Podcast #19 – Principles Over Tactics – Setting Your Priorities as an Athlete
I had an excellent opportunity today to speak in front of about 65 young soccer players at a college showcase. One of the big areas I focused on was about helping them prioritize their training. Everyone wants to put their time, energy, and money into sport specific training and special tactics to get an edge without realizing that they are missing the most important principles for success:
What is performance Training – Speed, agility, quickness, power, strength, conditioning
But, more importantly – coordination, control, balance, mobility, stability, and confidence
Spectrum of movement and physical development (0-100%)
3 Layers of Athletic Development:
General Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health
Physical Capacity and Ability
Sport Specific Skill
The Activity Specific Skill is built on top of the previous two layers. And Each layer is limited by the size of the layer below. You can only get as good as your physical strength and capacity allows. And you can only develop your body and strength as much as your health allows.
So this brings me to my point – If you focus on maximizing the thing you like the most at the expense of a more foundational and important element, you will end up limiting your potential.
This is true across all disciplines – work, sports, technical skills, even music.
The most important thing you can do to prepare for success is to build your priorities around principles. Focus on the underlying elements that build systems for long term consistency and success. Looking for the next tactic may give you short term gain but at the ultimate expense of your health or ability.
Here’s the thing, tactics are sexy. They promise quick return and untouched opportunity in the form of hidden secrets. But principles aren’t sexy. They’re boring, available to everyone, and require commitment.
Story about Mom asking me about nutrition help for the kid after talk, and kid asking about eating guidance.
Whether you want to succeed in work, relationships, sports, and life, you have to understand the basic principles that govern any discipline
Weight loss – Don’t snack. Don’t drink your calories, Cut out added Sugar. Boom.
Weight gain – Add 500 extra calories to your normal eating, Don’t skip meals.
Health – Sleep well and consistently, drink enough water, Exercise and move regularly.
Life – Be nice to people, don’t lie, Do what you say you’ll do, treat others how you want to be treated
Find the principles, prioritize those, and be patient. Once you master those, then look at tactics.
