How elite athletes do it

The abundance of top-level sports programming on television, cable and online has bred tens of millions of new sports fans. Unfortunately, in this age of self-teaching and personal research, it has also created a subconscious misconception: that competing at that level is easy. 

One of the country’s top executive training companies has created a workshop for corporations and the public based entirely on what world record-holders and other sports champions have been doing to achieve greatness on a global scale. When we watch them perform, we are under the mistaken impression that they either simply had natural ability, or that they were in the right place at the right time. While that may be true, it is more likely that the opposite happened, and that they had to work harder or take a longer route, and that made them stronger competitors.

What makes the principles striking is that they don’t just apply to sports, but to every field of life. Author Malcolm Gladwell wrote how scientific studies show that, across the board 10,000 hours of practice assures world-class ability, whether it be in science, sports, arts, music or other fields. Since sport is considered the laboratory of human life, it makes sense that what the “experimentation” on the playing field can reveal may be replicated in the workplace and everywhere else. In fact, the saying ‘Adversity introduces a man to himself,’ is perfectly apt for sports. It is where we first learn to deal with challenges as an individual and as part of a team.

Commitment. As the saying goes, beginning is half the job done. When John F. Kennedy announced that, in 10 years’ time, the US would put a man on the moon, that set the course, and failure was not an option. When he was a youngster, even before he made his high school basketball team, Michael Jordan told his mother that he would be an Olympian, and he became one more than once. In other belief systems, a strong vow of commitment rallies support from the universe, and things fall into place. 

Inner work. You don’t just use brute physical force or even will to hone your talents or carve yourself into an elite athlete. There are many mental skills involved. First of all, you have to compartmentalize. Leave your problems at the door when you go to work on yourself. All distractions are equal. Whether it was a flat tire or a blow-up with your significant other, you have to set it aside while you train. And that’s just the first step. Learning how to access your subconscious is another necessity, and there are many methods to do it. Phil Jackson studied the psychology of each of his players, and found out what worked for them. Some liked meditation; other preferred just reading or listening to music. 

Establishing a routine. The greatest athletes never take a day off during the season. They train six days a week. They love their job, and that means they take it seriously. Just as an example, the previously mentioned 10,000-hour rule equates to roughly three hours a day for 10 years. That is why many record breakers emerge in their late teens and beyond. But would you have the mental discipline to go to the gym, or do that report or even just be on time when it’s raining, the traffic’s bad, or you just don’t feel like it? Tiger Woods drives 2,000 balls even on tournament days. Before his death, Drazen Petrovic made sure he would make 100 three-pointers before calling it a day. He got so sharp he would only need 103 attempts.

Analyzing strengths and weaknesses. One advice I give kids who want to become athletes is to look ahead at where they think they could be in 10 years or so. The safest advice I give budding basketball players is to learn how to play guard. The NBA has had 5’3” guards and 6’9” guards, but it has never had a 6’3” center. Look at your body type, genetics and even your mental predisposition. The same goes for the workplace. Does your temperament suit an office, field or research setting? Do you like travel, being around people, quietude?

Getting better. The majority of athletes reach their limits when they feel they can no longer exceed what they have done before. In the case of many female athletes, having given birth makes them strong enough to surpass their previous levels. For other athletes, learning new skills, cross training in other sports or traveling gives them new insights into what can be done. Some NFL teams secretly learned the basics of ballet to improve coordination and footwork. When he injured his right hand, Kobe Bryant learned to shoot just as well with his left. When Ethiopian Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila was paralyzed, he became a wheelchair archer. You get the point. Whatever it takes.

Always being prepared. Nonito Donaire is one exemplar of always being ready for when opportunity strikes. He wasn’t really on the radar when Vic Darchinyan announced he was moving up in weight and was making one last title defense. But when asked to replace the original contender, Donaire was ready, and dealt the champion an embarrassing knockout. Since then, the Filipino Flash has not lost a fight, and fought four times last year, when most champions only fought twice.

These are just some of the principles that will be explained and taught in upcoming corporate and public workshops. Watch this column for announcements.

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The first leg of the Kopiko Astig 3-in-One Supercross 2013 fires off at the South Road Properties in Cebu this weekend. The country’s best motorcycle riders have already signified their intent to participate in this 12-leg series.