On doing the right things, repeatedly
Approach the fundamentals like a pro.
Did you catch any of the Masters Tournament this past weekend? If you did, you’ll know what I mean when I say it was a “nail biter” right down to the last stroke.
It came down to a playoff between Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. And it didn’t need to be that way.
“McIlroy entered the 18th hole with a one-shot lead. After hitting his second shot into a bunker he was able to get the ball up an in position for a short putt for par. If he made it, he'd have won his first green jacket and the only major that has eluded him during his career. Instead, he shocked viewers by missing it left.”
Seriously, check out the video in the link above. It was a no-brainer putt. McIlroy had probably made that shot hundreds of times. And no doubt had practiced it many multiples of that. But he missed it on Sunday, when it counted most. He went on to win the tournament, but it was way more stressful than it needed to be.
And this got me thinking about what separates the best from everyone else. What it takes to hold it together in a playoff with another of the best. What makes the difference at that point in the Masters.
Here are the qualities that came to mind…
Being consistent. Staying in the game, doing the right things, long after everyone else has quit.
Shifting sports analogies, it’s like Serena Williams hitting 200-300 serves in a practice session and not holding back. She hit those practice serves with the kind of intensity most people only reserve for finals day.
Or LeBron James doing 500 focused free throws, simulating game day to get the best results. He doesn’t stand there and shoot. He does them after sprint drills. Tired. Simulating pressure. Simulating the moment. He mixes them in during scrimmages or after intense drills to mimic fatigue and pressure.
This intentional practice of the basics is part of what separates the best from everyone else.
So here are some ways to bring this approach to your business. Because the last thing you want to do is be like everyone else.
Quality reps beat mindless volume, every time.
Serena Williams didn’t swing her racquet 10,000 times just to say she did. Every serve had a target. Every session had a goal. Doing less and doing it in a more focused way.
The same goes for you. Start by assessing whether you’re doing anything just to say you did it. If you are, it’s time for that to go.
Then think about the areas of your business that are ripe for you to stop trying to do more. Instead, start doing more of what matters and doing it better.
And by “what matters” I mean:
What’s actually creating results in your business.
What’s working (vs what’s not working).
Not doing something because everyone else is.
This could look like:
Preparing one excellent pitch.
Sending one thoughtful follow-up email designed to move the conversation forward (whatever the topic).
Having one meaningful 1:1 conversation to explore opportunities for collaboration or potential client work.
Being constantly busy and in motion doesn’t equal progress. Thoughtful action is where the power lies.
Learn to train under pressure.
That little factoid about LeBron James and free throws caught my attention.
He doesn’t shoot practice shots when he’s fresh. Because free throws don’t happen just in the first two minutes of a game, but at the end of the 4th quarter when he’s exhausted and when it really matters. When there’s pressure, in the moment.
Pressure can show up in a number of ways on any given day in your business:
Having to make an important decision when your calendar is packed and you find it tough to carve out the time to think it through.
Pitching a potential client when your pipeline is empty and scarcity has settled into your nervous system (never a good place to be).
Leading your team when they’re panicking for good reason.
Practice making moves when you feel stretched:
Run a sales call when you’re mentally fried or physically exhausted.
Write that tough client email when you're juggling three deliverables.
Show up to a client meeting “with bells on” when you’re in a cash flow crunch.
It’s not going to be perfect, but you’ll prove to yourself that you can do the thing under less than ideal circumstances.
Because that’s reality. As British Novelist Doris Lessing put it:
“The conditions are always impossible.”
Practice obsessing about the fundamentals.
The top athletes don’t skip doing drills because they’re “boring.” They know boring part of what they signed up for, of what makes them great, of what separates them from the pack.
I get it. Most of us don’t want to do the boring or routine thing. And it’s so darn easy to convince yourself that you don’t need to or it can wait.
Things like:
Skipping your weekly “finance date” with yourself intended to keep on top of your books.
Updating your networking and/or opportunity tracking system.
Checking to see if the links on your site still work (I mean, who likes to do that?).
Some other fundamentals worth looking at to get you started:
Revisit your new client onboarding process. Is it as buttoned up as it should be? Have you noticed gaps recently? It might be time to close them.
Clean up your sales process. Is it as streamlined as it could be? Are there areas that you’re just checking tasks off your list rather than engaging in meaningful activities that help you sign more business (see 1. above)?
Check to see if your website “About” page still matches your experience, the services you’re offering, and the value you’re delivering. Ditto your LinkedIn profile “About” section.
Put some time on your calendar each week to focus on ONE fundamental area of your business. Don’t do overwhelm.
Get feedback and track your progress.
The best athletes don’t just assume they’re getting better at their game.
They know where they stand:
They study the tapes of their games.
They review their stats.
They get feedback from coaches and trainers.
Then they make changes to improve their performance.
If you’ve been on this list for a while, you know I’m big on digging into what’s going on in your business on-the-regular to get the necessary input and feedback.
That includes:
Looking at your numbers monthly (or at a minimum quarterly).
Asking yourself where you're stuck and why.
Adjusting your strategy based on what’s working and eliminating what’s not, whether it’s in your client engagements, marketing, business development, etc.
Information like this leads to insight. Data provides you with direction for your business.
Get honest feedback. Be honest with yourself. Make the necessary changes, especially when it’s uncomfortable.
The takeaway.
It’s doing the right things, the right way, repeatedly that gives you the best chance of success. Because…
You become consistent by being consistent.
You become “the go-to” person by showing up like one.
You can totally be that person.
To grow something meaningful and sustain it, you need to train with intention, like Serena and LeBron.
Because it’s what you do between matches that counts.
Until next time.
Katherine
#ICYMI
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