One of the most important things you can do as an athlete is consistent in how you prepare. So many games are won or lost in preparation, and how well and consistently you get and stay prepared can make or break your career.
Getting and staying prepared isn't always fun. It is hard work that requires discipline. Boxing champion Muhammad Ali once said, "I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'"
NBA legend Kobe Bryant was known for being one of the hardest workers and most prepared athletes ever. Preparation was so important to him that Kobe would read the referee's rule books so that he knew everything he could about how the game was officiated. But there are distractions everywhere, and we have to learn how to manage them if we want to find and maintain consistency in our preparation.
Here is what Kobe said about his ability to prepare consistently while playing for the US National Team:
“My routine with Team USA, compared to my NBA routine, was inconsistent. I tried to stick to my regular road workouts, but the big unknown was always the environment. During the NBA season, I knew how every city and stadium operated, which made it easier for me to visualize everything from the bus ride to the final buzzer. When you go to China, Spain, the UK, or Turkey, you don’t know what the bus to the game is going to look like, you don’t know what the training room is going to look like, and you don’t know the layout of the arenas. Those details tend to vary, so I had to adjust accordingly. Mentally, though, I approached national team games with the utmost intensity. I knew I was playing against guys I had never faced before, and I knew I was going to defend the other country’s best player, so I locked in. I studied a lot of film and tried to figure out who my opponents were. The last thing I wanted to do was risk stepping out blindly against an unknown-but-great player. Preparation was critical.”
If you want to be the best you can be, be consistent in how you prepare. The work that you put in, every day, makes a big difference - especially over time.
Do something today, tomorrow, and every day after that your future self will thank you for.
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