Cracking the Code of Excellence: Five Strategies from Top Performers
During one of my evening runs at the Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels last week, I was tuned in to my favorite podcast The Knowledge Podcast, where Shane Parish interviewed Dr. Gio Valiante, a prominent sports psychologist, and, as usual, flooded my brain with invaluable insights. As other runners passed by, it was inevitable to draw parallels between Valiante’s framework about ways to compete and how each runner had a different pace, running style, and objective, i.e. a different approach to running. I don’t believe in a single recipe for success, so I want to share my takeaways from the podcast and allow you to ponder which strategies might light your own path, both in your professional endeavors and personal growth.
1. Talent
The idea of natural flair and exceptional ability within a specific field is embodied by the most remarkable legends and top performers individuals, such as Lionel Messi, Pablo Picasso, and Eddie Van Halen.
Picasso could reportedly draw before he could talk, made his first oil painting when he was 9, and was admitted to. prestigious Barcelona school at the age of 14. Similarly, Eddie Van Halen was a musical prodigy, particularly on the guitar. Eddie Van Halen had gotten drums for a Christmas gift, and his brother Alex had gotten the guitar. After they both played their respective instruments for months, Alex tells the story that Eddie picked up his guitar and started ripping on licks that Alex had been trying to do for weeks.
As a big football fan, I couldn’t talk about talent and not mention Lionel Messi, who won his 8th Ballon d’Or a week ago. Messi is arguably one of the best players in sports history, and his dribbling skills are basically since he was a kid. It is almost like he was born with that gift.
2. Effort
I wasn’t one of those lucky talented kids with a gift for music, arts, or math. However, I quickly realized that sustained effort can bridge the gap between individuals in numerous fields. I’m one of many who lack innate brilliance and often compensate through sheer hard work, as seen in the case of the renowned trader Steve Cohen. Over 40 years, assuming 250 trading days a year, Steve experienced 10,000 thousand trading days. He took four days off (because he was in the hospital), and it's not because he needed the money, it’s the habit of hard work when people love what they do.
Tiger Woods' legendary golf career exemplifies the significance of embracing the less glamorous aspects of discipline. Woods would focus on perfecting three-foot putts and spend so many hours in deliberate practice of an essential fundament and hit it so many times that it would burn the grass out. And the magic happens when you marry Talent and Effort. Michael Jordan is the ultimate example, he's the best, and he worked the hardest - that’s how you can become legendary.
To be fair, Talent and Effort are the most obvious and straightforward elements, the greatest insights actually came from the following strategies.
3. Differentiated Perspective
Understanding how to view a particular field through a unique and distinctive lens can serve as a powerful strategy for achieving success. In various domains, including stargazing and college football coaching, individuals demonstrate how divergent interpretations of the same objective reality can lead to significant differentiation in performance and outcomes.
In American college football, the distinct coaching approaches of Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer exemplify how different perspectives can shape a team's strategy and ultimately lead to triumph. While Saban prioritizes talent recruitment, Spurrier emphasizes spatial understanding of the field, and Meyer focuses on cultivating speed as a key asset. Similarly in real football (soccer), Champions League coach winner Pep Guardiola believes in the Positional Play philosophy while Copa Libertadores coach winner Fernando Diniz brings the “Relationism” philosophy to his teams.
💡Each coach's distinct perspective underscores the importance of personalized viewpoints in achieving competitive advantages within the same sport.
Additionally, in the field of investments, money managers apply different perspectives in their strategies, such as prioritizing trade speed, emphasizing the significance of "slugging" (betting consistently on trades of the same value), or focusing on recognizing valuable investment opportunities and “going big” when they spot a relevant opportunity. These varied viewpoints demonstrate how differentiated perspectives can yield distinct advantages, allowing individuals to capitalize on unique insights and approaches to secure exceptional returns in the marketplace.
4. Rigorous Disciplined Process
The next strategy is process, and Valiente refers explicitly to a rigorous disciplined process. If one has the consistency of process, it acts as a safeguard against the natural variability of life, and if you make mistakes, you know where to look.
💡“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” - Aristotle (although chances are he never actually said that)
Implementing a rigorous and disciplined process forms a cornerstone for achieving excellence and sustained success, as underscored by the concept that consistent habits define the output of an individual's life. By fostering consistent processes in various aspects of life, such as maintaining a regular schedule, adhering to a consistent diet, and ensuring regular exercise, individuals can create a reliable framework that enables efficient decision-making and cognitive functioning.
In his work coaching Golf players, Valentine implemented the "The Fearless golf routine", in which he would emphasize pre-shot, in-shot, and post-shot routines. This routine instills a sense of constancy and purpose, fostering mental resilience and focus even amidst high-pressure competitive environments. You can easily observe similar patterns in tennis players like Rafael Nadal and his meticulous preparation for every serve. It’s a practical example of the “Wash, Rinse, and Repeat” approach.
Moreover, understanding the importance of a solid process isn't just limited to sports—it's a big deal in the business world too. Having a methodical and consistent approach is what keeps the ball rolling for long-term wins and positive results.
5. Hire Effectively
So, if you don't have those other things you can still hire to effectively compensate for your gaps. It's like building a dream team that fills in your gaps and makes you even stronger. We can look at someone like Ken Griffin, the brain behind Citadel, a multinational hedge fund. He's not just a whiz at trading, but he's also nailed the art of putting together a team focused on bringing their A-game in a business model that's the ultimate meritocracy.
And hey, this isn't just about sports. If you're managing a team, knowing how to pick the right people is a game-changer. If you can understand people and steer your team in the right direction, you're already halfway there.
💡 Success isn't just about one superstar—it's about having a squad that clicks together, ready to take on any challenge that comes their way by bringing their unique strengths to the team's quest for greatness.
Bonus: Luck
The bonus way to outperform is to get lucky. We have a natural tendency to overestimate causality and find logical explanations for every event, but, as Nassim Taleb highlights in his book “Fooled by Randomness”, we tend to view the world as more explainable than it really is. Luck plays a critical role in life and some people are simply more lucky in life.
So if that's your path to winning, it happens sometimes, but so does the other side of luck.
It's time to reflect on your own journey to success and consider which of these strategies resonates with your aspirations. You may adopt different strategies for different aspects of your life (professional or personal). Are you a Picasso, mastering your craft with an innate talent that seemingly defies the norms? Or are you more of a Tiger Woods, harnessing the transformative power of relentless effort to carve your path to greatness? Perhaps you're a shrewd manager, adept at assembling a team that excels beyond individual brilliance, or maybe you believe in the element of luck, waiting for the universe to align in your favor. Whatever your approach, remember that the pursuit of success is a dynamic journey, one that embraces a blend of these powerful strategies, each contributing its unique essence to your narrative.