Sioux City North Boys Basketball

Nick Saban said, "I think the biggest challenge is to stay focused on the things that you can control and not worry about the things that you can't." It means focusing on what matters. Nothing happens without your focus. Your ability to focus makes the difference between success and average. • It's what drives you to stay on track. • It's what drives you to work hard. • It's what drives you to achieve your goals. Nick Saban's 9 Lessons on Focus from his book "How Good Do You Want To Be?" 1. Don't Look at the Scoreboard - Focus on what you can control. it means focusing on your own actions, words, and emotions. You have to eliminate the clutter because there will always be external outcomes or others' opinions that you can't control. This mindset fosters self-improvement over external validation. 2. Climb the Mountain, But Watch Your Step - As you climb the mountain, you have to be even more focused because the pressure on you to finish is greater. Champions never relax, they know that they must be persistent and consistent. It means accepting there will be pressure and distractions. 3. Don't Worry About Mouse Manure When You're Up To Your Ears in Elephant Do-Do - You have to always be able to prioritize what matters. There will always be things that take your attention, but with experience, knowledge, and questions, you can start to master the art of where to focus. This is important because where your focus goes, your energy goes. 4. Being Focused Doesn't Mean Having Tunnel Vision - Tunnel vision is seeing one thing and being inflexible about everything else. Your focus should be on what's important and the ultimate goal. This means balance and focusing on what it takes to get to your bigger vision. 5. Focus on the Center - This means being able to focus fully and concentrate on what you are doing. Think about the commitment and sacrifice that it takes to be great. Think about the quality of each practice and performance. Aim for the center and lock in on your target. 6. A Lack of Focus Can Be the Result of a Lack of Experience - New events will always take your focus because inexperience scatters it. This means having self-awareness and putting yourself in the right mindset. For example, people have difficulty dealing with success because it's new. It takes a different skillset to manage success than reach success. Gaining experience enhances your ability to concentrate. 7. Success is Never Final, Failure is Never Fatal - Accept that there will be successes and failures in life. Both will be just temporary. By accepting it, you help yourself focus on the process and the journey that gets you there. It means concentrating on the inputs over the outcomes. It allows you to celebrate the wins when they do happen. Continual effort and resilience are essential. 8. Accept That You Will Make Mistakes - Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. You can't tolerate consistent mistakes, but you can accept that they will happen. Focus on how you can learn and not repeat those mistakes. When you avoid dwelling on them, you focus on improvement and growth as part of the success process. 9. Lessons Should be Learned in Success and Failure - We all experience wins and losses in life, but what matters is how we grow from it. Walk into each day with a growth-mindset. Reflect and learn from your experiences. Every outcome, whether success or failure, offers valuable lessons. “Focus on the process of what it takes to be successful.” - Nick Saban - - - Follow @coachajkings for more posts like this!