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#Leadership : 3 Tips To Close Out The Year Strong From The Best Coach In College Football… Like Saban’s “Process,” you Must stay Focused on the Play Ahead—but What is that Play for You? What Do you Have to be Focused on Today that Could Bring you #Success Tomorrow?

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‘Tis the season to be…stressed. If you’re reading this blog, most likely you’re doing so on a smartphone while flying by the seat of your pants, trying to meet deadlines and end-of-year sales goals. Your email inbox is overflowing, and the pressure to plan (or attend) all those delightful holiday parties may be sending you to the edge. This is the uncomfortable truth: It’s normal to feel overwhelmed during this time of year.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban leads the team onto the field for warmups in an NCAA football game, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

But how, among all these challenges, do you close out the year strong?

If there’s anyone who has mastered the art of keeping a team focused, it’s Nick Saban, head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Saban has won three championships with the Tide and he’s currently in the national championship hunt again. He credits the success to his “Process,” a simple yet effective method of breaking down goals into manageable, bite-sized pieces…especially in challenging times. You don’t have to like Saban or Alabama to learn from him.

Some of his tips:

1 – Focus on the moment at hand

Saban framed the “Process” when he was coaching at Michigan State. Shortly before playing No. 1 ranked Ohio State, Saban told the Spartans to focus on executing the next play and not to worry about winning. The outcome: Michigan State upset the Buckeyes 28-24, giving Saban one of the first major wins in his storied career.

This is a simple yet profound tactic. Humans spend too much time thinking about past mistakes or way-in-the-future events; such micro-focus can have paralyzing effects on a team. Saban teaches his players to win the moment— it’s not about what was accomplished in the past and tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone. Winning is about the present.

 

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2 – Eliminate the clutter

Saban’s “Process” depends on clarity, not messiness. “Eliminate the clutter and all the things that are going on outside and focus on the things that you can control,” he shared in interview with the New York Times.

If you are having difficulty with goal completion, consider cutting down all non-essentials from your time and focus. You can start by examining your email, desk and even the upcoming list of meetings on your calendar—whatever isn’t contributing to your primary goal needs to be reassessed…or dropped altogether.

Like Saban’s “Process,” you must stay focused on the play ahead—but what is that play for you? What do you have to be focused on today that could bring you success tomorrow? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

3 – Champions have mental toughness and discipline

Saban’s Crimson Tide have endured more than just the SEC’s blistering defenses, but also face media scrutiny and the constant pressure to succeed to annually high expectations. Like many of the Great leaders in sports, Saban refers to adversity as a “friend” and credits mental toughness with helping his team face challenges. He often tells his players that the majority of people avoid the things they don’t like to do, but the Great Ones make a daily choice to face difficulties head on.

Most people have trouble accomplishing their goals because it’s very difficult to maintain the laser-focus required to reach them. This is especially true during the holiday season—one of the busiest times of the year. (Right now I am planning a holiday trip with my family, finishing the editing of a new book on the habits of great teams, and post-release marketing on my current release “Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates”…yes, I’m feeling it!)

Consistent winners know what it takes to handle each day’s business with authority. Success in crucial moments depends on sticking to your game plan, blocking out all distractions and facing adversity head on —that’s what the Great ones do.

Hopefully all of you are well on your way to completing some amazing goals in 2015, and will make 2016 even greater. Like Saban’s “Process,” you must stay focused on the play ahead—but what is that play for you? What do you have to be focused on today that could bring you success tomorrow? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Forbes.com | December 14, 2015 | Don Yaeger