#6 The Little Things

     “Any job worth doing is a job worth doing right. If you are told to clean a toilet you will do that to the best of your ability.” This quote has resonated with me for years. I believe that all students-athletes should live by this ideology. If the phrase “clean a toilet” was replaced with “do the little things” the message of the quote would remain the same. Not only does it encompass a similar mentality as described in the last blog, but it can also be used to describe the manner that the “little things” should be approached.
      It has been said a hundred times in a hundred different ways; “in order to succeed you have to do the little things right.” Although a cliché, this may be the most important advice given to someone who wants to become successful on any platform. The military is only as strict as it is because it forces soldiers to do the little things habitually and without second thought. These habits are what turn a scrawny, undisciplined, 18-year-old boy/girl into a badass, almost machine-like, 18-year-old, grown man/woman: an absolute force to be reckoned with.
      What do the little things look like? The little things are everywhere, in everything, present at any time. Little things are putting your belongings back in the right place when you are done with them so that you never lose anything, and your room is clean. Staying organized matters because knowing where your belongings are when you are in a rush will prevent you from being late. It is important because you never know when someone might walk into your room and see a mess. It also forms the habit of discipline and will pay off later in life when you are a parent and a homeowner. Little things are hustling at practice because effort is completely controllable. By stressing the importance of hustling you will learn what it means to give 100% of your effort 100% of the time. Again, building discipline that will become a huge tool later in life. Little things are getting your practice gear ready in the morning so you can get on the field that much quicker in the afternoon; bringing everything you need and more wherever you go, because you never know when you might need something; getting a few extra reps before or after practice to iron out wrinkles or perfect a skill so that you become a better player; saying “hello” and “goodbye” to your teachers every day because that may just help you out when you are a few points from getting the grade you want or when you need a recommendation; eating a few more bites after you are full because you want to gain weight for your sport. There are unlimited examples of the little things and they all add I the end. By doing these little things right every day, the bigger things become easier and no longer seem so big anymore.
      The sacrifice of time and effort that goes into getting the little things right more than pays for itself in discipline and good karma in the future. Things just go right when you do what is right. GIGO: Garbage In Garbage Out.

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