As a teenager, I landed a job as a dental assistant to a well-respected dentist. I was able to get this sought-after assistantship because the dentist was my father. During the first dental procedure in which I assisted, he asked for a Scaler and I mindlessly handed it to him. He handed it right back to me. In that moment he taught me the importance of giving him the dental tool directly into his hand at exactly the angle he needed; he demonstrated that being haphazard or inattentive delays efficient treatment. This moment epitomized how the difference truly is in the details.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s #1 golfer warms up with a beginner’s grip aid on the range before every round. He has professed that, if the foundation of his swing, his grip, is not spot on, he cannot be a great ball-striker. Similarly, Steph Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history, begins his pre-game shooting workout approximately one foot from the basket with one hand. He has learned that, if his fundamentals are not perfect, he cannot continue to be the best shooter in the game. These greats start each practice with basics and fundamentals. The difference is in the details.
On the first day of each season’s basketball practice at UCLA, Coach John Wooden taught every player how to put on their socks and tie their shoes. I know this may sound ridiculous, but his thought was simple: If you do not put your socks and shoes on correctly, you could get blisters or, worse, get injured, which would have a negative impact on the team. Even the smallest detail matters and the difference is in the details.
If the greatest athletes in the world (and my dad - yes, I just put him on that level) are always working on these basic, fundamental, ground-level aspects of their craft to gain an edge, and perfect their performance, shouldn’t the rest of us too? When an individual creates muscle memory around these most fundamental skills, they then happen instinctively during pressure-packed moments. Increasing attention to the details yields great confidence. Not only in the best of athletes, but for all of us.
What are the most basic skills you can practice?
How is your performance impacted when you spend more time on them?