The Hard 90 Podcast With Zach Sorensen

You Become The Average Of The Five People You Spend The Most Time With. Who are you hanging out with. Do they make you better?

Make sure you are focusing on the correct thing. Can you control the outcome? Instead, focus on what it take to get the desired outcome.

Control what you can control. You can control your effort.

Hunter Greene's definition of "compete" centers on total mental and physical dedication to every single pitch over the course of a full game. He has described it as a high-intensity, draining effort that leaves a player "mentally and physically exhausted" by the end.

Based on his interviews, actions, and approach to the game, Mookie Betts defines "compete" not just as trying to win, but through intense preparation, versatility, resilience in the face of failure, and a relentless pursuit of perfection.

10 Things That Require No Talent: 1. Being On Time 2. Attitude 3. Work Ethic 4. Passion 5. Competing 6. Being Coachable 7. Body Language 8. Doing Extra 9. Energy 10. Being Prepared

Compete means to be in the zone and unlocked to go 100 percent.  4 things to know. Be unlocked. Stay locked in on your breath. Know your strengths/weaknesses. Understanding your edge

    In that moment, give every ounce of what you have, to perform the best you can, with helping/performing for the TEAM at the forefront of your thinking ;               If you are only at 80% physically, mentally, etc,  then give 100% of that 80% ! 

"You let him know you're locked in on him from the time you leave the dugout. Then when you walk to the plate, you walk like you can hit. You carry the bat in a positive fashion. You have good body language. You're not bent up. You're not letting your last at-bat leak over, and you're n warrior. You're walking like a man to the plate with a job to do. And it's a one-on-one confrontation. You're going to let it all hang out right there and then. When that one's over, it's wrapped up and put away and you start getting ready for the next one."

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

For an elite athlete, "compete" means performing consistently at the highest possible level where the focus is on winning, pushing physical and mental boundaries, and achieving peak performance. It requires relentless training, extreme discipline, and the ability to perform under pressure. 

1. Effort -if it looks or feels fake, it's not going to cut it. effort is the baseline to competing you have to give effort  2. Emotional stability.. I really like this one because every championship team I watched their emotional stability and poise is next level they get back to the middle so quickly and don't let positives or negatives control their outcomes  3. Selfless energy.. Competing is bigger than a stat line its about winning as a team and being able to hold each other accountable and win together is a big piece in competing  4. Lastly I think Dominating the controllable.. I always loved the quote do boring better if you can dominate your routine's preparation and game plan you will compete with anyone 

One pitch focus Stay confident  Execution focus  Battle-mode no matter the circumstances Good body language could be in there as well

1. Giving best effort (cliche but important) 2. Not afraid of failure  3. Execution of your job or plan 4. Win

Chris Kirk teaches us that a true competitor plays "unlocked" in a state of Fluidity - flow state Effortlessly adapting to environment - adapt and react to each situation as it arises Reaction without panic.  Reacting without a reaction. adapting . the best competitors adapt without effort Continue to move forward no matter what happens

1. Relentless effort - almost all sports reward effort & hustle!  2. Be prepared and execute your plan (what the team needs & the game calls for). 3. Be driven to improve as the game goes on!  4. Be engaged in making your teammates better. 

"Competing is choosing to give full effort and full focus to the next action, regardless of situation or emotion. Generally, people don't stop competing because they don't care or because they lack effort. They stop because distractions and noise get in the way." Steve Cutter

1) Know the game never ends 2) Always give 110% 3) Compare yourself only to yourself 4) Differentiate yourself 5) Learn how to lose 6) Never make excuses 7) Give credit when credit is due

CC Sabathia's definition of "compete" is rooted in intense, fearless preparation and a "give-me-the-ball" mentality, where the primary goal is to win for his team regardless of personal physical pain or circumstances. 

Showing up daily with relentless discipline, consistency, and mental toughness, refusing to quit when it's hard, and outworking everyone through preparation, not relying on natural talent alone to achieve peak performance and win over the long term, often prioritizing team success over individual stats

"Relentlessly destroying opponents mentally and physically through obsessive work, taking their will, and constantly striving to be better than yourself, viewing it as a constant process of improvement, not a destination, fueled by passion and fearlessness to fail" Kobe

Compete: Competition is the greatest thrill a person can experience because it forces them to overcome challenges en route to becoming the best version of themselves.

John Wooden considered enthusiasm a foundational, contagious passion that transforms hard work into exceptional performance. As a cornerstone of his Pyramid of Success, it fuels enjoyment in daily efforts, preventing tedium. He believed genuine love for the task inspires others and is necessary to reach one's full potential. 

With all levels of your co-workers. Listen if you want to be heard. Be interested in finding the best way, not in having your own way.

John Wooden defined loyalty as a core, central element of his Pyramid of Success, emphasizing it as a "cohesive force that forges individuals into a team". It consists of three key components: loyalty to oneself (acting on personal values), loyalty to those depending on you, and maintaining self-respect. It requires unwavering commitment, especially during tough times. 

Friendship, according to Coach Wooden, is the cornerstone upon which all success is built. It's about building strong, positive relationships with others.

John Wooden defined Industriousness as one of the foundational cornerstones of his Pyramid of Success, emphasizing that "there is no substitute for work". It represents, in his view, consistent, hard work combined with careful planning to achieve worthwhile results. 

John Wooden's principle of Intentness is defined as the ability to resist temptation, stay focused on your goals, and be determined and persistent to achieve them, even when facing setbacks, making it a crucial part of his Pyramid of Success. It's about unwavering focus, continuous effort, and refusing to quit, viewing obstacles as setups for comebacks, embodying "patience with action". 

John Wooden viewed initiative as the crucial ability to make decisions and act, even without being told, emphasizing that inaction is the greatest failure, requiring courage to try, fail, learn, and try again, all while building on solid preparation and teamwork.

John Wooden's concept of Alertness within his Pyramid of Success emphasizes being constantly observant, open-minded, and eager to learn and improve from everything and everyone, avoiding tunnel vision and self-absorption to find opportunities for growth, even from mistakes

John Wooden viewed self-control as fundamental, emphasizing discipline, emotional mastery, and focusing on what you can control, rather than reacting to external events, to achieve success and maintain peak performance, famously stating, "Discipline yourself and others won't need to" and that losing it causes everything to "fall."

"This block of the Pyramid addresses a most important characteristic: selflessness which is the opposite of selfishness. I mean by this that you are eager to sacrifice personal glory or gain for the greater good, namely, the welfare and success of your organization, your team, your group. This is a player who would make our team 'great' rather than a someone who was just a 'great player'."

In John Wooden's Pyramid of Success, Skill is a crucial level 4 block, defined as the knowledge and ability to execute fundamentals correctly and quickly, requiring preparation and attention to detail to master techniques, ultimately supporting the top blocks of Poise and Confidence for achieving Competitive Greatness. 

In John Wooden's Pyramid of Success, Condition is a crucial building block in the pyramid's center, alongside Skill and Team Spirit, emphasizing that true success requires holistic fitness: mental, moral, and physical. It's about being prepared and resilient, working through challenges to build inner strength, making the right choices daily, and aligning mind, body, and character to function at your best. 

John Wooden viewed confidence as "respect without fear" built primarily through thorough preparation, self-discipline, and focusing on the process, not just results, enabling poise and the right to be proud. He stressed that you can't expect others to trust you if you don't trust your own preparation, and that true confidence comes from knowing what you are capable of. Wooden's "Pyramid of Success" highlights confidence as a key trait, achieved by mastering fundamentals and consistently doing your best. 

Wooden on Poise: Just be yourself. Being at ease in any situation.  Never fight yourself.

Competitive Greatness. Be at your best when your best is needed. Love the battle.”

Faith is the strong belief in something unseen, while patience is the endurance to wait calmly for it to happen, with both working together in spiritual and personal growth to inherit promises or achieve goals, as faith provides the "why" and patience provides the "how long," preventing discouragement during delays. Faith is the confident expectation, and patience is the steadfast perseverance. All good things take time.

Top 12 Things All Successful Athletes Have In Common 1. Self-Confidence 2. Motivation 3. Self-Discipline 4. Optimism 5. Acceptance of Criticism 6. Poise Under Stress 7. Focus 8. Resiliency 9. Competitive Spirit 10. Natural Leadership 11. Humility 12. Passion

John Wooden defined success as "the peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming," focusing on maximum personal effort and character growth.  What is your definition of success?

Focused on the process, addicted to the result!

Your energy is contagious. Is yours worth catching?

Is it going to end up good? We Will See. Is it going to end up bad? We Will See. Stay judgement free, stay neutral, and We Will See what happens.

Non-judgement allows us to be more attuned to the present moment, instead of worrying about the future or ruminating on the past. When we remove the value-based judgments of our thoughts and remember that they are just thoughts, not facts – we remove their power.

What are you going to say to yourself each morning to remind yourself how amazing you are?

Instead of being in a Tug Of War with the ones that care about you, stand back to back, with arms locked.  Nothing will come in between you.

Spend time each morning writing down 3 things that you are grateful for and you will see a major transformation in your happiness and performance.  What are you grateful for?

Evidence suggests that teammates who touch each other liberally on the court -- high-fives, fist-bumps, hugs, pats and the like -- tend to do that better than players who don't.

“It is real simple. If you want to be a good teammate and if you want people to like you, you MUST be a fountain. Your team does not need drains. Drains only clog thing up.”

Perspective is reality. The attitude you take is a decision you make. What attitude will you bring to the team today?