#027 – Prize Intensity more than Extent
Prize Intensity more than Extent. Excellence resides in quality not in quantity. The best is always few and rare: much lowers value. Even among men giants are commonly the real dwarfs. Some reckon books by the thickness, as if they were written to try the brawn more than the brain. Extent alone never rises above mediocrity: it is the misfortune of universal geniuses that in attempting to be at home everywhere, are so nowhere. Intensity gives eminence, and rises to the heroic in matters sublime.
How many times, as a coach, have you forced yourself (and your team) to practice longer just because “you had the time booked”? Too often we look at putting in the hours as what makes us better, but it is how we spend those minutes that genuinely makes the difference. Go over your practice plans and look at how much “filler” space you have. I would venture to guess that most practices have about 20 to 30 minutes that they can cut out of the plan. How much time do you spend explaining what the practice will look like, or how the team will be divided up, or even how a drill or game will be scored? A simple whiteboard could have all that information and your players can consume the information throughout (and before) practice. When you have accomplished your goals for the practice, end it. You do not have to fill every minute that you have the gym/field scheduled for. Most coaches would rather have the end of their practice with high intensity and focus vs low intensity and players just going through the motions, for the sole purpose of filling time.
This blog series is based on the book “The Art of Worldly Wisdom” by Balthasar Gracián. This book was written for advice on how to achieve personal and professional success. This blog series aims to visit the points of wisdom and put them in the spotlight of the coaching and education lens.
