“Find what people do well, and then encourage them to do more. That’s the great thing about a coach, right? It’s knowing what the person does well, and then helping them visualize what you see in them they can do better.” - Trevor Moawad

Most people treat success as a destination - something you arrive at and then get to enjoy. Champions understand something different: every achievement just earns you the right to face a harder test. Buzz Williams captured this perfectly when describing his team's mindset: "The reward for passing the test is earning the next test." That shift from entitlement to earning changes everything about how you approach success and what you do after you win.

The trap is thinking that once you've proven yourself, you're done proving. You hit a milestone and expect things to get easier, expect to coast on what you've already accomplished. But greatness doesn't work that way. Each level you reach doesn't eliminate tests - it unlocks harder ones. Champions reframe the entire experience: being tested isn't a burden, it's a privilege. It's proof you've advanced beyond the last challenge and earned the opportunity to face the next one. This mindset turns pressure into gratitude, challenge into opportunity, and discomfort into growth.

Ask yourself:

Success doesn't eliminate tests - it unlocks harder ones. The reward for passing isn't rest, it's readiness.

Wayne Gretzky's father made $30,000 a year. Four boys slept in one bedroom. The family borrowed money from grandparents so Wayne could play baseball, ice hockey, and lacrosse just like every other family in North America.

Every single day, his father told him the same thing: "I don't know why the good Lord blessed you, but don't blow it."

Not "you're special." Not "you're the best." Just a daily reminder that whatever talent existed was a gift, and squandering it would be inexcusable.

At 10 years old, Wayne played in a game where 2,000 people jammed into an arena to watch him. They lost 9-1. Driving home in the car, his dad asked how it went. Wayne said, "I was alright."

His father gave him a speech that would shape the next 20 years: "You can't have bad games. You got to get ready for every night because people, for whatever reason, want to come and watch you play."

At 10 years old, Wayne Gretzky learned that performance was a responsibility, not just a game. That night planted a seed that would grow into 61 NHL records, four Stanley Cups, and a career so dominant they retired his number across the entire league.

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In 1975, Joe Montana was last on Notre Dame's depth chart. His coach said he was "even behind two walk-ons." By the time he left, he'd become a legend. The journey from 7th string to starter wasn't about raw talent suddenly appearing - it was about a specific mindset toward preparation and opportunity that would define his entire career.

Montana understood something most athletes miss: "Don't complain about not getting a chance and then be unprepared when you finally do." While sitting 7th on the depth chart, he studied protections, learned where everyone was supposed to be, and made sure he had all the information ready by Saturday. He wasn't the most talented. He wasn't getting reps with the first team. But when his moment came against North Carolina - down 14-6 with 5:29 left - he led a comeback win because he'd been preparing like a starter while sitting on the bench.

This pattern repeated itself throughout his career at Notre Dame. Against Air Force, down 30-10 in the 3rd quarter, he came off the bench and led three scoring drives to win 31-30. Against Purdue, trailing 24-14 in the 4th quarter, he orchestrated 17 unanswered points for another comeback victory. The legend of "Joe Cool" wasn't born in those moments - it was built in all the practices where nobody was watching, where he prepared like he was the starter even though he wasn't.

The lesson isn't just about being ready when opportunity comes. It's about understanding that grit isn't talent or luck - it's the ability to endure. Montana endured being last on the depth chart, multiple injuries, and constant uncertainty about his role. But he never stopped preparing. He never complained about not getting chances while simultaneously failing to be ready for them. His entire Hall of Fame career was built on a foundation established when he was 7th string: opportunities always exist for those who prepare like they're coming, even when there's no evidence they will.

For coaches and leaders:

For athletes and performers:

All of these posts and more are in the Coaching Vault.

What I am reading and listening to:

📚 Book: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

🎥 Video: Coach Wooden Original Course Feb. 19, 2002

🎧Podcast: Dr. Jay Martin, All Time Winningest NCAA Mens Soccer Coach from Ohio Wesleyan University

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