Athletes are famous for their pre-game or pre-point routines.

Novak Djokovic bounces the ball between 8 and 25 times before serving…Ivan Lendl used to carry sawdust in his pocket and sprinkle it on his grip to let it dry between points. He also used to pluck his eyelashes incessantly during matches.

Every golfer also has a routine they go through prior to hitting a shot…it’s the same pattern of practice swings and nervous ticks, over and over again, to help with concentration and create a subconscious cycle of success.

These are all done to prepare mentally, both consciously and subconsciously to maximize the athlete’s chances of success.

I’m currently preparing for a company offsite next week and am going through my quirky pre-game routine.

It’s similar to how I prepare for 2 days of back-to-back meetings when I visit New York on business. Each meeting…each session receives the same focus and care in its preparation.

I ask myself the following questions:

• What do I want to get out of the off site…what are the goals for me personally, and for the team?
• What are the priority topics we must discuss?
• What’s the “must get done” list to move the company forward to meet and beat its year-end targets?

After the session, I go to a quiet location and evaluate my experience and reflect for a minimum of 10-20 minutes.

I ask myself:

• What did I learn from this session?

• What specific action steps will I take in the next 3 days that will take me closer to reaching my goals?

If you prepare and reflect over and over again the only possible outcome is growth…for you and your business. It’s the law of cause and effect.

Why do I call this process quirky?

Because so few people do it.

“Do today what others won’t, so tomorrow you can do what others can’t.”

This blog post has been all about preparation, something I passionately believe in.

That’s why I want to help business owners like you to prepare for your future and for changes that need to be made in order to achieve success.