“The more you sweat in training, the less you’ll bleed in battle.”

Warrior’s Proverb

Performing to a standard, regardless of environment, circumstances, or the stakes, is paramount to being successful, in any endeavor.  I watched that crazy high-wire guy, walk across the Grand Canyon.  And true to the American way, the coverage started hours before hand, in order to squeeze as much advertising dollars out of the stunt.  During the lead in, the cameras followed the guy in the months leading to the event.  He was training for the event near his home, on a wire that was barely a few feet off the ground.

He was asked just prior to stepping out on the Grand Canyon wire, what he would be thinking about during the feat.  He said, “During training, at home, I was over the Grand Canyon in my mind.  Today, in my mind, I’ll be training at home.”

Nick Saban, the head coach for the Alabama football team, has been known to lay a 2”x4” length of board on the floor in the locker room, and have the team walk across it.  The team, of course, does it easily.  Then Coach Saban asks, “How easy would it be to walk across the board if it was connecting two skyscrapers?”

Nick goes on to tell the team, it should be just as easy.  The only thing that would make it harder would be thinking about failing, instead of thinking about the process of doing what you did when the board was on the floor.

The more you concentrate and focus on performing to a standard (Hint: Excellence) during practice, training, and preparation time, the easier it will be to execute flawlessly during crunch time, when the stakes are high, and falling means death.

Boo yah!