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It is 8 am and I arrive at the Houston Rockets practice gym.
The facility is brand new.
Beautiful large windows.
The newest fanciest equipment.
But that’s not what stood out to me.
It was the differences between the players in the NBA and other leagues I have played in.
Efficiency.
Everyone at the pro level works hard.
If you don’t, you won’t last long.
So what separates the players that continue to develop throughout their career?
If it is not time spent in the gym?
Everyone is working out all day.
if it is not hard work?
Everyone puts in effort.
Maybe, it could be efficiency?
From the moment Houston Rockets players walk through the door, they are working.
Physios, trainers, and coaches have a plan laid out for the day, and everyone takes action.
Players and staff are on the same page.
The player knows exactly what they need to do to get better, and they do it.
No idle chit-chat.
No pondering around.
There is a purpose to what everyone is doing, and they execute on it.
Most people pursuing excellence know about Malcolm Gladwell’s theory on the need to perform 10,000 hours of deliberate practice in order to achieve expertise in a field.
These NBA players are not just spending an hour a day of deliberate practice on the court.
They are deliberate about their recovery, the weight room, and the mind.
The day is deliberately planned.
If not by the player, by someone who is in charge to help them develop.
The day is efficiently organised.
Consistently, day in and day out, the players are making the most of their day.
Seeing this has helped me reflect on my career.
The days I wasted.
The times I thought I was working hard, but was just going through the motions.
I’ve already implemented some subtle changes to my daily routines.
Efficiency. Efficiency. Efficiency.
Instead of asking the question, how do I put in more time?
The better question could be, how do I spend my time more efficiently?
Tim Ferriss – “Focus on being productive instead of busy.”
