You Want To Be A Cleaner!
The book Relentless by Tim Grover is about the best. ‘The Cleaners.’
Ever wonder what makes the very best athletes so good? Tim Grover explains this in great detail, "to be the best isn’t a gift." It certainly isn’t a place for the faint hearted. To be a ‘Cleaner’ there must be a goal worth dedicating your life towards pursuing.
The basis of the book is about thinking big, not placing limits on yourself. It is the exact opposite of all we are taught. Be realistic they say. Stop dreaming.
Tim Grover was the PT for the best. Michael Jordan wasn’t born to be the biggest sports star in history. His High School career was modest, College progressed but he performed at his peak when the game was on the line under the most pressure, in NBA Finals. But he also competed, practiced and performed like a ‘Cleaner’ on a daily basis.
You can’t wake up some days and decide you are going to be a ‘Cleaner’ today. As the book title suggests, to be a ‘Cleaner’ it takes a relentless pursuit of greatness.
Ever researched the practice habits of the world’s greatest athletes? They practice with greater volume, purpose and precision than the rest. The greatest 3 point shooter in history, Ray Allen took thousands of shots more than any one else in practice, every season. Over a 20 year career, that is a lot of shots, no coincidence (Steph Curry likely to take over down the track is a compulsive practicer). Jerry Rice finished every reception in practice in the opposition end zone. Jordan raised the intensity of training sessions to the point of conflict and confrontation – he raised the standard of his teammates.
There are lots of great players in every sport. Those with the biggest goals for themselves are the ones that become ‘Cleaners’. Those that tell themselves – “it will be done”. These guys don’t wait for the coach, they own their careers! They challenge authority, themselves and their teammates. ‘Cleaners’ operate on a different level of passion and dedication. Their chosen profession isn’t something they do because its fun or they are good at it. They choose to dominate their profession, they empty the tank in a relentless pursuit to be the best version of themselves on a daily basis.
To be the Worlds Greatest swimmer and one of the greatest Olympians of all time, you have to be a ‘Cleaner’. Michael Phelps had about 15mins off in 12 years of training before Olympic domination. His burning desire toward achieving greatness allowed that rigorous training regime to be followed. As Tim Grover stated “Crave the result so intensely that the work is irrelevant”.
Kobe Bryant makes 500 additional shots every practice. Andrew Johns would kick the ball for 3hours on his day off. Performance under pressure comes back to the practice habits of an individual, which are driven by their mindset. Set your goals big, then follow the plan! Then be relentless!
Are athletes in team sports encouraged to think big? Or are they limited to be a small cog in the bigger machine? No one on those Chicago Bulls rosters of the 90’s thought they were going to be Jordan. But could they be a ‘Cleaner’? Striving to become the very best you can be is a fundamental action of a ‘Cleaner’. Adding to your game and challenging yourself, getting uncomfortable is imperative.
How many athletes in your favorite team are building their game to another level? Or are they just being encouraged to execute what they can already do at a better level? The best teams have the most ‘Cleaners’. They get the best out of themselves and make their teammates better. They leave no stone unturned, because just the way they do things. Nothing is left to chance, and no one else is ever to blame.
The biggest limits in sports are often those placed by the Coach or occasionally by the individual themselves. As Wayne Gretzky said “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. Play with no fear. Do what you practice to do.
In a cut throat business where jobs are on the line, the safest way can be to limit players from experimenting and growing. That is unless your coach is a Cleaner! Phil Jackson, Bill Belichick and Coach K… Cleaners. Challenging players to get uncomfortable and take their game to another level.
Jordan, Bryant, Manning, James, Brady, Fanning, Slater, Federer, Djokovic = CLEANERS. They grow their game, don’t take greatness for granted and believe they are born to be the best.
Team owners - Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban… Cleaners.
In the business world - Steve Jobs, Bill Gates… Cleaners
As coaches in any discipline, it is our responsibility to help players realize their dreams. Setting big goals allows for a plan to be developed. A player or client that doesn’t want to get better probably isn’t someone you want to be coaching. Those striving to be the best they can be…. Those wanting to be ‘Cleaners’. Sometimes our job is to make players/clients realize that everyone can improve and become the person/athlete that they want to be. ‘Cleaners’ have an ‘I Own This’ attitude. They go about their work relentlessly and take ownership of their life. Talent isn’t required to have a ‘Cleaner’ attitude.
My attitude as an Assistant Coach has always been focused on individual players succeeding, which collectively will bring about team performance. It’s what I live to do. The passion to help individuals on a daily basis burns brightly. Tim Grover put it well:
“He's addicted to the exquisite rush of success. His lust for it is so powerful, the craving is so intense, that he'll alter his entire life to get it. And it's still never enough. As soon as he feels it, tastes it, holds it… the moment is over and he craves more”
“Clutch is about closing minutes, relentless is about every minute.”
“Cleaners only believe what’s inside them, not external pressure”.
What burns inside you?
A cleaner makes things happen. Take it. Don’t wait for it.
Buy the Book. Buy one for your athletes, friend, neighbour.
