222. Peak Performance Coach Urges: Surround Yourself with Greatness

Growing up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, Todd was active in 4-H Clubs. “If you don’t know about 4-H it’s basically agricultural Boy Scouts,” he explained with some humor. It was there where he became comfortable with the public speaking that would help him build his coaching and training companies. “I went out and did as many speeches as I could throughout the 90 days across my province of Alberta, just to get this message out there of what I call ‘the triune athlete,’ the mentally, emotionally and physically tough athlete.”

In his early 20s, Todd made two crucial connections that shaped his life: Jim Rohn, the renowned entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker, and Harvey Dorfman. Rohn took a personal interest in him and mentored Todd early in his career. Dorfman accepted Todd’s proposal to let him shadow him as he met with pro athletes. “I could never have gotten that education from a book! It would have taken me years to get that stuff on my own, and I saw it in 30 days!”

“One big thing that’s out there right now is the idea that you’ve got to work smart. I agree, working smart is important. But there is no substitute for working hard. Here’s what I can’t do as an advisor or coach. I can’t take someone who is fundamentally lazy and turn them into someone successful. I can’t do it. What I can do is take someone who’s been hustling and working hard, and give them some strategies to think, act and behave smarter. That is someone I can change.”

1. If you want to be great at something, you need to be around greatness.

2. Find mentors and coaches and apply what you learn from them.

3. Take time each day to reflect on what you are doing.

4. Be prepared to work hard.

Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger, by Peter Bevelin