What if I told you there was a word that captures the frame of mind you need to be in to perform at your very best? When you internalize it, this is a word that leads to a mind that trusts your training and a body that executes without hesitation or doubt.

If you’re a golfer, you might already know what’s coming.

Commit.

Commit to the shot. Commit to the pitch. Commit to whatever task you are executing at the moment.

Understanding what it means to commit can be tricky, so it’s helpful to start with what it means to not commit. A lack of commitment means you have a tinge of doubt, you lack a vivid picture of what you’re trying to execute, and as a result you aren’t as aggressive and decisive with your execution. Your clubface wavers, the release of your pitch is slightly off, you are one degree off of where you need to be. And in sport, one degree can make all the difference.

So here are three ways you can be more committed, regardless of your sport/performance arena:

Compete. It’s a word that you hear more and more out of the mouths of coaches, athletes, and even announcers. The word calls up an image of two individuals or teams battling back and forth, doing everything within their power to come out on top. When the dust settles, there is one winner and one loser. One has “out-competed” the other.

But the true roots of the word, compete, contain a contrast that is subtle yet profound. The word we know as “compete” comes from the Latin word competere, which means “to strive with”. To strive WITH. This definition brings to mind a very different image - two adversaries pushing each other, still striving for a lofty goal but not necessarily at the expense of the other.

Don’t misunderstand me - I’m not making the case that competition should be divorced from results, or from the desire to win. My point is that competition is at its finest when it is bringing out the best in both (or all ) competitors. Anyone who has played or coached at a high level knows intuitively that a challenging opponent is much more likely to bring out your best performance than an overmatched foe. There is something inside each of us that can only be drawn out in the heat of truly challenging competition.

As is the case any time the stage is bigger and the lights are brighter, the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills offers some valuable lessons to those paying close attention. It has been said that success leaves clues, and this past weekend left us with some great insights.

1) There is more than one route to the top

Brooks Koepka took an unusual path to the top of his sport. “To be honest, I’m not a big golf nerd,” Koepka told Golf Digest last year. “Golf is kind of boring, not much action. I come from a baseball family and it’s in my blood.” Say what you will about the merits of his baseball-is-full-of-action take, but the important takeaway here is that there are alternatives to the “specialize early, forsake all other pleasures in a joyless, obsessive, pursuit of greatness” route.

It is often said that the Masters tournament doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday. However, a detailed look at some of 2017 winner Sergio Garcia’s quotes both past and present reveal that his victory was the culmination of a journey that started many years before. There is much that can be learned from watching the world’s best perform under the brightest lights. Here are three lessons we can apply in our own lives, whether athlete, coach, or leader.

“Leadership is the ability to make those around you better and more productive. Leadership isn’t a rank — it’s not only for the coach, it’s not only for the captain, it’s not only for the seniors. It’s a skill. If I’m the leader, that means everyone else is a follower. I’m not happy with that.”
Jack Clark, Head Coach, University of California Rugby

When a coach with 25 national titles in 33 years speaks on leadership, it’s best to listen and take notes. Jack Clark has been leading the University of California’s rugby program for over three decades. His resume speaks for itself. And his definition of leadership is both simple and profound.

As a reader of this newsletter, you are either a coach leading a program, an athlete aspiring to become a leader, or a parent leading your family. One reason I love Clark’s definition is its relevance to each of us no matter our circumstances.

Leadership is the ability to make those around you better. It isn’t a rank, it’s a skill - and if it’s a skill, then it can be trained.