Becoming the 1% means doing whatever it takes to separate from the pack. The elite instinctively understand that if everyone’s doing and saying (it), something must be wrong. If the entire pack is walking (this) way, it must not be special. It’s counterintuitive, yes, but next level success is born from the ability to look left when everyone else is looking right.

There’s only been one Michael Jordan – uniquely intense, competitive, and hyper-focused under pressure. He’s my 1% prototype. There have been many great players before and after him, but none that compare to his all around determination and will to dominate under maximum pressure. All of this, from a player who FAILED to make his high school varsity team as a sophomore. MJ had no doubt he’d be special, even after his coach’s rejection. Was he born with it? Who knows. Did he work for it? Absolutely!

Pre 2009 (and front nine 2011 Masters) Tiger Woods also encompasses what it means to be at the top of the 1% food chain. His ability to, not only dominate an entire tournament field, but also physically and especially mentally prepare more intensely, separated him from the pack. His dad, an unofficial mental coach, prepared Tiger as early as 10 years old. Every practice session, he’d work on Tiger’s mental game, knowing this would be the key to his greatness. Everyone has a great swing, he helped young Tiger understand… yet not everyone has a strong mind when the pressure’s screaming at them during competition. When the current Tiger Woods finds that instinct that’s laying dormant inside, he’ll prove once again what a dominant role the mental game plays while attempting to separate from a physically talented field.

Are you listening to the majority, as it relates to your own greatness? Keep searching for that person standing alone on a platform preaching new, better, and different. Maybe… just maybe his words and actions will lead you down a unique path… a 1% path!

This is what most people tell themselves. Unfortunately, this thought process is backwards. Without the lofty goal, we’ll rarely become good enough. It’s simply another example of waiting for evidence before one chooses to believe. Key word: CHOOSE!

We all have the ability to choose whether or not we believe in ourselves. Self belief is a decision we make, yet most only decide to make that decision after positive results. The best-of-the-best, no matter the field, don’t wait for evidence before they make this conscious decision to have unyielding self belief and confidence. They know with every ounce of who they are, success will show it’s face. And furthermore, they understand the stronger and more consistent this belief, the more success they’ll eventually taste.

There are three types of confidence:

1) Fake Confidence: This person struts around, acting as if he owns the place. He’ll try and make you believe he thinks he’s the best, period. He goes home at night, looks in the mirror, and only sees weakness.

2) Dependent Confidence: This is where most live. We only feel good about ourselves when things are going well. The moment they make a downward turn, all confidence is lost.

3) True Confidence: This is our ultimate goal. It’s the type of confidence we should have, simply because of who we are as humans. This confidence comes from deep inside… almost as if it were instinctive. True confidence can’t be shaken or lost, and doesn’t live for results. It understands results will simply be, and are completely separate from self belief. Of course, good results can build and enhance this confidence, but it doesn’t rely on it’s existence.

As I’ve come to learn, there’s nothing more important than allowing yourself to look into the future, creating a detailed picture of what you want to achieve. Growing up as an athlete, I was always taught to visualize the process, and allow the result to manifest from that visual. “Mental rehearsal” was the gospel. As I studied more and more about mindset and habit change, and began implementing that knowledge into my own life, I quickly realized that visualizing the process may not be as strong as once thought.

Because the process changes all of the time, it’s been proven that visualizing the outcome, as if you’ve already completed the task, is a much more powerful weapon. Essentially what you’re doing by visualizing the desired result, is working backwards from the “finish line” to the now, allowing yourself to see what needs to be done in order to reach that plateau.

In the past, I would visualize the path, neglecting the outcome… as I had been taught, the outcome would take care of itself. It’s true, we can’t control the result, but if we don’t train our minds to see a detailed picture of that result, the path means nothing, and is a waste of time. The path is important, but the result gives meaning to our daily steps.

I had a session today with a college student who’s in a stage of her life where she doesn’t know what she wants to do, but feels the pressure of trying to figure it all out. This is normal, of course, but it’s being magnified because she hasn’t ever looked into the future and seen happiness and success for herself. By neglecting this end result, she feels trapped in the struggles of today, with little hope of breaking through.

To alleviate the pressure, we had her close her eyes and allow her mind to wonder into the future, only seeing success (whatever that meant for her). We created a detailed mental picture of what it felt like to be successful and fulfilled. Her future career in this visual was irrelevant… all she needed to see was the finished product. In her visual, she had made it through all the struggles to reach this level, and could feel the reward with every ounce of her soul. Until today, she’s only focused on what she doesn’t have, and all the pain that’s been holding her back. Permitting her mind to see the future and the probable outcome immediately took the pressure off of her short term struggles.

If you know what you want (and WILL have), visualize that finished product. If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, make yourself look, see, and feel a successful future. Our daily steps we’ve been taught to focus on mean nothing if we don’t have a passionate long term goal. Knowing what that goal is just isn’t enough. See it happening. Feel it in your bones. Mentally live it!

This has been bothering me for a week, so I thought I needed to share. The details of what this student was working on is unimportant, as it only applies to a small number of you. However, the message is universal, and needs to be understood.

“Anne” called me last week, explaining how excited she was about about her game. After a long practice session, she stumbled upon a technique that began to change her mindset. I was blown away because this concept is advanced, and not taught by many. It’s not something many just find on their own. In her specific sport, this technique is rarely used (primarily because it’s power isn’t understood by many). I wasn’t sure if she was ready to add this to her game, but she wasn’t going to let go, so we agreed to move forward and explore it’s capabilities.

I was extremely excited to help with this part of her mental game, as I know it to be critical for reaching the next, 1% level. She, also, couldn’t wait to begin practicing it in more detail.

What she found in practice, was the beginning steps of a more complex technique that was guaranteed to improve her focus. I spent 90 minutes on the phone with her, explaining in detail how this will help her mentally and physically, and how much time she can expect to struggle before she began to feel comfortable with the approach. I sent her an email as a follow up, just to make sure she had the key points in writing. She would be in town over Spring Break, giving us a week or two to work in person, and allow me to watch her use it in competition.

Everything was set. She was ready. I was ready. The 1% was at her fingertips.

Two days after our detailed phone call, I received a text: “Too hard, can’t do it. I quit.”


WHAT?!


Two days of practice. Two days of practice. “I quit” after two days of practice?

Of course, I’m going to kepp pushing Anne, but his scenario is too common, unfortunately. Greatness will only happen for you after struggle… lots of struggle.