A few years ago, I was speaking with Conrad at a NYC holiday party. And just like you saw at the Elevate Summit, we’re not only all rockstars at 7am, we can bring it at any hour of the day.
So we’re standing there… we’ve both had a couple, and somehow we get to talking about ice hockey. He used to play over at Chelsea Piers in a league with some of the greatest pro players to ever play the game. They’re now since retired but they still can’t help but play as if they’re in the NHL — that’s how ingrained the performance level and competitive nature is within them.
And I’m thinking, “there’s something here.” And it hits me, Conrad has used the word tenacity at least four times in his last eight sentences. These guys check like they’re still in the pros. They hustle like they’re still in the pros. They dig for the puck. They can’t *not* play hard. Their work ethic has permeated not only their game, it’s a part their character.
That conversation left me with two clear ideas…
First, there’s a difference between action and busyness. We all work hard but where can we up our games and channel our efforts in service of a higher level of play? In coaching we talk about “declare and fulfill.” What’s the declared future you’re living into? What’s the specific result you want to produce? In hockey, often times you send the puck up the ice and then chase it down, so as to set up an opportunity to score a goal. You don’t ask how, you send it up and then you go right for it. So what’s the declared result that you’d like to produce in your business by the end of 2023? Once you have that, then we can talk about the actions you’ll take to fulfill on that declaration.
And second, this group is a bunch of champions. And we play our hearts out. Persistence, commitment, and tenacity have all lead to some great wins. So today, consider including in your commercial a personal highlight. And if one doesn’t immediately come to mind, no worries — send it to us by email. And when we hear it — or read it, I encourage us all to relate to it as a win — a win not only for that individual, but for our team, for ELEVATE.
I’m proud to wear the Elevate jersey, and I know you are too!
