“Touch The Line…”

To finish our grueling winter conditioning workouts in the McClain Center, we’d often line up on the goal line as a team and finish with 10 or 15 reps of shuttle sprints.

Starting at the goal line going to the 5-yard line and back, 10-yard line and back, 15-yard line and back again..

Our coaches would remind us to “touch the line” every change of direction and throughout every rep. If someone didn’t touch the line, we would all start over back at the beginning.

As we pushed through our reps and the fatigue, as the burning lungs & heavy legs set in, someone would inevitably lose focus, cut a corner and not touch a line. We would start back at rep number one.

This would bring out a heavy mix of frustration and encouragement from the group.

Looking back, I believe the coaches were illustrating a valuable lesson: consistent discipline, attention to detail, and accountability does not just happen - these attributes are built in the difficult and challenging moments when someone is watching and holding you accountable… BUT more importantly the moments when you are holding you accountable.

It is important to practice doing hard things, especially when we don’t feel like it - not just to honor our teammates and the group standards we set, but to honor ourselves and who we want to become! Holding oneself to a higher standard than anyone externally ever could…

I think we can all get better at this… The good news?

Willpower, discipline and self-accountability are like muscles. They can be challenged with reps and practice.

When we train them consistently with this type of stimulus, we start to improve our inner strength and build confidence - compounding our growth, just like a snowball rolling downhill, shaping our character in all aspects of life - family, business and community.

So I ask you:
Where do you need to start or make sure you “touch the line?”

-Bradie