“If you don’t practice you don’t deserve to win.” – Andre Agassi
In 2002 NBA MVP & Future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson held one of the most famous press conferences in sport’s history.
Iverson was 3 days removed from his team being eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
Emotions were raw.
There were rumors he was on the outs with his head coach.
People around the team whispered he was giving less than 100% at PRACTICE.
A.I. took his frustrations out with a rant about PRACTICE.
The word PRACTICE was said over 20 times in a 5 minute period.
A.I. downplayed its importance.
He told the media as long he gave everything he had during the game, PRACTICE did not matter.
The press conference was immortalized with his famous quote:
“We’re talking about practice.”
With all due respect to THE ANSWER…
LET’S TALK ABOUT PRACTICE.
PRACTICE is a force multiplier.
It’s a DIFFERENTIATOR.
PRACTICE makes POTENTIAL reality.
It creates MOMENTUM.
From playing in the NBA to the world of SALES – PRACTICE matters.
PRACTICE can reveal a person’s true CHARACTER.
Many people claim to be “hard workers”.
PRACTICE proves it.
PRACTICE creates champions.
Muhammad Ali said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses…in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”
Want to see how much CONFIDENCE a salesperson has?
Just tell them you will video their PRACTICE session and play it back for their peers to critique.
I have seen experienced SALESPEOPLE crumble at the thought.
WHAT WE NEED TO PRACTICE:
SKILL BUILDING
This is the PHYSICAL side of PRACTICE.
This is Old School practice.
This is the SALESPERSON writing down and rehearsing thought provoking questions before their BIG meeting.
This is the BJJ student drilling a new move dozens of times to ELEVATE their game.
This is the NBA star shooting hundreds of foul shots after practice to fix a problem.
You find something you need to get better at, then – REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT…
PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE
This is the MENTAL side of PRACTICE.
This involves losing your EGO.
This is having the guts to try something new.
It brings about the possibility of you looking foolish doing so.
This is putting yourself out in the arena, again and again, to either succeed or fail.
This type of PRACTICE is far more rare.
It’s gettin knocked down, making adjustments, and having the guts to try again.
This is knowing you have to EVOLVE and having the COURAGE to do so.
This type of PRACTICE gives no guarantee.
Seth Godin writes, “This is doing things that might not work.”
PRACTICE IS A MINDSET
In Carol Dweck’s book MINDSET, she proves the greats in every field are MADE, not BORN.
How?
PRACTICE.
The world is filled with talented people who never ESCAPE AVERAGE.
But not you.
You’re better than that.
Here’s THE ANSWER…
#TimeToPractice
-Joe Ciccarone
The Vibe 