When work ethic meets success: commitment, execution, consistency

On Saturday afternoon I was at the track doing a run workout and while I’m there, there is a teenager on the soccer field by himself doing drills. He looked to be 14 or 15 years old. If it was in September when soccer season is going on I wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but it was June 4th and about a week from school letting out.

I’m sure most of his friends are at the pool, hanging at the mall, or playing video games. And why shouldn’t they? After all, they’ve worked hard all year in school and deserve to settle back and recharge. But this kid. He’s out there by himself on a Saturday afternoon in June when it’s 90+ degrees doing sprints back and forth, drills with the ball, and everything in between.

The next day I’m out for a bike ride, on my way home, and I pass this basketball court by my house. There is another teenager, probably 15 or 16, by himself on the court with cones setup doing basketball drills. A super hot Sunday afternoon and he could be doing anything, but he chooses to do work.

Whether their goal is to win a high school championship or play in the NBA, these two young men are going to be equally successful outside the athletic world and anything they set their mind to.

Having a strong work ethic is a lifestyle that goes far beyond results and it covers many different aspects of life. It’s a part of who you are, what you stand for, and shows the world that you are proud of the things you do. It’s seen in the way you get up in the morning. It’s seen in the way you raise your children (if you’re a parent), it’s seen in your career, and how you treat the people around you. It’s seen in everything you do in your life.

There are three things I’ve found contribute to creating a strong work ethic:

1. Commitment

In my mind a strong commitment always comes down to the WHY. Why you want to do something. You can know what you want to do, how you’re going to do it, and who can help you, but without the why, your chances of sticking to it during the tough times are much less. You are going to hit challenges in your journey. Things are going to get tough. You are going to want to quit at times. And having that why in your back pocket to pull out when you hit those obstacles will re-enforce the deep passion you have for what it is you are doing. You’ll accept the hard times as lessons of growth and you’ll stay committed to your path.

2. Execution

The phrase, ‘talk is cheap’ is pretty accurate. Nothing ever gets done unless you take action. Nothing. In order to do work, well, you have to actually do work. Come up with a plan, stick to it, and execute the heck out of it.

3. Consistency

When I was in my early 20s I sent an email to Cam Brown, one of the best Ironman triathletes in the world. He’s won multiple Ironmans and has finished top 3 at the coveted Ironman Hawaii. In my email to him I wrote that he inspires me and asked if he has any advice about training and racing. In his reply he wrote, ‘don’t worry about putting in the big hours right now. You’ll get there. Consistency is what you want to focus on. Day in day out, month after month, year after year, is what will get you to your potential.’

It’s not about what you do on Monday. Or what you do on Saturday. What’s important is that you do something every single day that will help you get closer to achieving your goal. That could be doing some grunt work. It could be taking a day to re-charge.

And remember, nothing happens overnight. Consistency plus patience equals results.