My Coach: “Box out Dylan!”
I don’t need to, I’ll just score the next play.
When I was younger, I was CURSED by this I don’t “need to” philosophy and I didn’t realize how bad it was until I finished the sentence.
I don’t need to – to what?
The answer: I don’t need to box out to win this game.
More specifically, I don’t need to box out to beat competition that I’m already better than.
How to think about training:
The athlete who doesn’t “need to” do things is either blessed or cursed. What’s interesting is, the choice is theirs. It’s all mental.
They’re blessed because they have certain advantages that allow them to win without having to do the little things.
But, they’re cursed only if they choose not to work on those things.
If you don’t train a certain part of your game, because you don’t “need to”, eventually you’re going to play someone who trains it. Why give them that advantage?
Here’s how I’m thinking about my training: “I don’t want to train cardio today. Well, I also don’t want to lose to the player that trains it… Okay, I’ll do it.”
The things you think you don’t need to do are often the things you need to do.
“I don’t ‘need to’ take creatine, I’m already strong.” IMAGINE HOW STRONG YOU’D BE IF YOU DID!
“I don’t ‘need to’ work on my shooting ability, I can just score at the rim.” IMAGINE HOW MUCH EASIER IT WOULD BE TO DRIVE IF YOU COULD SHOOT!
“I don’t ‘need to’ lift.” IMAGINE HOW MUCH BETTER YOU’D BE IF YOU WERE STRONG.
You don’t need to – if you’re only concerned about beating opponents that you’re already better than.
But if your goal is to transform your current self into your future potential, you should.
It’s like saying, “I don’t need to train for my upcoming fight against Mike Tyson, because I can beat up my 5-year old little brother right now.”
Only a wiser version of myself can see that necessity doesn't drive my training.
If I know that one day I’ll lose to the athlete that trains what they should, how can I consciously neglect what I should train?
What should you be training?