … there’s no other choice, period!