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Motivational Speaker, Coach, and Trainer, Coach Jim Johnson

How much Grit do you have?

Do you have grit?

There are many ways to measure grit.  Whether you are enduring something in your life or trying to accomplish something great on the athletic field, some determination and heart will likely be required.  Throughout my years as a basketball coach, I discovered that grit is a fantastic indicator of future success.  The more someone has, the greater the chance they will become successful.  After watching yet another professional tennis tournament where Rafael Nadal fights adversity (and age) to come out on top, I wanted to share with you some ways to identify who has grit on your team.  Enjoy.

  • Test for grit. Come up with a test for your specific situation or sport that identifies how much grit someone has.  I commonly used conditioning drills as my test (“pacer” test), but you can get creative.  Challenge your team.
  • Test limits. Once you have your tests outlined, test their limits and boundaries.  Who is willing to push harder than anyone else?  This will show you when the time comes, who will fight for the team.
  • Monitor grit. As a sports coach, it’s important to remember to praise in public and criticize in private.  Oftentimes it’s the little hustle (gritty) plays that can change the momentum of a game.  It is your responsibility as a coach to identify those times and accentuate their importance.  How do praise or reward hustle plays for your team?

Did You Know?  Coach Jim Johnson is thinking and praying about the hurricane victims all over the country.  He has friends, family, and colleagues who have been affected and he is grateful that nobody was injured in these tragic events.

Life Tip #32:  The harder you work, the luckier you get

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