Ask Cael: I am currently a senior at spencer high school and i wrestlered during all 4 of my years. I worked very hard and its like i\’m not getting any better, no matter what i do. Please i\’m desperate. How do i get better

Story Published Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

name: Cornelius

question: I am currently a senior at spencer high school and i wrestlered during all 4 of my years. I worked very hard and its like i\’m not getting any better, no matter what i do. Please i\’m desperate. How do i get better

hi Cornelius,

I would just a close look at what you are doing to get better. Hard work is only part of the solution. You need to make sure you are working hard on the correct things to make progress. Talk with your coach, parents, work out partners and anyone else that you trust. Ask you coach what you need to do make progess. Listen and be coachable.

This is a blog I wrote a long time ago about not confusing hard work with accomplishment.

Jon Bytheway tells an awesome story in his book “When Times Are Tough.” It goes…

I remember hearing a story as a child that made quite an impression on me. A scientist conducted an experiment with what are called “processionary caterpillars.” Processionary caterpillars follow one another in a kind of follow-the-leader fashion as they look for food. The scientist somehow succeeded in arranging these creatures around the rim of a flowerpot. They followed each other in circles for several days until they eventually died of starvation. Food was only inches away, in the center of the flowerpot, but they all died while appearing very busy. I remember well the lesson: They died because they confused activity with accomplishment. Again, the goal isn’t just to be busy, but to be busy doing something worthwhile.

I have told that story probably a hundred times. It is so important to understand the importance of working smart. Hard work is an essential key to reaching your great potential. However, hard work will only take you so far. It takes working smart to separate yourself from the other hard workers. Working smart is listening to your coaches. Working smart is taking a realistic look at how you can do things more effectively. Work smart! Get the most out of your hard work.

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