Peak Performance: Good Habits Start Early

We all know that it takes a lot of hard work and discipline to your sport to achieve greatness at any level. To get to the highest level in your sport it takes a lot more than just having the natural ability and practicing hard. You look at the top athletes like Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and Michael Jordan and you will see very similar qualities that have made them not only the best at what they do, but the ability to be the best year in and year out. I believe it all started when these individuals were very young. Part of their success is attributed to the fire and desire they have inside of them, but a larger portion goes back to the habits they developed from early childhood. It can start from something as simple as telling your child to put their things away when they are done. The point is to get them in the habit of being disciplined to adhere to the task at hand and see it through to the finish. Developing this discipline and work ethic will carry over into the athletic arena. You also have to make them understand that they might not always like being told what to do, or doing what they are supposed to do, but that this is part of the big picture.

For Tiger Woods it meant setting his course and vision to achieve not only greatness in his sport, but dominance. He therefore did whatever he was told to do, knowing that all these things would prepare him for the real world and to achieve his real world goals (of becoming the greatest golfer that every lived). For Lance Armstrong it meant riding his bike 10 miles to swimming practice, swimming several miles in the pool and then riding his bike 10 miles back home day in and day out because he wanted to be good at something. For Michael Jordan it meant relentless hours of doing whatever it took to beat his older brother in basketball until finally once he could beat him he felt he could do anything.

Getting your young athlete in the making used to taking care of business in the house, the classroom, and socially will spill over to their sport where getting the job done won't be nearly a chore as much as it is fun for them.