If sports have taught me one thing, it’s to cherish adversity. Resiliency is a gift that breeds success. When you fall, it’s not how far you misstep; it’s how fast you get up! When someone says, “It can’t be done”, it’s how you respond! When you’re on the brink of giving up, it’s that little bit of extra effort that can change the outcome of a game, a moment in time, a career, a place in history! For this reason, I am forever grateful for “The Grind.”
Being a recruited walk-on in University, grinding it out to prove to no one other than myself that I belong was one of the greatest gifts of my life. The grind was a way of life for me and still is! This attitude carried over into my hard gainer work mentality in the weight room, into the classroom and onto the practice ice. Call it deliberate practice, focused resolve, constant repetition, you may call it whatever you like, but I choose to call it the grind! The grind is dressed in street clothes, wears a hard hat and packs a lunch box for a heavy days work! The grind is the long road, a path few choose to travel, marred with obstacles, mountains, valleys and shadows of the many spirits that have given up on their journey. The grind is the best-kept secret to professional success. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people try to bypass the grind to find instant gratification. Coach John Wooden once said: “The quality of the effort is where I found-and continue to find-success.”Success is not pure without sacrifice. For this reason, I am forever grateful for “The Grind.”
Anthony Donskov, MS, CSCS, PES, is a former collegiate and professional hockey player, founder of Donskov Strength and Conditioning Inc., (www.donskovsc.com) and Head Instructor/Director of Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning for Donskov Hockey Development (www.donskovhockey.com). He can be reached at info@donskovsc.com .
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