But not everyone can take it. I have this theory, yet to be disproven, that any player 6'10" or over cannot handle harsh, confrontational criticism. With someone 6'9" or under, you can get in his face and just blast him. But any taller, he’ll just lose it and go right into a shell. I think it comes from a lifetime of being stared at and gawked at for being so much bigger than the rest of the population, people pointing and making height jokes, so the tall guys become more sensitive and self-conscious. They’re just emotional softies. They can be complete killers in competition, but they’re also the guys you have to pat on the back, boost their confidence, and make them feel good about what they’re doing. The little guys? You can call them every name imaginable and they keep right on going.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
You’ll never hear me say, “We have a problem.” We might have a situation that needs to be addressed, or an issue we have to resolve, but never a problem. Why automatically cast something as a negative? Instincts don’t recognize positive or negative. There’s only a situation, your response, and an outcome.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
You must know someone like this: He can do everything. This week he’s a blogger and a songwriter and a motivator, last week he was teaching tennis two nights a week and working as a sushi chef. And on the weekends he’s rebuilding a 1955 Maserati. You listen to him and feel as if you’ve never done a thing in your life. Until you listen more closely and discover that like a lot of people, this is someone dabbling in a lot of things and succeeding at none. I listen to those people and think, “As far as I can tell, the only thing you’re good at is keeping busy.”
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
Cleaner Law: when you reduce your competition to whining that you “got lucky,” you know you’re doing something right.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
When people start broadcasting what they’re going to do, and how great they’re going to be when they do it, it’s a sure sign they’re still trying to convince themselves. If you already know, you don’t have to talk about it. Talk never goes up in price, it’s always free, and you usually get what you pay for.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
Being feared doesn’t mean being a jerk. I want you to carry yourself so you can be respected, not exposed as an insecure jackass who big-times others so he can feel better about himself. You know that guy: he struts in with an inflated ego and the hot air of cockiness, and leaves behind nothing but the stale air of defeat. That’s not a Cleaner, that’s a pretender. He might be able to fool a few people for a little while, but when the results are being tallied, he has nowhere to hide.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
That’s what happened to this guy. One day he’s surrounded by an entourage of grateful dick holders, the next day he’s just got me and an ice bath.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
Make the choice to turn “failure” into success. If your team doesn’t win a championship, if your business falls apart, if you don’t achieve something you worked for, move to the next step in your evolution.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
Kobe said. He didn’t answer in years, which was what Juwan asked, and he didn’t answer by age or the length of his contract, which is how most players address that question. He answered in rings. He already had three at that point. He got two more the following seasons. As I write this, he needs one more to reach his goal. Two more if I have anything to say about it.
—Relentless by Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
business, sports, relationships, anything, you have to be committed to saying, “I’m doing this,