Relentless
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Things I Highlighted is a bulleted list of particular sentences in a book that stuck out to me. These cannot be viewed as general summaries of books, but rather parts of books that struck me in a way that demanded more of my attention. Typically I share one thing I highlighted from each chapter, so they will appear in the same order they appear in the book. This version of Things I Highlighted will cover Relentless, a book that outlines how the best in the world continue to get better, and how you can too.
Relentless
The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get
That's what champions do; they put people in place to get results and make everyone else around them look better. A Cleaner's attitude can be summed up in three words: I own this. He walks in with confidence and leaves with results.
Chapter 1: You keep pushing yourself harder when everyone else has had enough.
When I train my athletes, it's a dictatorship with three rules: show up, work hard, and listen. If you can do those three things, I can help you. If you can't, we have no use for each other.
Chapter 2: You get into the Zone, shut out everything else, and control the uncontrollable.
You can look around you in any situation and see those who get it and those who don't. On a team, in business, in any group, you'll have those who are there for the paycheck, and those who understand the mission. As in an intricate military operation, everything has a reason and a result. A Cleaner operates out of pure desire for that result because he knows he must execute or fail. There is no other way.
Chapter 3: You know exactly who are you.
Instinct is the opposite of science: research tells you what others have learned, instinct tells you what you have learned. Science studies other people. Instinct is all about you. Are you willing to base your decisions and actions on research done by and about people you don't know, whose best advice is to tell you to change? Who knows you better than you know yourself?
Chapter 4: You have a dark side that refuses to be taught to be good.
When you are standing at the edge of the Zone, it's your dark side that drives its seductive finger into your back and whispers, "Go."
Chapter 5: You're not intimidated by pressure, you thrive on it.
It all goes back to confidence. When you're challenged, do you bring the pressure, or do you let the other guy push you into a corner? Do you feel trapped like a rat or do you attack first? Do you pull back, afraid of the fight, or do you make the other guy get in the mud with you?
Chapter 6: When everyone is hitting the "In Case of Emergency" button, they're all looking for you.
You have to be willing to fail if you're going to trust yourself to act from the guy, and then adapt as you go. That's the confidence or swagger that allows you to take risks and know that whatever happens, you'll figure it out. Adapt, and adapt again.
Chapter 7: You don't compete with anyone, you find your opponent's weakness and you attack.
At some point, whether you're in the boardroom or the locker room or anywhere else you want to excel, someone is going to point in your direction and say, "You." It may be an opportunity that lasts a minute, maybe ten minutes, maybe a week or a month. But what you do in that time is going to determine what you're going to do for a long time after.
Chapter 8: You make decisions, not suggestions; you know the answer while everyone else is still asking questions.
Most people don't want to make decisions. They make suggestions, and they wait to see what everyone else thinks, so they can say, "It was just a suggestion." They know the right answer, but can't act because if something goes wrong, they'll have to take responsibility and then they can't blame anyone else.
Chapter 9: You don't have to love the work, but you're addicted to the results.
Making it to the top is not the same as making it at the top. True for any business; getting the job doesn't mean you're keeping the job; winning the client doesn't mean he's staying forever.
Chapter 10: You'd rather be feared than liked.
When you're the guy at the top, you show others how to act, you don't drop down to their level. You command respect and make them measure up to your standards, not the other way around.
Chapter 11: You trust very few people, and those you trust better never let you down.
Whether you're an athlete, an entrepreneur, a CEO, a rock star, or you're just starting out in life, know what you know, and what you don't know. Most of the time when we ask for advice, we don't want the truth. We want the answer we're seeking. Be open to advice that goes against what you want.
Chapter 12: You don't recognize failure; you know there's more than one way to get what you want.
One of the hardest things to do is to change course once you've set your goals. You made a decision, you worked for it, you earned the payoff . . .but for whatever reason, it's not going the way you planned. It's not weak to recognize when it's time to shift directions. It's weak to refuse to consider other options and fail at everything because you couldn't adapt to anything.
Chapter 13: You don't celebrate your achievements because you always want more.
The greatest battles you will ever fight are with yourself, and you must always be your toughest opponent. Always demand more of yourself than others demand of you. Be honest with yourself, and you'll be able to meet every challenge with confidence and the deep belief that you are prepared for anything. Life can be complicated; the truth is not.