Covert vs. Overt Perseverance
Not too long ago, I started watching a new sports doc and the intensity of the team highlighted was particularly grueling, and at points, difficult to watch. With elite sports, this intensity and commitment to winning can come to be expected by ourselves, coaches, owners, universities, fans and even cities, as a legacy worth fighting for day in and day out.
The players demonstrated an unwavering commitment and mental + physical strength that represented an Overt Perseverance that - as a collective effort - led the team to an ability to overcome obstacles, outperform opponents and reach the pinnacle of athletic success, repeatedly.
While their success was particularly heroic, this kind of overt perseverance is commonly seen in the world of sports. Actually, I would argue that most elite athletes have worked to build up this muscle through becoming excellent at their sport.
What I mean by Overt Perseverance in athletes…
Clear goal to work towards
A coach has outlined a game plan
Time-bound by a season
Clarity around each opponent or barrier to your goal
An understood role in the situation or team
Everyone’s bought in to the task at hand
The more I work with current and former athletes, it’s clear to see how these factors can help athletes reach new heights in their athletic careers. It’s also clear that because of the repetition of these factors being a ‘blueprint’ for success on the field -- the more important the need to foster Covert Perseverance off of it.
While the same skills of having an unwavering commitment alongside mental + physical strength represents the perseverance side, the covert aspects can be a little more mentally demanding.
I see Covert Perseverance as…
Being able to identify and define goals independently
Establishing what success looks like for yourself
Knowing how long a goal should take to achieve
Understanding what risks or barriers you’ll face
Knowing how to ask for help
Taking a risk
Holding yourself accountable
In nearly 100 conversations with former elite athletes, it’s clear that these skills of commitment and strength exist and persist in each of them. What’s new and unique to each person as their playing days end is determining how to apply those skills. And to me, this is the good stuff.
Einstein once said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.”
So a quick challenge for you today, before you jump right into execution (setting a goal and working towards it) because I know all athletes are experts at this…let’s try this instead.
Think of something that you want to achieve in the next few months.
What would achieving this goal show you about yourself?
List some reasons why this should could be a goal and how it aligns with who you are today or who you’re working on becoming in the future.
What does success look like if you were to achieve this goal? How would you feel?
What’s the biggest risk to you finding success?
Small challenges like this can allow you to begin building your covert muscles to really understand what you want next and not what others may be influencing you to do. So while starting something new can be scary, we all get to decide which path we want to try and how we’re going to show up for ourselves. And just like we’re training any new muscle, take it slowly and try to work at it consistently to build it up over time…don’t start with a 5-year plan.
Rooting for you!
— A
