Surely all top athletes and successful people have the words “ Be Relentless” emblazoned across their lives. Some people hear the word relentless and it sparks a fire in their belly and lights them up. Others hear relentless and immediately conjure up images of destruction and mayhem and ruthless Spartan warlords. Good or bad, being relentless is a core part of my being. And it’s a double-edged sword. Or maybe, it’s just one coin with two sides… Relentless means never giving up until you get what you want. Results first. Always.
Being relentless means getting results and not settling for good or great, instead spending the time on mastering your craft and becoming the best – becoming unstoppable. The really cool thing is that ANYONE can be relentless, but very few people ultimately have what it takes to get there. Because it takes time and effort. It’s about who can stay in the game long enough – who can finish the job. Anyone can start something when it’s new and shiny and exciting, but very few can stomach the grind and keep going in order to finish.
My parents taught being relentless to me -- Be relentless in all you do. So, even though I am in my 60’s, I am relentless and that can make you unpopular.If I take something on -- I will see it through and crush anyone in my path.
I taught my sons to do the same in sport and now those guys are relentless in their careers. As young swimmers and triathletes,they were taught to show up,practice hard, work and listen to their tough coaches. They were not satisfied with one practice a day, they hit the pool twice, morning and evening. They were not content with one win but kept pushing until the showcase was covered with their medals and cups. Hours and hours of practice at one thing. They did not slack off. They did not back down when it got too hard. They put in the time, withstood the grind, and now have become unstoppable.
There are 3 ways you can become relentless in pursuit of your goals:
Practice hard: You don’t have to enjoy it, you’ve just got to do it and love the results. Believe me, I don’t love getting up at six thirty to run 3 kilometers, but I do it because it keeps me healthy. Keeps my dratted blood sugar levels down.
My doctor boy runs 10k whenever he can because as he says “I love being able to beat my last race time and I also love landing in the top spots in my age group”. It sounds so simple, right? Do the work. Put in the time and effort. You’ll get there. The real challenge is being able to combat your voice that tells you to go for the short term reward, instead of pushing through, doing the tough stuff, and going for the long term win. It’s not about winning one championship or writing that novel. That’s great. Being relentless means doing that six more times. And that requires a hell of a lot of work.
Get Obsessive: I think the question is, “What are you willing to be the best at and give your all to?” You can’t give your all or be extraordinary at everything. What are you choosing to be the best at? Do you want to be the best Mum, the best chef, the best teacher, the best guitarist, the best gardener? In brief moments you can be the best at more than one thing – like when you’re speaking to an audience or telling a story to your grand- kids. But to truly master something, to be the very BEST, you have to get obsessive. One area in your life, one skill, is going to overshadow all the others because that is where you are going to be spending the most time – practicing, studying, analyzing those that have come before you and modeling after them. You will become addicted to learning about that one thing, you become obsessed, and that’s how you become the best.
BE COMFORTABLE BEING ON YOUR OWN: There is an old saying-- it’s lonely at the top. When you’re relentless, you don’t make a whole lot of friends. You’ll have a small inner circle of people you trust and that’s it. You won’t go to office parties and after work drinks with the team or even linger too long in the break room. And you won’t hang out for too long at kid’s birthday parties or family gatherings. You just have your eye on the prize and you’re not going to let anyone get in the way. You’re running your race – fast – and if people want in, they’ve got to get in the race with you and run alongside you. There will be very few people at the finish line with you. And that’s okay.
Everyone has the potential to be relentless, but only a few will actually get to the level of being unstoppable. To achieve success, you must be unwavering in your pursuit of it since life seldom rewards the undeserving. In the instance where success comes naturally, if one is not fully prepared, then easy come easy go.
An unwavering attitude arises from an indomitable will, characterised by a relentless pursuit of excellence. You can be determined in going after a dream, a goal or a plan just as those who diligently toil away at their vocation. To develop persistence soar above your difficulties instead of acquiesce to them. Because, if your resolve is strong nothing can stand in your way to achieve success.
However well intentioned, an unyielding attitude cannot flourish in an impoverished mind. A great attitude blossoms when obstacles are observed as positive feedback that lead to victory. Champions pursue their passion even when they’re less inclined. The novelist who sits down to compose their written prose, may not be motivated to work on that day. Yet, their determination and unrelenting pursuit of mastery compels them to show up and transform their habits into accomplishments.
A relentless outlook can make those around you uncomfortable and lead them to examine their own passion. They may impose their shortcomings on you to appease their indignity. It is no mystery the bigger your dream, the harder it is to reach. This should not discourage you from going after it, despite chipping away at it deliberately and laboriously. My own affirmation is one of “consistent persistence.”
At times, success may show up when you least expect it. There is no overnight success with the determined individual. Behind every rags-to-riches story lies a person who works assiduously to hone their craft. Determined individuals are meticulous with detail and research. They dot their i’s and cross their t’s knowing the devil lies in the details.
They lead from the heart because pursuing their passion is an endeavour that emerges from their core self and not material gain. An uncompromising attitude requires perspective since it is natural to be swept away by success and rest on one’s laurels. Yet, when this happens you lose sight of the factors that contribute to your initial success.
Lastly, to be relentless you must think big and act big and don’t sweat the small stuff!
