No matter what, there’s alwayssomething different you could have done.
“No matter what, there’s always something different you could have done.” This sentence, in the context of responsibility, is one of the lessons my father taught me that I remember most. Maybe it just comes up in life more often than any of the other lessons.
What he was trying to teach me was accountability, ownership, and not getting in the habit of blaming others. What it helped shape were my choices, my attitude, and my determination.
Be honest with yourself
This lesson was helpful in training and in competition, because to be successful you have to examine your actions, your thoughts, and your behaviors. No one knows you better than you, and hopefully you can be honest with yourself. When something doesn’t go your way, does blame set in?
I remember that after competitions, if I was around other athletes, there’d be a series of excuses or reasons why performances weren’t great. There was far more discussion about that than about the few athletes who had great performances. Let’s face it: in the sport of track and field, there are many more losers than winners.
Technique is where we make the most happen
We know that technique is where we make the most happen. We can’t rely on raw speed or raw strength. Most likely we have some combination of the two after years of training — but technique is where we can set ourselves apart.
A rhythmic, repeatable approach. Hips lifted through the middle of the run. A penultimate step that drops and loads instead of reaching. Those things aren’t gifts; they’re built. And they’re available to any athlete willing to be patient and pay attention to the details.
If you’re the developmental athlete
Don’t let anyone else’s timeline decide when you’re finished. Keep showing up, keep examining your own jumps honestly, and let technique be the place you get greedy. Late bloomers have a real advantage: by the time the ability arrives, you already know exactly what to do with it.