Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else

Author's Note

At the heart of who I am, I consider myself a student first and a teacher second. I believe that the key to success is to be a lifelong learner—to always be learning and growing. During my Training Camp of life I have had many teachers along the way who have influenced me and this book. I'd like to acknowledge the following people for positively impacting this book:

Mike Smith, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, told me the concept of "ability and sustainability." The idea of the coin was also inspired by him. I also decided to have Coach Ken visit the training room after I read an article stating that Coach Smith often visited players in the training room to see how they were doing.

This book would not have been the same without the invaluable advice of Tony Boselli, a former College All American and Pro Bowl lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tony shared his thoughts with me on what it meant to be the best from the perspective of an athlete and a man of faith. Tony influenced the ideas of "being uncomfortable as a part of growth," "embracing fear," and the idea that "during training camp everyone turns to something, and you have to turn to the right things."

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, has inspired me greatly in my writing and speaking, especially in the concepts of "focusing on the process" and "continuous improvement." Steve Jamison, the coauthor of The Essential Wooden, inspired the concept of the telescope and the microscope as a part ...