Diane Conklin

This past Sunday afternoon, I was at the Atlanta Dream vs. Las Vegas Aces game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The arena was still mostly empty. Fans were just beginning to trickle in. The game was still an hour away.

And there was exactly one player on the floor.

A'ja Wilson.

No teammates.

No crowd.

No cameras focused on her.

Just the best WNBA player in the world, putting in extra work.

She was going through drills, taking shots, refining her craft, and preparing long before anyone else was ready to perform.

When she finished, she didn’t just head to the locker room.

She stopped and thanked every person who had been helping her – coaches, assistants, rebounders, and staff. She shook every hand before she went to the locker room.

That moment said everything.

If you want to understand why some people consistently perform at an elite level, pay attention to what they do when no one is watching.

The preparation.
Discipline.
Extra effort.
The gratitude.

Those are the extras that create the result.

A'ja Wilson didn’t become one of the greatest players in the world by relying solely on talent. Talent may open the door, but discipline, preparation, and humility are what keep you at the top.

The same is true in business.

Most people want the outcome without the process.

Everyone wants:

More clients
More revenue
More recognition
More influence
More freedom

But few people want to do the work required to earn those things.

They want:

Instant results
Easy success
Overnight growth
A shortcut

The problem is that lasting success rarely comes from shortcuts.

It comes from showing up early.

Doing the extra reps.

Practicing when nobody is watching.

And saying thank you to the people who help you along the way.

An hour before the game, A'ja Wilson was already preparing to dominate.

That extra hour may not seem significant to the casual observer.

But multiplied over days, weeks, months, and years, those extra hours create extraordinary results.

In business, your “extra hour” might be:

Following up with prospects while others stop after one attempt
Studying your numbers
Improving your marketing
Rehearsing your presentation
Reading and learning
Refining your systems
Calling one more prospect
Writing one more email

The winners are often not dramatically better than everyone else.

They are simply more consistent.

The higher you rise, the more important it becomes to recognize that success is never a solo effort.

In business, there are always people who help you.

The most successful people I know are also among the most grateful.

They understand that appreciation strengthens relationships, and strong relationships are a competitive advantage.

What I witnessed on Sunday was not a special occasion.

It was a habit.

And habits determine outcomes.

If you consistently:

Prepare more
Practice more
Learn more
Improve more
Appreciate more

You will eventually outperform people with greater talent but less discipline.

That is true in sports.

And it is absolutely true in business.

Success Leaves Clues…Pay Attention

If you want greater success, look at what successful people do behind the scenes.

Study their habits.

Observe their discipline.

Notice their preparation.

And adopt the behaviors that produce results.

Because success is not mysterious.

It is often hidden in plain sight.

What is your version of showing up an hour early?

What extra work are you willing to do when no one is watching?

Because success leaves clues.

And if you pay attention to them – and act on them – you can create extraordinary results in your business and your life.

Most people take things at face value and don’t give much thought to things people say…especially people you look up to or respect.

For example, a popular thing people say that many just agree with is “How you do anything is how you do everything.” You’ve probably heard it. Maybe even thought, yep, that’s true.

While on the surface, it may seem like it. It’s certainly a feel-good statement that’s easy to just take at face value and go along with.

But…

…it’s not true.

Think about it.

How I eat a donut is not how I run my business, or how I drive a car, or how I build relationships with my coaching clients, or how I speak from the platform, and so on.

It sounds good on the surface, but that’s really all it is…surface.

It happened Saturday after the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby.

For the first time ever, a woman trainer’s horse won the Derby. At 23-1 odds, coming from the back of the pack, Golden Tempo won the race by a nose.

In the winner’s circle, Cherie DeVaux is quoted as saying “I’m glad that I can be a representative of all women everywhere. That we can do anything we set our minds to.”

That part in question here, for me, is “we can do anything we set our minds to” - as it applies to anyone, not just women.

I’m all for positive thinking and getting your head on straight, not giving up, persevering and being persistent. I’m all for pushing yourself beyond your pre-conceived, false limits.

And, I’m the first to admit, you can learn most things.

You can learn to run a business or to be a good copywriter.

You can learn to play guitar, but will you ever be as good as Jimi Hendrix?

If you are a fully grown man, and you weigh 98 pounds, soaking wet, can you really be the heavy weight boxing champion of the world?

I might be able to learn to sing better but I’m never going to be Whitney Houston, Diana Ross or Beyonce.

Yes, I’m all for you believing in yourself. Pushing your limits and striving past your comfort zone.

Most of the time, we don’t push ourselves hard enough, we don’t accomplish all we could if we really gave it our all.

And nobody can really accomplish anything they set their mind too.

It takes more than wanting to. Sometimes it takes more than working hard to get it.

Most of the time, in business, you can accomplish almost anything you want if you set your mind to it.

Persist.
Commit.
Be disciplined.
Focus.
Be consistent.

It won’t happen overnight.

It may take time.

But, in business you can accomplish great things that positively affect a lot of people.

What have you talked about that you want to accomplish that you haven’t yet?