Relentless

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable Tim S. Grover

•   “From this point, your strategy is to make everyone else get on your level; you’re not going down to theirs. You’re not competing with anyone else, ever again. They’re going to have to compete with you. From now on, the end result is all that matters.
•   “anything that requires a long explanation probably isn’t the truth. And when I say something to one of my players, he knows he’s getting the truth.”
•   “If you want to be great, deliver the unexpected. If you want to be the best, deliver a miracle.”
•   “A Cleaner has the guts and the vision to steer everything to his advantage. You never know

  what he’s going to do, but you know something’s coming and all you can do is wait and watch, with fear and respect for his ability to handle anything without discussion or analysis. He just knows.”

•   “Why do I call them Cleaners? Because they take responsibility for everything. When something goes wrong, they don’t blame others because they never really count on anyone else to get the job done in the first place. They just clean up the mess and move on. Think about the custodian who quietly works alone, late at night. He calls no attention to himself, no one sees him work, no one knows what he does, but the job always gets done. It has to, so everyone else can do their jobs efficiently. In his own way, he’s the most powerful guy in the building: he has unlimited access, he knows where everything is and how it all works. He has the keys to every single door; he can go anywhere, unseen… If you have an emergency, he’s the guy you call. The Cleaner is never the first person you bring in; he’s the last, when it’s finally obvious that no one else can handle the situation.”
•   “Excellence is lonely. They never stop working, physically or mentally, because it gives them too much time to think about what they’ve had to endure and sacrifice to get to the top.”
•   “Challenge yourself to be uncomfortable.”
•   “You are completely wired with instincts and reflexes specifically designed so you can survive

  and succeed. You don’t have to think about using them, they’re always working.”

•   “In order to have what you really want, you must first be who you really are.”
•   The Zone: “It’s the ability to voluntarily or involuntarily drop all the bullshit and inhibitions and

  allow yourself to just do what you do, the way you want to do it, performing instinctively at the

  most extraordinary level. No fear, no limitation. Just action and results.”

•   “Most people can’t begin to comprehend the psychological makeup of an individual who is one

  of the best in the world at what he does, and what he’s been through to get there. You can’t compare your values and rituals and perspective with his. You just can’t. it’s not that his mindset is better or worse than yours, it’s just unique.”

•   “Cleaner Law: surround yourself with those who want you to succeed, who recognize what it takes to be successful. People who don’t pursue their own dreams probably won’t encourage you to pursure yours; they’ll tell you every negative thing they tell themselves.” 

•   “Few words have as much impact as trust me. If you say that to someone, you’re taking on some serious responsibility, and you’d better be able to deliver.”
•   “The greatest battles you will ever fight are with yourself, and you must always be your toughest opponent. Always demand more of yourself than others demand of you. Be honest with yourself, and you’ll be able meet every challenge with confidence and the deep belief that you are prepared for anything. Life can be complicated; the truth is not.”
•   “Dealing with setbacks is how you achieve success. You learn, and you adapt. When everyone else is talking about how you “failed,” you show up like a professional, remap your course, and get back to work. That’s the progression from good-great-unstoppable.