When the infamous Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz was asked what the secret was to his tremendous success, he responded, “We WIN every day.” WIN was an acronym Holtz built his career upon which stood for, “What’s Important Now?” Holtz encouraged his athletes to ask themselves this continually throughout each day. They were expected to ask it on the field, on the sidelines, in class, at a party, or studying to identify what the most important thing for them to be doing at that moment. If applied, this philosophy can have significant implications on our athletic and personal lives.
Life is full of a lot of clutter which we must cut through to determine where we can make our biggest contribution at this moment. Sport is no different. In a race, we must stay present, tune out all the distractions, and focus on that which will create the greatest result. For example, in transition you have screaming fans, other athletes coming in and out, and the fatigue you are feeling. Despite this, we must ask if focusing on these things is the most important or should we focus 100% on the task of getting our helmet clipped. Possibly you are in the middle of the bike and focused on pacing, nutrition, the competition, and more. What is most important at this moment to keep you on track?
This one question will keep you centered and present amidst the clutter. Stay focused on your great contribution that you can control at this very moment. I am confident that if you begin to apply this to both your personal and athletic life, you will realize tremendous benefits.
