Legendary football coach Lou Holtz likes to joke that he's not the most articulate fellow, but you can't argue with this gem, "Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it."

As the NFL prepares for the draft, the NBA opens the playoffs, and MLB is underway after a lockout, I'm struck by the role that outsized egos play in team struggles and player-management relations. As Ryan Holiday writes, "Ego is the enemy." It's with that in mind that I put together this infographic on humility.

Scottie Scheffler is the hottest golfer on earth. In his last six tournaments, he has won four times, ascended to number one in the world, and claimed The Masters. Despite all of this, his perspective is remarkably grounded. As he told Marty Smith, "If I win this golf tournament, it will change my life on the golf course, but it won’t change my personal life at home. Winning the golf tournament isn’t going to satisfy my soul or my heart. I know that going in, so I am able to play freely knowing that the rest isn’t really up to me. I’m just going to do my best.” 

Great performers understand that what they do is not who they are. As a result, they don't seek personal glory, nor do they fear failure. To get a closer glimpse of how Scheffler does this, check out this interview, this clip with his dad, and a day in the life with Scottie and his wife Meredith.

While many athletes have distinct pre-game routines, I've found that few approach practice in the same way. Since practice is when we learn, I would suggest that a pre-practice routine is equally (if not more) important. Rather than rush to the locker room, throw on your gear, and hope you're not the last one on the field or court, let's take a more intentional approach that I call priming.

Changing your approach to practice will improve your performance in practice. By priming your mind, you'll start faster and get more out of each practice. 

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