013 | THE GAME BEFORE THE GAME

CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL.

Around my freshman year of college, Beats by Dre came out with an exceptional ad titled the same as this blog, "The Game Before The Game." This ad showed a variety of players from every sport getting ready for a big game. Some were listening to music, stretching, touching the ball, and even doing superstitions that they carried throughout their careers. While this is a fantastic commercial, it doesn't quite touch on everything that comes before the game. 

The game doesn't start upon arrival at the stadium. It begins way back to the first practice after the previous game. It follows you throughout the week up until the very moment the whistle blows. No matter the sport, several essentials have to be taken care of to be successful. Training, recovery, diet, rest, and mindset all make the bigger picture more visible. These acts must be cared for throughout the lead-up to the game, and if you cheat just one, you may pay for it when the moment counts. 

Sean has always said something that stuck with me, practices are like homework, and the game is like the test. Sure, when we have homework, the grades matter, but ultimately it is a tool that prepares us to perform when it is test time. We have plenty of time to practice, ask questions, and study before the test, but if we don't, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. Controlling your day-to-day life can be tricky until you find what works for you. This trial and error will ultimately lead to a schedule that is so finely tuned and natural that it will become autonomous.