KEYS TO GREATNESS: PREPARATION AND PRACTICE

 There's a myth about highly talented people -- it's that they are simply born that way.  But the truth is that no people reach their potential unless they are willing to practice their way there.  Recently I was traveling with Tom Mullins, a former football coach who wrote "The Leadership Game," which contains successful leadership principles he gleaned from interviewing eight college national champion football coaches.  As I talked about the idea of practice with him, he nearly leaped out of his seat.  When Tom talked about anything related to leadership, it's like he's back in the locker room talking to his team at halftime when they're losing.  I mean he gets excited.

"Let me tell you, John," he said, "all the national champion coaches told me the key to going from good to great came in two areas: the preparation of the team and the practice of the players.  They were forever upgrading their preparation and sharpening their practice."

From "Talent Is Never Enough" by John Maxwell