Ever think that in order to become successful, you have to come up with some brand new idea that no one has ever seen, with all sorts of gadgets and gizmos and super cool thingamajiggers?
Coming up with a new drill or idea is one way to achieve massive success. But it isn’t necessary. And it can be the most challenging road to success of them all.
You see – many people have found lots of success just taking a drill and progression that already existed and simply put their own twist on it. They add their own spice and adapt the drill to their facility and their current group of gymnasts. (Side note, time has shown me that EVERY generation of gymnasts is VERY different. What works with one does not necessarily work with another).
You must have mastered the basics as a coach and instill those basics in your gym with all the athletes. Then you and the gymnasts start continue your journey. But that doesn’t mean you have to blaze a trail. Reality is that someone has been there before. Why reinvent the wheel?
Taking that a step further – if you want to become an “expert” or a “success”, find out what those who are successful in that niche are doing and then do it. One of the things I absolutely LOVE about our sport is that nearly every coach is more than willing to share their ideas and drills! If not- this very journal would not exist.
I’m sure that this isn’t late-breaking news and you have heard this many times before. It doesn’t mean you have to become a carbon copy of anyone else; however, you do have to learn to master the basics of the sport, find out what makes you different, put your own twist on it, and get going!
To quote my Grandmother, “Everyone in our family has their own recipe for sauce, we all add a little different spice, but we still all start with tomatoes!”
Solomon may still say it best: “there is nothing new under the sun.”
The same is true in business. Don’t believe me? Think about it: most great inventions are improvements on a previous invention.
Apple is one of the greatest case studies on how to capitalize off of improvements. They gained success with the iPod…then they released another one…AND another one…and then the iPhone…and another one…AND yet another one…then the iPad…now the iPad 2…
You catch my drift?
Did you notice that Apple never has sales specials? You won’t find a clearance rack in their stores. (Trust me, I checked!) They never offer BOGOs (Buy One Get One FREE specials). Nope – they just market, sell and upgrade; then wash, rinse and repeat.
And yet people continue to buy their products time and time again, whether their products are a necessity or not. Be honest – you know a few folks who claim to be broke and do not have a business, yet they own an iPod, iPhone, an iPad (WITH 3G) and the list goes on…
I’m convinced that 20 years from now, people will be buying the iPhone 36 – WITH teleporting capabilities. (OK…maybe just hoping…)
But I digressed…
You need to find a mentor. Go and see what the most successful coaches have done and are doing. Learn from each one you go see. What drills, progressions and ideas will work in your facility and within you overall coaching facility. Then add your own spice.
Actor Will Smith talking about how he became the “Summer Box Office King”.Wanna know what he did?
By simply studying the Top 10 Bestselling Movies Of All Time and seeing what they had in common, he discovered 8/10 had special effects and creatures. So in order to become the #1 bestselling actor of all time, he started seeking out scripts that had special effects and creatures. And it didn’t end there; he knew that he would need to be in great shape for these movies, so he took action and started training for them. He lives by this mantra:
If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready!
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