Performance coaches work with athletes to train them how to be the best. They help people up their game with confidence-boosting exercises. Many of these coaching methods work equally well if you're striving for excellence in the business world.
At their best, coaches aren't just gung-ho motivators who push people to aim further and try harder. They also give tips on how to perform with consistency, overcome obstacles and keep improving.
"Good coaches help you recognize your blind spots," said Antonio Garrido, author of "My Daily Leadership." "Everybody recognizes that they have blind spots, but nobody knows what they are."
Figuring out how to plug holes to enhance your performance gives you an edge. Leaders with high self-awareness can turn their weaknesses into strengths. Even if you don't hire a performance coach, it's possible to coach yourself to outshine the competition. How do you spur greatness in yourself?
How To Be The Best? Set A High Bar
Hold yourself to a high standard. Set ambitious performance goals that test your mettle.
Garrido, a leadership consultant, asks clients to name their sports hero. They usually cite a superstar such as soccer great Lionel Messi. He then asks, "Are you the Lionel Messi of your world?"
"Most people say no," he said. "I tell them, 'With stars like Messi, it's an everyday pursuit. They're always getting better. They're not a finished article.' "
Strive to keep growing, learning and sharpening your skills. No matter how well you perform, there is always an opportunity to raise the bar.
Engage In Honest Self-Appraisal
Excellence doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of intense concentration and effort.
Knowing what you're doing right and wrong helps you polish your performance. The more you can connect cause and effect — and determine what actions or behaviors produce the best results — the better you can perform.
That's why Garrido suggests keeping a journal. Jot daily notes in which you reflect on lessons learned, smart moves that led to triumphs and steps you can take to improve.
"It builds self-awareness and emotional intelligence to write down your daily reflections with intentionality," he said.
Point The Finger Inward Is How To Be The Best
Performance coaches urge athletes to take responsibility for their actions. If they suffer defeat, coaches warn against blaming others.
"Leaders don't externalize," Garrido said. "They take responsibility" rather than castigate teammates for poor performance.
Create A Vivid Visual Image Of Your Goal
Performance coaches are fans of visualization. They invite clients to imagine achieving their goal — in great detail.
David Nurse, author of "Do It: The Life-Changing Power of Taking Action," worked with pro basketball player Domantas Sabonis in 2018. Nurse asked about his goals. "I want to be an NBA All-Star," Sabonis replied.
Nurse prodded him to add specificity to his goal. Sabonis decided he wanted to make the All-Star team in 2020, two years later. To reinforce the goal, Sabonis adorned the lock screen on his phone with the NBA All-Star logo. It also read, "Tipoff 7:30 p.m., February 16, 2020, Chicago, Ill."
Sabonis made the 2020 All-Star team — and has appeared in two more All-Star games.
Fight Off Doubts: Key To How To Be The Best
Your skills, talents and commitment to excellence only get you so far. Your mindset can make or break you.
Nurse, a Los Angeles-based life coach, says that "negative self-taught thoughts" can cause self-sabotage. So he helps athletes craft their own private "cue words" to fight off negativity.
"It's a mantra that snaps them back to the person they know they are," Nurse said. For example, he cites NBA player Norm Powell who chose "unshakable" as his go-to word.
"He told me he used it 150 times in a game," Nurse said.
