Elite performance is often a daily decision to do what others will not so they can become what others are not.  Whether it is Tom Brady mastering the mental and emotional aspects of leadership, Noah Lyles finishing like a champion when the stakes are highest, or Chris Paul refusing to stop learning at age 39, the best of the best share common traits that transcend their industries.

Elite by Choice: 5 Mindsets That Separate the Great from the Good

The following are five mindsets that separate great performers from the rest:

1. Elite Performers Master the Mental and Emotional Game

Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion, once said in this interview:

“There’s three parts that make up great players: the physical, the mental, the emotional.  We all have deficiencies… Mentally, emotionally, I was always very good.  I had a great understanding of the tactics.  I could bring a competitive desire to practice every single day to get the most out of my teammates.”

Brady understood what every elite performer knows:

• Talent without toughness won’t take you far.
• And toughness without emotional intelligence won’t keep you there.

Your organization, your team, your family — they need your strength, but they also need your stability.

2. Elite Performers Do Not Sit on the Bench by Choice

Keith Madison, longtime University of Kentucky baseball coach, once said:

“On practically every team there are players who choose to sit on the bench or in the dugout.  They have the ability to contribute, but they don’t desire to compete.  They enjoy being on the team and wearing the uniform, but are content to watch others earn the wins, suffer the losses and the bruises.”

Elite performance is not just about ability — it is about availability.  It is about a willingness to step into the fire when others sit in the shade.

3. Elite Performers Start Fast 

When you do step into the fire, it is important to know you never have to recover from a good start.

Currently in third-place in the Premier League standings, Nottingham Forest may not be one of the league’s traditional giants, but in the 2024-25 season, they have mastered one principle every leader should pay attention to: start fast.  Forest have opened the scoring in 24 of their 30 league matches — more than any other club.  In a league filled with elite talent, that kind of consistency does not happen by accident.  It is intentional and strategic.  It is also a picture of how great organizations create momentum early and force others to play on their terms.

What makes Forest’s approach even more impressive is how they are doing it.  While many of the Premier League’s “Big Six” thrive on aggressive counter-attacks, Forest strike first without overcommitting.  They move with precision, not panic.  As a result, they’ve conceded the second-lowest number of goals from fast breaks this season.  In leadership, starting fast isn’t about reckless energy — it is about focused urgency.  Great leaders do not just show up early; they show up prepared.  They set the tone, establish pace, and take ground before the opposition even finds its footing.

4. Elite Performers Are Continual Learners

Elite leaders understand that growth is not a destination — it is a mindset.  San Antonio Spurs point guard Chris Paul captured this truth when he said in this article from The Athletic, “I’m constantly learning.  Everyone’s always wondering what knowledge I’m giving, but I’m always very observant and paying attention to different trends and changes in the league; to different players; different movements.”

Paul, the 39-year-old and future first-ballot Hall of Famer, could easily rest on his experience and reputation.  Instead, he remains a student of the game.  This mindset is what separates the good from the great.  The best leaders never assume they have arrived — they stay curious, observant, and hungry to adapt.

In any industry — sports, business, ministry, or life — the pace of change is relentless.  Those who thrive are those who, like Paul, remain teachable.  Elite leaders do not just give wisdom — they gather it.  They study trends, watch people, learn from competitors, and stay in tune with shifts in culture.  This continual learning allows them to stay relevant, make sharper decisions, and lead with insight.  The moment you stop learning is the moment you stop leading effectively.

5. Elite Performers Finish Well

On August 24, 2024, American sprinter Noah Lyles won the Men’s 100 Meter gold medal becoming the fastest man in the world.  Incredibly, how won by only five one-thousandths of a second.  Lyles did not lead a single step of the 100m final until crossing the finish line.  Let that sink in: he was not ahead until it mattered most – at the end.

This is a reminder to every leader in business, athletics, or ministry:  You do not need to dominate every moment — you just need to finish strong.  Lyles’ gold was the first for an American in this event in 20 years, and it came in the closest final since 1980.

Elite performance is about closing.  It is about enduring and believing your moment will eventually come.

Conclusion

Elite performance is not reserved for the few — it is available to the focused.  Whether you are leading a team, building a business, coaching athletes, or guiding a family, the principles are the same.  Master the mental and emotional game.  Start fast.  Keep learning.  Stay in the fight.  Finish well.

The habits of elite performers are not flashy — they are foundational.  And the good news?  You can start building them today.  Because greatness isn’t about having more talent; it’s about making more intentional choices.

🏆 Elite performance is not an act.  It is a decision — made every day in the dark, when no one is watching.

And that decision is yours.

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