It Takes What It Takes

1. It Takes Neutral Thinking

Neutral thinking is a high-performance strategy that emphasizes judgment-free thinking, especially in crises and pressure situations.

Embrace the truth. Neutral thinking is the cornerstone of high performance, advocating for a clear, unbiased assessment of reality without succumbing to positive or negative illusions. It acknowledges that while the past has occurred, it does not dictate the present or future. This approach allows individuals to focus on "what is happening" and "what will happen," rather than being paralyzed by "what has happened."

Overcome biases. Our brains are naturally prone to biases—confirmation, negativity, optimism, pessimism—which distort our perception of reality. Neutral thinking strips away these internal and external biases, enabling a focus on objective facts. Russell Wilson's comeback in the NFC Championship game, despite throwing four interceptions, exemplifies this: he didn't dwell on past mistakes but focused on the current score and the next play, leading his team to victory.

Action over emotion. Neutral thinking isn't about being emotionless, but about controlling emotions so they don't become biases. Instead of asking "How do I feel?", the focus shifts to "What do I do?". This mindset, akin to Navy SEALs or Apollo 13 astronauts, allows for swift, decisive action based on the truth of the situation, rather than being overwhelmed by feelings.

2. It Takes a Plan

It takes a plan to achieve anything of value.

Define your goal. Achieving any significant goal requires a clear plan, starting with identifying the end objective. Many people express desires without mapping out the specific, neutral behaviors and benchmarks needed to reach them. A plan acts as a roadmap, guiding actions and minimizing anxiety by providing a structured path forward.

Anticipate challenges. Effective planning involves not only outlining steps for success but also objectively examining potential barriers. Russell Wilson's Super Bowl preparation included reviewing past successes and discussing what could prevent future ones, like Bill Belichick's in-game adjustments. This foresight allows for mental preparation and strategic responses, ensuring core fundamentals remain intact even amidst chaos.

Commitment over want. There's a crucial distinction between wanting a goal and committing to it. Want is an idea; commitment is execution. Russell Wilson's post-Super Bowl loss plan to "hit the reset button" and have his "best off-season yet" demonstrated this. It involved strategic choices like changing his training environment and focusing on specific physical objectives, reinforcing that true commitment drives consistent, goal-aligned behaviors.

3. It Takes Hard Choices

The REALITY is that what it takes to succeed is not REALLY a choice.

Illusion of choice. While we perceive ourselves as having endless options, true excellence often narrows the path, making many "choices" non-options if greatness is the aim. Vince Carter's NBA longevity, for instance, wasn't about doing what he wanted, but what was demanded for sustained performance—like rigorous post-game workouts and strict dietary discipline.

Consequences define choices. Options are decisions without real consequences, like choosing a TV show. Choices, however, are decisions with significant impact on our goals, such as prioritizing sleep over entertainment or healthy food over junk. Nick Saban emphasized that if you want to be good, "you really don't have a lot of choices, because it takes what it takes."

Behaviors shape destiny. Our choices lead to behaviors, which ultimately determine our outcomes and who we become. JaMarcus Russell's career serves as a cautionary tale of how poor choices, despite immense talent, can lead to failure. Conversely, making correct choices, even small ones like eliminating a bad habit, can set a better path, minimizing future regrets and aligning with one's true purpose.

4. It Takes a Verbal Governor

Thinking about my struggles is nowhere near as powerful as verbalizing them.

Negativity's power. The human mind absorbs negativity seven times more easily than positivity, and language is its most potent carrier. Verbalizing negative thoughts amplifies their impact tenfold, creating self-fulfilling prophecies. Historical examples like Bill Buckner's pre-game nightmare or "Pistol" Pete Maravich's prediction of dying at 40 highlight the dangerous power of spoken negativity.

Eliminate negative speech. The first step to shifting from negative to neutral is a "negativity diet," starting with eliminating negative verbalizations. This isn't about suppressing negative thoughts, which will inevitably arise, but about consciously choosing not to give them power by speaking them aloud. This simple act frees the mind to solve problems more clearly and fosters a sense of liberation and accountability.

Conscious control. We have complete control over what we verbalize. Teams like Alabama, Florida State, and Georgia implemented a "don't say stupid shit out loud" policy, leading to significant success. This practice acknowledges that while external circumstances can be tough, our internal and external language profoundly influences our mental state and outcomes.

5. It Takes a Negativity Diet

Negativity, in any form that we choose to bring into our lives, is poison.

Control external influences. Just as we control what we eat, we must control the "mental nutrition" we consume. Trevor's father enforced rules like "no national news" and "no country music" to limit external negativity. Much of the world's media and entertainment is designed to provoke anger or fear, directly feeding our negative biases.

Personal experiment. Trevor's month-long experiment, exposing himself to constant negative news, metal rock, and sad country music, demonstrated the profound impact of external negativity. Despite his high adversity tolerance, he experienced:

• Exploding pessimism and personal doubt
• Reversion to past comforts
• Avoidance of doctor's appointments
• Unfamiliar anxiety and hyperemotional periods

Make hope a habit. The experiment revealed that constant negative stimuli can render psychological strategies ineffective, leading to despair and a loss of hope. The key learning was to "MAKE HOPE A HABIT" by consciously choosing uplifting content and avoiding sources that weaponize negativity. This choice is crucial for maintaining mental well-being and fostering a neutral mindset.

6. It Takes an Ad Campaign in Your Brain

No one will ever influence Trevor Moawad the way Trevor will influence himself.

Internal monologue's power. Everyone engages in a constant internal conversation, an "ad campaign" that shapes their self-perception and performance. This internal dialogue holds ten times more influence over us than any external input. Understanding and strategically managing this self-talk is crucial for personal success.

Words predict performance. Our internal words are powerful tools that both predict and perpetuate our performance. Just as Nike's "Just Do It" slogan became a neutral, powerful call to action, individuals can create their own internal "commercials" – clear, neutral statements that steer behavior and focus choices. Russell Wilson's internal checklist ("Great fundamentals, Great balance, Be engaged") is an example of this, allowing him to maintain focus amidst chaos.

Law of substitution. The mind can only hold one thought at a time. By consciously broadcasting strong, neutral statements, we can prevent external noise or internal chatter from derailing our focus. The "number grid" exercise illustrates how distractions, even subtle ones, can disrupt performance by replacing the necessary internal commands. Training oneself to maintain a consistent internal ad campaign is a vital skill for sustained focus and execution.

7. It Takes Visualizing

Your brain strengthens your muscle memory by teaching the fibers in your muscles how to move as if you were actually performing what you imagine.

Possibility thinking. The mind struggles to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. This principle, called "possibility thinking," allows us to program our minds and bodies for optimal performance through structured imagery. By engaging all senses in visualization, we can strengthen neural pathways as if we were physically performing the action.

Strategic mental rehearsal. Elite athletes like Michael Johnson use visualization to prepare for critical moments. His "danger zone" routine ("Keep my head down. Pump my arms. Explode. I’m a bullet.") was a neutral, action-oriented visualization that he practiced repeatedly. This mental rehearsal, combined with physical preparation, allowed him to execute flawlessly under immense pressure, even leading to his iconic gold shoes.

Neutral imagery for goals. Visualization isn't about fantasizing, but about realistically seeing the steps to better outcomes within one's area of expertise. Whether it's a soccer team visualizing their World Cup journey or Michael Johnson recovering from a stroke, neutral imagery focuses on attainable behaviors and incremental progress. This process creates a roadmap, reducing anxiety and imprinting the path to desired future outcomes.

8. It Takes Self-Awareness

Conscious competence is knowing how to do what you need to do when you need to do it and why you are doing it.

Four states of competence. Understanding one's current state is the first step to growth. Trevor outlines four levels:

• Unconsciously incompetent: Don't know, don't know you don't know.
• Consciously incompetent: Know that you don't know.
• Unconsciously competent: Know, but don't know why you know (can't replicate success).
• Consciously competent: Know, and know why you know (can repeat and teach).
  Fred Taylor, initially unconsciously competent with his talent but reckless with his body, needed to become consciously competent to achieve his goal of playing 16 games.

Identify ideal behaviors. Fred Taylor's transformation from "Fragile Fred" to a durable NFL player stemmed from observing and emulating the habits of long-tenured teammates: early morning routines, consistent stretching, and ice baths. These behaviors, initially adopted out of commitment to his goal, became a reinforcing routine. "Routine looks like commitment. But commitment reinforces the routine."

Continuous self-assessment. Self-awareness is an ongoing process. As circumstances change, so must our understanding of ourselves and our behaviors. Regularly assessing what works and what doesn't, and being open to feedback (like the "page-passing exercise"), allows for continuous adaptation and growth, moving from helplessness to hopefulness.

9. It Takes Pressure

Pressure isn’t a burden. It isn’t something to be avoided or minimized. As tennis great Billie Jean King said, pressure is a privilege.

Embrace the privilege. Pressure signifies relevance and ambition; it means someone cares about your performance. Instead of shying away, high achievers run towards pressure, recognizing it as an opportunity to prove their capabilities and capture significant victories. This mindset is crucial in cutthroat environments like professional sports or competitive business.

Preparation is key. The ability to perform under pressure is directly linked to preparation. Teams like Florida State, through programs like "Mindset: The Game Plan We Install for Ourselves," used repetition and self-assessment to build psychological strength. By comparing behaviors in wins versus losses, players learned to apply internal pressure to improve before external pressure arrived, leading to a national championship.

Navigate pressure on two levels. When facing pressure, it's essential to assess:

• Who am I now? An honest evaluation of current strengths and weaknesses, based on past preparation.
• Who will I be? Setting new goals and designing behaviors to be ready for future pressure.
  This dual approach allows for learning from past experiences and proactively shaping future responses, ensuring that one is "for real" when it counts.

10. It Takes Leadership

Leaders are heat seekers, not heat deflectors.

Adaptability is paramount. Effective leadership, exemplified by Nick Saban, involves a constant willingness to adapt and evolve, even while maintaining high standards. Saban's success stems from his inquisitiveness, seeking diverse perspectives (like from Trevor Moawad or guest speakers) and stress-testing new practices against time-tested ones, rather than being rigid in his approach.

Conscious competence in leadership. Leaders can also fall into the four states of competence. Consciously competent leaders, like chef Alain Ducasse or coach Bob Bowman, understand why their methods work and can consistently replicate success and adapt their approach to different individuals. Bowman's tailored motivation for Michael Phelps, for instance, showed a deep understanding of his athlete's learning style.

Lead yourself first. Even if not in a formal management role, everyone must lead themselves. This involves overcoming personal excuses (e.g., "I'm introverted, so I can't communicate") and actively listening to learn and improve. Great teams often overcome "shitty leadership" by individuals choosing to "find an excuse to win," focusing on their own behaviors and responsibilities regardless of external circumstances.

11. It Takes Role Models

Role models matter.

Emulate desired behaviors. Role models provide living examples of desired behaviors, character, and abilities. Russell Wilson's emulation of Derek Jeter, and his father Harrison Wilson III, allowed him to study and adopt traits he admired, ultimately contributing to his own success. The most powerful role models are often those we encounter daily, whose consistent actions provide a tangible blueprint for growth.

Influence through living. Trevor's father, Bob Moawad, served as a profound role model, not just through his teachings on self-esteem and positive thinking, but through his unwavering commitment to living those principles, even while battling cancer. His calm, authoritative demeanor in the face of criticism, and his insistence on the power of choosing hope, demonstrated the true efficacy of his philosophy.

Unconscious impact. We are all role models, whether we realize it or not. Trevor's experience with a student who thanked him simply for saying "hello" daily highlighted that "Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear a word you say." Our actions, attitudes, and daily approach provide an example—good or bad—for others, underscoring the responsibility to live intentionally.

12. It Takes What It Takes

It takes what it takes.

No shortcuts to greatness. The ultimate lesson is that achieving anything worthwhile demands unwavering commitment and the willingness to do whatever is necessary. This isn't a magical formula but a stark reality: there are no compromises for those who seek excellence. It requires consistently applying the principles of neutral thinking, planning, making hard choices, and managing oneself.

Crawl to the line. When faced with overwhelming challenges, the instinct to quit is strong. Marcus Luttrell's survival story, crawling seven miles with severe injuries, exemplifies the ultimate neutral thinking: focusing only on the immediate, achievable task—drawing a line in the dirt and crawling to it. This breaks down an insurmountable goal into manageable, actionable steps.

Choose your "home." Life constantly presents choices about what we are willing to accept as our "home"—our current state in health, relationships, or career. Psychosclerosis, a hardening of attitudes, is self-inflicted, but the cure lies within: the "comma." This metaphor suggests that every event, good or bad, is merely a pause, and our next words and actions determine how the sentence of our life continues. We have the power to keep writing our own story, refusing to let others define it.

Last updated: November 15, 2025