The WNBA kicked off its 29th season this past weekend — and while I’m not in the locker rooms anymore, I couldn’t help but feel that familiar buzz. The energy. The focus. The urgency that comes when a new season starts and everyone’s trying to set the tone early.

I spent nearly a decade working behind the scenes in the WNBA.
Not courtside. Not in the spotlight.
But on buses. In weight rooms. On long travel days.
Helping elite athletes prepare for the moments that count.

And when I watched opening weekend unfold — players stepping onto the court, coaches managing the chaos, teams navigating expectations — it reminded me of something I’ve seen over and over again:

Winning doesn’t come from wanting it more. It comes from preparing better.

Wanting it is emotional.
But preparation? That’s practical. Intentional. And repeatable.

When I talk to people now — not just athletes, but leaders, high-performers, and anyone trying to reach that next level — I say the same thing:

The ones who win consistently have one thing in common:

They build systems that help them focus when it matters most.

That means:

• They control what they can control

• They show up on the days it’s not easy

• And they don’t wait to “feel ready” — they prepare to be

Watching opening weekend was fun. But it was also a reminder:
The habits that win games are the same habits that help people win in life.

If you’re chasing big goals right now — personally or professionally — take a page from the pros:

👉 Stack your days.
👉 Build habits that hold under pressure.
👉 And trust the work, even when the results haven’t shown up yet.

Because that’s how you stay ready for your moment.

Want more mindset + performance breakdowns like this?
I’ve got a few new things coming — workshops, tools, and maybe even a course — all designed to help high-performers prep better, think sharper, and show up strong when it matters most.

Visit this page and drop your email if you want first access, plus you’ll get access to my free cheat sheet “8 Performance Secrets From Women’s Sports.”

Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce just defended her title in the 100m parent race at her son’s school sports day. And honestly? I loved every second of it.

Not just because she won (although—of course—she did), but because of what it took to say yes to that moment in the first place.

Let’s be real: a lot of people would’ve said no.

Too busy. Too tired. Don’t want the attention. Don’t want to make other parents uncomfortable.

There are a million reasons someone at her level could’ve passed on that race.

But she didn’t. She showed up, laced up, and ran like the Olympic sprinter she is.

That “yes” wasn’t small. It was powerful.

1. She Said Yes When Others Would’ve Backed Out

There’s a quiet kind of pressure that comes with being great—especially as a woman. A pressure to blend in, play it cool, or minimize your success.

Shelly-Ann had every excuse not to run. She’s one of the greatest sprinters of all time. And this wasn’t the Olympics—it was a school field day with other moms in sneakers and sundresses. The vibe was casual. The expectations were low.

And yet—she stepped into that lane anyway. She didn’t say, “This isn’t worth it.” She didn’t say, “What if I look like I’m trying too hard?” She didn’t say, “What will people think?”

She said yes.

That’s a mindset we can all learn from—because sometimes the brave thing isn’t running a world championship final. Sometimes the brave thing is saying yes when it would’ve been easier to say no.

2. She Ran Like Herself, Not Like the Room

When the gun went off, she didn’t jog. She sprinted.

She didn’t hold back just because the competition wasn’t fierce.

She didn’t coast through it because it was “just for fun.”

She ran like a champion—because that’s what she is.

That moment wasn’t about beating other people. It was about refusing to turn her light down. It was about doing her thing, at her speed, with zero apologies.

That’s the kind of energy we need more of—especially from women. Too often, women are taught to stay connected, stay likable, stay small. But what if we chose courage over comfort? What if we gave our full effort in every setting, not just the high-stakes ones?

What if we let ourselves be great, even when no one’s expecting it?

3. She Didn’t Shrink to Fit In—She Stood Tall and Led

Shelly-Ann didn’t just run a race. She modeled something bigger—for her son, for the other parents, for the world. She modeled what it looks like to embrace your excellence, not apologize for it.

She reminded us that leadership doesn’t always look like a speech or a title. Sometimes it looks like being unapologetically yourself in the middle of a field when everyone else expects you to blend in.

And that’s the kind of confidence I want more people to feel.

Say yes.

Go hard.

Don’t shrink.

You don’t have to match the room. You can elevate it just by being fully you.