My Pro Athlete Process
My philosophy on how to never stop being an elite athlete in life
Kentucky’s ex-coach Tubby Smith said, “You’re never as bad as you think you are and you’re as never as good as you think you are.”
For starters, at 42, with the propensity to eat all my mom’s leftovers during the holidays, I realize my fitness is never as good or bad as I think it is. Just like I always thought I needed to improve at basketball when I was a kid, and yeah, so what, maybe I erred on the side of caution. Even at 35, when I retired from the pro game, I thought, “You know, I’d love to add three inches to my vertical or run a 4:45 mile again… ”
But how would I get faster? Stronger? Build an elite skill in pickleball? Bolster my energy and endurance?
“As a pro athlete, I knew elite basketball training was about the execution of my plan and daily process to improve.”
This is the elite athlete’s way — to double down on the process you love to be doing every day.
Now you don’t know me, but in high school, I was told (like too many times) I’d never be a division one basketball player. Yet, I’d always loved working at the basketball process, being in the gym, and rarely thought about how good or bad I was. I just worked on my game over and over and over.
And when you think about an NBA star like Steph Curry, who was never ranked in high school, was told he’d be good in Turkey (with me), you realize things like your fitness levels, your bank account, how much you can bench, or squat, or how fast you can run, well, none of it’s ever as bad or good as it seems.
Once, in my summer offseason from Europe, I was really cocky about my game. I had just won the Coach’s Choice Player of the Year and won the runner-up MVP award by the media in Belgium. I came home with a real swagger about me.
Damn, I’m good.
I rode into the summer to Kent State University (my alma mater) riding high on a new high-paying contract with a Euro League caliber team. Then one day, I played five on five with LeBron James (yes, that guy), and had a hard time scoring on him, and got reminded of why it’s important to stick to the process.
“It’s never as bad or good as it seems, Trevor.”
For the most part, there is always someone worse off, or faster, or stronger, or richer, or poorer, or with a physical challenge, or with more athletic talent that we may or may not have.
Don’t get caught up in the mental drama of being good or bad, get caught up in the process.
My high school, college, and pro basketball journey — morning shoot-arounds and skill trainings, mid-day film study, evening practice, 4:00 a.m. flights, class, and weight room — had taught me there was a constant and dedicated process to improving at the game I loved, whether I played amazing the night before or like a bag of stale pickle chips.
Tubby’s quote reminds me life, nor sport is never as bad or as good as it seems. It’s about staying humble and enjoying your journey. This takes self-awareness, in finding ways and tools to practice letting go of the subjective experience whether they be uncomfortable workouts, mind-bending adversity, drama, or mental health obstacles such as anxiety, depression, or stress.
Live it. Be in it and know, progress is usually a byproduct of the process.