Focusing and executing on what you can control

Control. Think about it. What do you control today? What can you control that you aren't taking advantage of? Are there some things you can control pieces of but get wrapped up in the bigger picture you can't?

I started reading Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court and was immediately sucked into this book. A reoccurring theme in this book is John Wooden taking complete advantage of things he could control and letting go of the things he could not (rankings, hype, streaks, pressure). The result: he won 10 National Championships.

For example, John Wooden would spend time teaching his athletes how to put on socks and tie their shoes properly. Why? Because socks that were put on correctly and without wrinkles prevented blisters. Blisters can affect a players performance. Shoes that were properly laced and tied would help prevent ankle injuries. He could help people control that.

Wooden also spent hours preparing detailed note cards of every single practice he would run. He kept an archive of them and referred back to certain points in the season. Why? Because he could control his preparation and dictate how practice was executed.

How simple is that? Focusing and executing on what you can control.

I have always found understanding what you can and cannot control as a stress reliever for me. Learning from this legendary coach and dedication to execution of what he could control was very inspiring. I recommend you do the same.