"All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose." -Brian Tracy
Friday, January 20, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Talent is Overrated ... The secret to success? FOLLOW UP
How do world class performers get so good? The common perception is that they are born to do what they do (talent), or they have worked extremely hard to get where they are (work ethic). Research has shown that it has little to do wither either talent or hard work.
Most people will argue that Tiger Woods was BORN to be one of the world's best golfers. There's no doubt that he is very talented and has accomplished things that most others will never accomplish in a lifetime. But in the last post I referred to a book written by Geoff Colvin called "Talent is Overrated". In it, he gives an account of how Tiger got so good at his sport (the short answer: deliberate practice).
The book is a great read because it debunks some common perceptions about how people get so good at what they do and it truly eliminates the mystique of top performers while helping you to realize steps that we can take to improve ourselves.
Paraphrasing from the book:
TIGER WOODS
Woods' father, Earl, was a retired teacher who had a lifelong passion for sports. He was a star baseball player at Kansas State and later coached youth sports teams in addition to teaching cadets in military practices at the City College of New York. He grew to become fanatical about golf and had achieved a handicap in the low single digits, placing him in the top 10% of players. Enter Tiger....he is born into the home of a pretty darn good golfer who loves to teach and is eager to begin teaching his son as soon as possible. Earl is retired and his wife does not work outside the home; they have decided that Tiger would be their first priority.
When Tiger was born, Earl wrote "I had been properly trained and was ready to go. I took over new ground in starting Tiger at an unthinkably early age".
At age 7 months, Earl gives Tiger his first metal club (a putter). He sets up Tiger's high chair in the garage where Earl hits balls into a net and Tiger watches hours on end. Before Tiger is two, they are at the golf course playing and practicing regularly. At age 4, Tiger was being trained by professional teachers.
Neither Tiger or his father suggest that Tiger came into this world with a gift for golf, and Tiger has repeatedly credited his father for his success.
Trying to understand his early interested in the game, Tiger does not talk about an inborn fascination with golf. Rather, he has written, "golf for me was an apparent attempt to emulate the person I looked up to more than anyone: my father".
Another example? Google "Polgar sisters chess".
Going to post a video interview with the book's author- definitely a great way to spend 5 minutes!
Most people will argue that Tiger Woods was BORN to be one of the world's best golfers. There's no doubt that he is very talented and has accomplished things that most others will never accomplish in a lifetime. But in the last post I referred to a book written by Geoff Colvin called "Talent is Overrated". In it, he gives an account of how Tiger got so good at his sport (the short answer: deliberate practice).
The book is a great read because it debunks some common perceptions about how people get so good at what they do and it truly eliminates the mystique of top performers while helping you to realize steps that we can take to improve ourselves.
Paraphrasing from the book:
TIGER WOODS
Woods' father, Earl, was a retired teacher who had a lifelong passion for sports. He was a star baseball player at Kansas State and later coached youth sports teams in addition to teaching cadets in military practices at the City College of New York. He grew to become fanatical about golf and had achieved a handicap in the low single digits, placing him in the top 10% of players. Enter Tiger....he is born into the home of a pretty darn good golfer who loves to teach and is eager to begin teaching his son as soon as possible. Earl is retired and his wife does not work outside the home; they have decided that Tiger would be their first priority.
When Tiger was born, Earl wrote "I had been properly trained and was ready to go. I took over new ground in starting Tiger at an unthinkably early age".
At age 7 months, Earl gives Tiger his first metal club (a putter). He sets up Tiger's high chair in the garage where Earl hits balls into a net and Tiger watches hours on end. Before Tiger is two, they are at the golf course playing and practicing regularly. At age 4, Tiger was being trained by professional teachers.
Neither Tiger or his father suggest that Tiger came into this world with a gift for golf, and Tiger has repeatedly credited his father for his success.
Trying to understand his early interested in the game, Tiger does not talk about an inborn fascination with golf. Rather, he has written, "golf for me was an apparent attempt to emulate the person I looked up to more than anyone: my father".
Another example? Google "Polgar sisters chess".
Going to post a video interview with the book's author- definitely a great way to spend 5 minutes!
Quote of the Day:
"The difference between expert performers and normal adults reflect a life-long period of deliberate effort to improve performance in a specific domain". -Geoff Colvin (author of "Talent is Overrated").
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Quote of the Day:
"The exception becomes the expected".
Particularly true when you are turning around a program like we are at URI!
Vic Shaefer's talk at the Final Four
Below are some notes I took when Texas A&M Assistant Coach Vic Schaefer spoke at the WBCA Convention at the Final Four last year (the day his Aggies won the National Championship!).
-Assistants and Head Coaches can agree to disagree...but, when you disagree, it should be about what we think is best for the program or team.
-The Head Coach should talk to parents about intangibles, but let the Assistants handle the crises that arise.
-Knowledge of the game is so important!! WATCH THE GAME!! (See my post on "deliberate practice" here)
-Professionalism is so important...what you say, how you dress...
-Know you're stuff- we aren't paid to be wrong.
-Be a voice to your Head Coach. Sometimes, bosses need to think it's their idea about a game plan or something that will benefit the team/program.
-Go to work early and stay late.
-Emotionally invest in your team!
-Teach kids to be accountable and to hold each other accountable (it's not personal, only work!). For example, run on the 3rd missed block out.
-It's not WHAT we do...it's HOW we do it
-Trust is the foundation of A&M's defense....tight ball pressure = susceptible to penetration. Need to trust your teammates' rotations, etc.
-Post defense is played 35' from the basket (bump and get position early)
-Make your team uncomfortable in practice so they are better prepared to face adversity in games (and life!)
-Clear minds make plays. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)
-A&M has a foundation of the same 3-5 drills everyday
-BE WORTH POINTS EACH GAME (on defense!)
-Defense is a LEARNED response.
-Assistants and Head Coaches can agree to disagree...but, when you disagree, it should be about what we think is best for the program or team.
-The Head Coach should talk to parents about intangibles, but let the Assistants handle the crises that arise.
-Knowledge of the game is so important!! WATCH THE GAME!! (See my post on "deliberate practice" here)
-Professionalism is so important...what you say, how you dress...
-Know you're stuff- we aren't paid to be wrong.
-Be a voice to your Head Coach. Sometimes, bosses need to think it's their idea about a game plan or something that will benefit the team/program.
-Go to work early and stay late.
-Emotionally invest in your team!
-Teach kids to be accountable and to hold each other accountable (it's not personal, only work!). For example, run on the 3rd missed block out.
-It's not WHAT we do...it's HOW we do it
-Trust is the foundation of A&M's defense....tight ball pressure = susceptible to penetration. Need to trust your teammates' rotations, etc.
-Post defense is played 35' from the basket (bump and get position early)
-Make your team uncomfortable in practice so they are better prepared to face adversity in games (and life!)
-Clear minds make plays. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)
-A&M has a foundation of the same 3-5 drills everyday
-BE WORTH POINTS EACH GAME (on defense!)
-Defense is a LEARNED response.
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