Tim Grover - W1nning

TG came to the US when he was 4 years old and is of Indian origin. His Dad was a doctor, but had a stint disposing off cadavers after the medical students were done. Because they couldn't afford a baby-sitter, young Grover had to watch that, when he was just four!

I give it three stars only because I feel it used up pages unnecessarily. He's had a good life and he's telling us useful stuff. Essentially - don't make excuses - admit that it wasn't a lack of time, it was a lack of focus and failing to set priorities properly. Now, I can't wait to get my hands on his other books.

"The greats know how to put on a different face in certain situations that require it, and take it off when it matters. M] was polite and polished and said the right thing with his sponsors and audiences and interviewers. But put him in his own environment, in the gym, on the court... the real guy came out. No inhibitions, no limitations on what he would say or do to get his message across."

WINNING isn’t heartless, but you’ll use your heart less.

Stop being afraid of what you’ll become. You should be more afraid of not becoming that.

Michael would always answer his questions and help him learn. That’s a major trait of the greats, by the way: They want to pass along their knowledge so the next generation can keep learning. That’s the difference between competing and winning. I hear this all the time from my corporate clients: “We know how to compete. Now we need to learn how to win.” It’s not always the same thing.

Part of MJ’s greatness was that ability to execute; even the smallest details of his movements enabled him to act and react faster than almost anyone else on the court. He could get his shots off quickly because he caught the ball with his knees bent, and his shoulders already squared up to the shot, so he was already in position to shoot. Most players catch the ball, and then get in position to take the shot. MJ was already there; the gun was already locked and loaded. He rarely had to reposition his body or turn his shoulders after the pass; all he had to do was catch and turn his head to see the basket.

I’m often asked about the differences and similarities between the two. I don’t like to compare, because to me they were so different and unique that it’s an injustice to both. But if you want a basic summary, I’ll give you this:
Kobe worked harder. M] worked smarter.
Kobe never stopped. He questioned me about every aspect of our training; he needed to know why and how everything worked. He didn’t always want to be there— Wlmt we got 16f}?— but he always did the work, and he always came back for more.

I was doing some consulting for a tech company that decided to let go of its top performer because she had a reputation for being “difficult.” She didn’t get along with everyone, they said; she pushed others too hard and often made people uncomfortable by insisting that everyone needed to do better. Someday maybe I’ll understand why that’s a bad thing; I’ll take difficult and effective over easy and incompetent any day. But there were ego and personality issues, probably because the pressure and tension were too high, and management decided it would be better for “morale” to let her go, along with her huge book of business and years of experience.

And within a month of her departure, morale and productivity actually got worse, because those who had the issues with her suddenly had no one to blame for their poor performances, and no one to hold them accountable. And eventually, her former bosses realized that the person who was the “problem” was actually the one holding it all together.

Like being “selfish,” being “alone” is a powerful condition with a bad reputation.

When people talk of Kobe’s greatness, they often say, “He put in the work.” True, but they’re missing the point. Players like M] and Kobe didn’t just work, they constantly and consistently elevated the work, because to get out of hell, you have to elevate everything. They never stayed with what got them there, they were always adding pieces that would take them higher.

My best interns were the guys who’d come in early, stay late, pick up towels, and do things without being asked or told. They came to us without living arrangements, without other obligations, without any motives except a sincere desire to learn and contribute. On the other hand, we had guys who were just impressed. Impressed with themselves, impressed to be around the athletes, impressed by who they knew and how they could use it. They could only stay for a week because they had a vacation planned. They needed us to provide housing (we didn’t). They wanted to negotiate their pay.

I’d ask them a question and they’d answer, “I guess.” You guess? I don’t need you to guess, I can guess on my own. I need you to care enough to find out.

I understand the benefit of creating a certain kind of culture, but let it be a culture that rewards success, not the need for perks. If your people are showing up principally because you have a basketball court and free cookies on Fridays, you have the wrong people around you.

Kobe sprinted through life like no one I’ve ever known. He had no hobbies or distractions. Didn’t play golf, didn’t hang out with buddies, didn’t go to parties. Occasionally, he’d decide to see a movie and would rent out the whole theater so he could take a small group of friends or family to see it privately, usually twice in a row. Otherwise, he trained. He practiced. He studied film. Besides his beautiful family, which was his top nonv basketball priority, his entire focus centered on one obsession: Winning.

A remarkable life, with remarkable achievements. Which led many to ask: How was he able to achieve so much in the time he was given? Kobe’s secret weapon: He had the unfaltering ability to focus on what he was doing, for as long as he needed to, until he got the results he wanted.

Most people worry about how long something will take. Winners just keep gomg until it gets done.

Here’s another way to retrain your mind: Count up to a deadline, not down. Time forces you to count down to the finish: 5... 4... I have so much left to do... 3... hurry up, I’m running out of time... 2... I’m not going to make it... 1. Time’s up. The clock ran out.

Focus counts up. The numbers are infinite, and the clock never runs out. 1... 2... Here’s what’s ahead to reach the goal... 3... Let’s get started... 4... Stop counting and just do the work.

To me, a sense of urgency is the ultimate distinction between those who win and those who watch others win.

That sense of “gotta have it now” defined Kobe’s spirit. His impatience was legendary; there was always work to be done and he had zero tolerance for those who wouldn’t do it.

Winners have one fear, and it isn’t about losing. They can come back from a loss, they can find another way to win. They fear not having enough time.

Most people accept that they won’t get to do everything in their lifetime. Winners can’t accept that. They need to finish. Everything.

Because ultimately, Winning is immortality. It’s your legacy, the culmination of what you’ve accomplished, what you’ve built, what you contributed.

Talent - Intelligence - Competitiveness - Resilience