Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable (Tim Grover Winning Series)

by Tim S. Grover

Not everyone gets the opportunity to be stressed by the potential to achieve exceptional things.

I am 100 percent certain that if you bring me into any situation, I’m going to have a positive impact on you. There’s no way I’m going to show up and not be prepared, and not have something to offer you. If you’re willing to listen to what I’m asking

confidence means recognizing something isn’t working and having the flexibility and knowledge to make adjustments; cockiness is the inability to admit when something isn’t working, and repeating the same mistakes over and over because you stubbornly can’t admit you’re wrong.

That’s the confidence or swagger that allows you to take risks and know that whatever happens, you’ll figure it out. Adapt, and adapt again.

Being relentless means having the courage to say, “I’m going for this, and if I’m wrong, I’ll make a change and I’ll still be fine.” You can’t control or anticipate every obstacle that might block your path. You can only control your response, and your ability to navigate the unpredictable. Whatever happens, you have the smarts

You want to know a true sign of a Cleaner? He feels no pressure when he screws up and has no problem admitting when he’s wrong and shouldering the blame:

You tell me you messed up, take responsibility . . . now you’ve gained my trust. As soon as you start giving me reasons and rationalizations, I know you have something to hide, and you’re not ready to take ownership. Save us both the time. You fucked up. Say it. There is not a faster way to alleviate pressure.

The most successful people are those with the instincts to respond quickly to anything, without having to go back to the drawing board, watch more film, schedule a meeting, schedule a meeting to discuss what will be discussed at the meeting, or do any of the other countless things people do to put off making a decision.

Get on my level, or get the hell out of my way. When you’re the guy at the top, it’s

you’d be surprised by how many people don’t want to stand alone under the glare of the spotlight, because as soon as you reveal what you’re capable of, that’s what everyone will expect of you.

A lot of gifted people will lower their skills to close the gap between themselves and those around them, so others can feel more confident, involved, and relatively competitive.

Michael went the other way and came right out and said it: that’s my supporting cast.

HAhaha

emotions make you weak, and all that emotional energy is completely destructive.

So make something happen, ’cause you’re only getting one chance. Earn it.

Someone is going to do something the coach or the boss doesn’t like, maybe a guy isn’t playing well or working hard enough, and you’re going to get the chance to take his spot. Will you be ready? Will you have done the work that allows you to step in, fully prepared, and show you should have had that job all along? Have you been finding ways to stay sharp and focused? Because if you do well and impress someone, you’re in the system.

But if you don’t do well, you’re done.

No Michael, no relentless pressure, nobody holding them accountable and demanding unyielding excellence. Some of those guys went on to have outstanding careers in other areas—Steve Kerr and John Paxson, to name a couple—but most of the others couldn’t keep themselves at the level they were at when they were playing up to Michael’s expectations.

His only objective is putting you where he needs you to be so he can get the result he desires.

A great leader knows the best way to get people to raise their performance is to put them where they can truly excel, not just where you want them to excel.

Our challenge in life is to use the abilities we have, and to compensate for the abilities we don’t have.

Successful people compensate for what they don’t have; unsuccessful people make excuses, blame everyone else, and never get past the deficiencies. A true leader can see past those deficiencies, identify the abilities, and get the most out of that individual.

You’re not going to win these guys over by making them feel worthless.

Remember, when a Cleaner gives you an opportunity, be ready, because he won’t ask you again if you blow it. It’s easier for him to just do the job himself, and if he’s going down with the ship, he’s going to make sure he’s the captain.

follow. The only way you can light other people on fire is to be lit yourself, from the inside. Professional, cool, focused. If you had a bad night and you can’t show up the next day ready to go, or you can’t show up at all, that doesn’t affect just you, it affects everyone around you. A professional doesn’t let other people down just because of personal issues. If you need to show up, you show up.

That’s how you get others to come up to your level: show them where it is, and set the example that allows them to get there.

They all translate into “I thought about it, and did nothing.”

They tell you everything they’re going to do, and then they do nothing. That’s inner drive.

Igo.ko bes

I love hearing motivational speakers tell people to “follow your passion.” Follow it? How about work at it. Excel at it. Demand to be the best at it. Follow it? Eh.

This is a concept invented by someone suffering from the complete inability to make decisions. Half-full or half-empty? You have something in the glass or you don’t. If you like what’s there, add more. If you don’t, pour it out and start over. Otherwise, you’re just staring at this nonexistent glass thinking, “Damn, there’s no way to decide.”

HAaaha

Every minute, every hour, every day that you sit around trying to figure out what to do, someone else is already

Make a choice, or a choice will be made for you.

Meanwhile, someone else is going to make a decision, and when it works, he’s getting all the credit. And maybe the choice he made isn’t one that works for anyone but him, but since no one else took charge, too bad for everyone else.

Lol

You can waste a lifetime sitting around overthinking possible ways to look at something. On one hand . . . but on the other hand . . . but then on this hand . . . Stop it, you only have two hands, and that’s already too many.

The positive thinkers want you to only visualize your success; the negative thinkers want you to focus on everything that could go wrong. Well, visualizing anything doesn’t make it a reality, and overthinking imaginary problems just generates fear and anxiety. I want you armed with reflexes and instinct, not Xanax.

And if you are thinking about it, you’re out of the Zone, distracted and wasting energy and emotion instead of focusing only on what you have to

Your preparation and your instincts are your safety net.

After that first initial thought, that first instantaneous gut reaction, why give in to the weakness of second-guessing and doubt and analysis that inevitably follow? Are you listening to others, or to your own instincts? Are you taking advice from people who know what they’re talking about, or those who only see failure?

No, good things come to those who work. I understand the value of not rushing into things—you want to be quick, not careless—but you still have to work toward a result, not just sit back and wait for something to happen.

Pretty soon, you’re so overwhelmed by everything you still haven’t dealt with that you become completely paralyzed and can’t do anything.

Make a plan that truly reflects your goals and interests, and you’ll be more likely to execute. Why pretend you’re going to work out every single day when you know you’re only going to do it three times a week?

“As far as I can tell, the only thing you’re good at is keeping busy.”

People get paid a fortune for being the expert at one thing, so that anytime others need that one thing done, you’re the only one they’re calling.

Figure out what you do, then do it. And do it better than anyone else.

You have to beware of a Cleaner when he’s physically sick because his body has totally challenged him to see what he’s capable of. And because he’s not as physically strong, he’ll find another way to beat you, usually by turning up his mental game. Sickness, physical or mental, is one of the best ways to put a person in the Zone: his survival instincts kick in and give him an extra gear for fighting back from a weakened state.

Interesting how the guy with the most talent and success spent more time working out than anyone else.

But it’s still not easy, and Kobe makes that decision, every day, to do the work. Again: the most talented guy working harder than anyone else. It’s a choice.

That’s how the best get better—they sweat the details.

It’s easy to improve on mediocrity, not so easy to improve on excellence.

When the game is on the line, you don’t want to hear “good luck”; it suggests you’re not prepared.

You can’t be relentless if you’re willing to gamble everything on the unknown.