Take Your Socks Off & Think Like An Athlete

Let’s get right to it.

Take your socks off.

Weird, yes, I know.

But if you don’t take them off, I’m about to knock them off.

Okay times up let’s go.

Strap in and read this quote form a 2012 study

First off, what the absolute F**k!

That is impossible to believe!

But it’s true.

Even wilder, this was 2012.

In 2012 K-Pop Sensation Psy had just dropped Gangnam Style, and Game of Thrones was just starting to take over every couch in America.

Those feel like simpler times compared to now.

Even worse, at the center of this whirlwind of information is you, each day embracing the onslaught of pings, pulls, nudges and notifications.

EVERYTHING is grabbing for your attention.

You become so dazed by this mass onslaught, you loose focus and become unsure of where to put your attention and energy.

It feels like this.

“There’s so much to do, where should I start?”

“What really matters most?”

These are the questions I unanimously hear.

My response?

Also a question.

What season are you in?

Do you know your answer?

And yes, there is a specific answer. (And no, it’s not spring.)

Once you do know your “season”, you’ll also know exactly where you should be investing your energy to get the best return!

There’s a recipe for this.

You don’t have to make something up.

In fact, there’s actually just 3 options to choose from.

An A, B, C, kinda thing.

I’ve outlined each option below.

Here’s the guide to knowing your season and unlocking direction, clarity, and focus as a high performing professional.

Defining Your Seasons:

We need you to think like an athlete for a moment.

As an athlete, there’s really 3 distinct portions of your year.

There’s the Off-season, the Pre-season, and the In-Season.

Knowing which one you’re in directs your focus and energy.

Here’s the definition for each season and a process for knowing exactly where you’re currently at.

The Pre-Season:

The Pre-Season is the transition point between the Off-Season and In-Season.

The Pre-Season is the point where you fine tune your systems, ensure confidence in your skillset, and resiliency test your game plans.

It’s where you double down on your foundational habits, ensure you’re armed with the proper tools for battle, and renew your sense of commitment.

This may be the small window of time just before you start a new role, a pre-launch period, or perhaps just before you kick off a new personal project.

The most important criteria is that the Pre-season serves as the on ramp to the all-out-push of the In-Season.

We’ll break that down next.

The In-Season:

It’s game time!

The In-Season is the period when you focus solely on performance and results!

Time for preparation is limited, and theirs usually a large sense of urgency to execute.

During the In-Season the stakes are high, and victory and defeat are clearly distinguished.

The duration of the In-Season varies depending on your domain, lasting from days to weeks or even months.

It’s an opportunity to perform under pressure and test your well-honed skills.

The In-season can bring joy, fulfillment, and remarkable success, but also challenges and setbacks.

Examples of the In-season may include fundraising rounds, product launches, pursuing KPI’s, or any performance focused period.

The Off-Season:

The Off-Season is an intentional phase for self-investment, skill refinement, and rejuvenation.

It’s when you allow yourself to heal mentally and physically, recalibrate life balance, and strengthen your foundation.

A.k.a. this season is all about getting your s**t together.

The Off-Season may occur in-between products, during career transitions or slower times of your year, or anywhere else you momentarily step away from the pressures of the In-Season.

Despite its often overlooked nature, the Off-Season holds immense potential as a fuel source for performance and success.

With structure, and intentionality it becomes an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the future, recharge mind and body, and return stronger than ever.

Knowing What Season You’re In:

Understanding the distinctions between these seasons is crucial.

The more aware you are of what season you’re in, the more conviction you can have in where you place your time, energy, and attention. The less aware you are of what season you’re in, the more time, energy, and attention you’ll waste.

To determine your current season, answer the below questions.

1. When’s the last time you experienced a pre-season?

2. Currently, in the present, are you most focused on preparing, executing, or recovering?

3. What type of tasks or projects are most important right now?

4. When's the last time you experienced an In-Season?

5. In your work, what problems are you currently trying to solve?

6. When’s the last time you experienced an Off-season?

7. Are you more focused on “getting ready”, “executing”, or “recovering” right now in your work?

Look at your response to these questions, cross reference the definitions above, and make the call. What season are you in?

Your Next Step:

Having identified your current season, it’s now time to zoom in and identify the mental qualities that create the most leverage for you in your particular season.

Identifying these will provide structure to your future goals, and ensure you grow into a stronger, more resilient performer.

For that, we have Update #4 next week.

Take the next few days to really chew on the questions above and define your season.

This is a massive first step.

If you’re still not sure what season you’re in, or, you just want to talk this idea over, reply to this email and I’ll be in touch!

Otherwise I’ll see you next Monday!

Be well!