"90 percent of my time is spent on 10 percent of the world." - Colin Powell. Considering his career as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and United States Secretary of State, I think it's safe to say that Powell was referring to the most troublesome 10 percent of the world. What about on your team, classroom, or organization? Does this metric also apply? Education expert Todd Whitaker suggests we flip the percentage. Rather than focus on the bottom 10 percent, focus on the top 10 percent. By investing in your best, you're more likely to achieve outsized gains AND increase the likelihood of keeping your best talent.

Billy Graham once said, "A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime." Finding and retaining good coaches has never been more difficult. Athletic directors and administrators often don't know that a coach is struggling and considering leaving the profession until after the decision is made. While there are measures of well-being and performance for some occupations, nothing explicitly targets coaches. I aim to change that, and I'm currently developing a survey that will track and enhance:

If you would like to be involved or have suggestions for the survey's design, I'd love to hear from you. Please reply to this email.

Like many Canadians, Ben Silverman grew up playing hockey. When other kids grew bigger, stronger, and faster, he started to look for an alternative sport. He settled on becoming a professional golfer, a sport that nobody in his family played. His first clubs came from the $2 bin at the Salvation Army, and he got off to an inauspicious start. As a 16 year-old, he shot a (horrendous) 118 in his first tournament. Undaunted, he continued to practice and reached the mid-80's by the time he finished high school - nowhere near professional status. Silverman took a gap year and worked 40 hours/week at a driving range. He also hit balls for 40 hours/week and whittled his handicap down from 12 to 2. He managed to walk on at Division III Johnson and Wales University, where he continued to improve. Then, he walked on at Florida Atlantic University, and continued to improve. Still not good enough, he worked his way through the Florida mini-tours with a dedication most would describe as irrational.

His current coach calls him strong-willed and strong-minded, which is backed up by this comment from Silverman. “You can’t have a Plan B and it has to be everything you want. There was nothing else I wanted to do other than become a professional golfer. So it just consumed my thoughts 24/7. No matter what I was up against, no matter now people who were like, are you sure this is what you want to do; you know how difficult it is? None of those comments fazed me because I was so set in, this is what I’m going to do no matter what and there is no Plan B.” 

Silverman eventually became a PGA Tour player at the age of 30, and then lost his status after two years. His world ranking fell to 1020th. While that might have discouraged other golfers, Silverman says he loves the challenge of golf and the fact that there is always something to learn. So he displayed the same dedication to hard work and the mental game that got him to the tour. Utilizing the power of self-talk, Silverman placed Post-It notes all over his house with messages that included, "Confidence is a choice," and "Act the way I want to feel." He will always frame things in the positive, seeking to approach his targets as opposed to avoiding trouble. When he misses a putt, he smiles, because he knows that smiling is relaxing. Even his ball marker says, "Smile." His wife continually reminds him to cultivate gratitude.

Now 36, Silverman has worked his way back onto the PGA Tour. His self-belief and manageable expectations have carried him on a unique path. Because of his late start in golf, he feels like he's only 27 or 28. In typical Silverman fashion, he says, “Ever since I lost the PGA Tour, all I’ve been wanting to do and trying to do is to get back to the PGA Tour, but we finally did it. I feel like I’m a much better player for it. And now I’m ready to actually compete on the PGA Tour instead of just be out there. Now I’m ready to go.” You can be sure Silverman will keep going wherever golf takes him.

Have you (or another member of your team) ever used words like "should," "shouldn't," "have to," "need to," or "must?" If so, it's unlikely that you went on to perform with freedom and space. Absolute and inflexible thoughts generally lead to performance anxiety and choking. Instead, try applying Dr. Albert Ellis' ABC model, and you'll begin to think differently about your thoughts. 

A is the Activating Event (e.g. Playing your final season in high school or college).

B is your belief about the event (e.g. I have to average 20 points per game or I won't play at the next level).

C is the consequences - the emotions and reactions - that arise from your beliefs about the event (e.g. Increased pressure, doubt, frustration, and trying too hard).

To counter this type of thinking, start by asking these questions:

The next step is to counter the irrational, pessimistic outlook with a more optimistic perspective. Looking at the situation from a factual, objective viewpoint also increases the changes of getting what you wanted in the first place. By disputing the negative perspective and coming up with more productive thoughts, you're freeing your mind to accept any outcome, which also leads to better performance. So remember your ABC's, and see how your thinking changes.

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