Breakthrough

CHAPTER 3Q2: Smelling What: Breakthrough Cooperation

As you move into the second quarter of your day, shift your focus to the “what”—what relationships matter?

Your daily breakthrough success isn't tied to what you got on your SATs, the prestige of the college you attended, what you do for a job, how big your house is, or even how elite your strengths are—it's all about your relationships. You don't focus on breakthrough confidence first because you come first—you work on your breakthrough confidence first so you're giving your absolute best to your team.

Routinely scheduling and creating breakthroughs requires relying on others. And not just for the little stuff or side jobs: you need to truly partner with people and trust them to play intricate roles. You cannot and will not achieve any significant breakthrough without cooperation. All the people who have changed the world—every mad scientist and inventor, tech innovator, artist, religious figure, writer, and doctor you can name—worked intensely in breakthrough cooperation with others.

Trusting in external variables? Not making it all happen yourself? Those are very tough pills for elite performers swallow. Trust me, I know! I was laser‐focused on playing in the NBA for twenty years, and I didn't have the type of talent that attracts an entourage at a young age. The grind‐it‐out path is hard and lonely, but I took pride in the idea that one day, I'd be a self‐made man.

I fought my way through the international basketball ...