The Will Smith treadmill drill is from the Golf Practice Planner.
Name
Will Smith Treadmill Drill
Category
Golf Mindset Practice Drills
Difficulty
1 out of 10
Time
Ongoing
Props
Visualizing Will Smith on a treadmill
Overview
The only way to excel at golf (or anything) is to manage your time well, and hone your focus like a laser beam.
One of my favourite books is called Grit by Angela Duckworth. One of the quotes within the book is the Will Smith treadmill.
“The only thing I see that is distinctly different about me is: I’m not afraid to die on the TREADMILL. I will not be outworked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me. You might be all those things. You got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the TREADMILL together, there’s two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple.” – Will Smith
How to use Will’s quote to improve your golf and time management?
I don’t view myself as particularly talented (neither does Will), but where I can excel is “ridiculous, sickening work ethic” (another Will Smith quote). But don’t misinterpret that statement. It’s not about having ridiculous sickening worth ethic 24/7. That’s unsustainable. What Will means is when he shows up, he shows up with 100% no distractions focus.
Hmmm, time for an example.
If Will Smith has scheduled a “treadmill run” at the gym from 6 to 7 am, he stays on the treadmill, probably trying to improve upon the time or distance he did last time.
The “treadmill” here is a nice metaphor, but the same principle applies to all areas of his life. For example, if Will schedules time with his kids from 5 pm to 7 pm, he shows up with 100% no distractions focus.
Steps
Below is the simple time management strategy I use…
Step 1: Read
Read the quote several times
Step 2: Countdown Timer
Get a Time Timer Audible Countdown Timer.
Step 3: Fifteen Minutes
Every 15 minutes set the countdown. During those 15 minutes work with 100% focus.
Step 4: Five Minutes
When the alarm goes off after 15 minutes, set it for a 5-minute countdown, and have a break (e.g. get on your yoga mat and stretch or do calisthenics).
Step 5: Fifteen Minutes
When the alarm goes off after 5 minutes, set the timer for 15 minutes, and get back to the task you were working on.
Step 6: Repeat
Keep repeating steps 3 to 6 for however long you’ve scheduled work on the task.
Step 7: Celebrate
Give yourself a pat on the back for thinking like the pros!
Final Thoughts
Concentrating for more than 15 minutes is monstrously counter-productive for mental work. Taking those five minutes of rest makes the day more enjoyable, more productive, and more healthy. It’s absolutely okay to go longer than 15 minutes for purely physical work (e.g. running on a “treadmill” for 60 minutes non-stop).
Golf Practice Planner
If you liked this golf mindset drill, you’ll probably like my Golf Practice Planner.
