Tim Grover is recognized as the trainer to the world’s most elite, iconic athletes. In his work with top performers like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Grover must first know each player’s level of relentlessness.
To do that, Grover needs to know who he’s dealing with, from their mental strengths and weaknesses; to how far he can push them; and how far they’re willing to go. Grover has observed that, while every player he works with is considered “great,” each has their own uniqueness.
For instance, many players know their motivations and limitations and are willing to power through and push themselves every quarter. Others, by contrast, are grateful to have even made the NBA and are, as Grover puts it, “content to just play a little summer ball.”
All have achieved greatness in their own right. No one can deny that. But Grover has found that, regardless of each performer’s ability, there are subtle differences that reveal how far someone is willing to go to get ahead of everyone else.
In his book, Relentless, Grover explains that he uses a three-tiered system to categorize each player he trains. Moreover, he uses three adjectives to describe each, which are as follows:
- Coolers
- Closers
- Cleaners
Or, to put it another way:
- Good
- Great
- Unstoppable
Let’s discuss each briefly.
Explained: Coolers, Closers, and Cleaners
First, we have Coolers, which Grover describes as “cautious.” Coolers wait to be told what to do, watch what everyone else is doing, and then follow the leader. Coolers are there to set things up, so to speak, and ensure everything works until Closers or Cleaners can take over.
Next, there are Closers who can handle the pressure of performing at a high level. Closers will get the job done if you put them in the right situation and tell them what they need to do. Closers also enjoy the fruits of their labor, but, given a choice, they will always choose security over winning or success.
Finally, there are Cleaners, which Grover explains are in a category of their own. Cleaners share some combination of the following thirteen traits, which Grover calls “The Relentless 13” (and incidentally, make up the remaining chapters of his book):
- You keep pushing yourself harder when everyone else has had enough.
- You get into the Zone, shut out everything else, and control the uncontrollable.
- You know exactly who you are.
- You have a dark side that refuses to be taught to be good.
- You’re not intimidated by pressure; you thrive on it.
- When everyone hits the “In Case of Emergency” button, they’re all looking for you.
- You don’t compete with anyone, you find your opponent’s weakness, and you attack.
- You make decisions, not suggestions; you know the answer while everyone else is still asking questions.
- You don’t have to love the work, but you’re addicted to the results. You’d rather be feared than liked.
- You trust very few people, and those you trust better never let you down.
- You don’t recognize failure; you know there’s more than one way to get what you want.
- You don’t celebrate your achievements because you always want more.
Cleaners don’t identify with all of the above traits (and neither should you, for that matter). But all have experienced at least one, if not a few, at various points in their careers.
Let’s discuss how these three categories apply to the rest of us.
Are You a Cooler, a Closer, or a Cleaner?
Your team. Your friends. Your family. We all have different definitions of relentlessness. Many people decide what they want, take action, and are content when they achieve their goals.
Others allow life to decide for them, opting to live a life by default rather than by design. And then there are people who struggle to define even success due to them forever raising their personal standards.
Grover has found that in almost every group he works with, most people are Coolers, a small percentage are Closers, and maybe, if the group’s lucky enough, there’s a Cleaner.
But our everyday reality is different, of course. Most of us aren’t NBA-caliber athletes—we’re normal people living normal everyday lives. Few people want to be “feared rather than liked” or “have a dark side that refuses to be taught to be good.”
The good news is that we don’t have to put ourselves in a box, as some detractors might suggest. Instead, we can identify with each category depending on where we are in our lives right now.
For instance, if you’ve recently been laid off, you might not feel like a Closer. You’re dealing with the emotional fallout of losing your job, and pushing yourself is likely the furthest thing from your mind.
Conversely, suppose you’re interviewing with multiple companies months later. In that case, you might feel your confidence beginning to return and find yourself tapping into one of the Relentless 13 traits, such as knowing who you are or thriving under pressure.
No category is better than the other; each is useful, depending on the context. Moreover, we all default to one naturally, whether we like it or not. But it’s important to remember that we all have the capacity to push ourselves to higher levels of relentlessness.
We might not “get ahead of everyone else,” but we will get ahead of our where we might have been had we never tried.
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