That is not the point of this post though. Surprisingly, this post isn't even technically about sports, but rather lessons I have learned from playing sports and watching teams like Alabama. Nick Saban, Alabama's head coach and arguably the greatest coach in college football history says it best- Trust The Process. What is the process? It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. It is the steps you must be willing to take in order to get the result that you want. One of Nick Saban's greatest quotes reads "Know what you want to accomplish and focus on the process rather than the outcome." At the end of the day, the outcome doesn't matter as long as you gave it your all trying to reach the desired outcome.
So next time you sit down and think about any goals you want to accomplish, also think about what you need to do to reach those goals. Too often we forget this step. We much rather just look at the goal and assume we will eventually reach it. Let's say you want to do well in a certain class, well how can you accomplish this? The first step is to typically try to do well on the tests. And how are you going to do this? Study! Obviously that is a simple goal that has a direct path to accomplishing it. A more complicated example would be setting a goal like trying to lose ten pounds. There isn't a set way to go about losing the weight. Some may try to eat healthier, others may try exercise, and the others will try a combination of the two. After choosing a method in which to shed the weight, one must stop focusing on the goal, but rather embrace the process. Enjoy the sweat that comes from the workout, enjoy the satisfaction of making a healthy choice in foods, and know that the struggle is worth it in the end. You can't just set a goal to lose weight and give just a little effort and get the result you desire. Life, and nothing in life, works that way.
Another great quote from Nick Saban is "Success doesn't come from pie-in-the-sky thinking. It's the result of consciously doing something each day that will add to your overall excellence." I love this quote and tend to think about it when people here at college say "I want to drop out and just go home." Yeah I realize this is just a joke most of the time but to those of you who are serious I must ask will going home make you a better person? College is a time in which we should be pushing ourselves and trying to improve each and every day. I like to relate this quote to building a resume. Whenever you do something that sets you apart from others, you are adding to your overall excellence i.e. you can put it on your resume!
The last quote I would like to talk about is "There are three things we can't have. We can't have complacency, we can't have selfishness, and we can't lose our accountability." This quote is more applicable in a group setting, but it can be applied on an individual level as well especially when talking about complacency. We as humans are far from perfect, and so we should be trying to improve ourselves each and every day. Too often we become complacent and say things like "well that's just who I am" or "that's just how I'm wired." Those kinds of sayings really get on my nerves because it is a sign of complacency (although I admit I have said such things). I truly believe that everyone is capable of change, but people fall short because they don't embrace the process. People often give up when the going gets tough. These people need to understand that nothing in life is given and that everyone has to put in the work to get to where they want to be.
Selfishness and accountability are more of an issue with groups and teams, but they can also be talked about on an individual level. For example, surrounding yourself with unselfish people who will hold you accountable is one of the most important keys to success. DON'T surround yourself with negative people because soon you'll find yourself being negative as well. Negativity distracts you from the goal at hand. On the other hand, a positive attitude keeps you focused. Ok sure it's only natural to be negative from time to time, but the key is to have a short memory. Look at the reason why you're negative, learn a lesson from it, then move on. Don't dwell on the thing that is giving you negative thoughts. It is certainly easier said than done, but work on it and it will get easier with time (TRUST THE PROCESS).
So yeah, those are some lessons I've learned from playing and watching sports. That's not to say that I am perfect and follow all these guidelines and suggestions perfectly because I don't. I am working on it though. It is a daily grind that I am in trying to better myself. Too often in today's world we search for the quick solution- I am guilty of that. But starting today I am going to trust and embrace the process in many aspects of my life. Forget the outcome... Focus on the process... Accomplish your goals.
Roll Tide!
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