Book Review: Relentless – Tim. S. Grover

This book is like my personal Mr Motivator. It reminds me to go harder when I’m settling for what is comfortable and to aim for the highest level possible.

Tim. S. Grover was a trainer for the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and other hall of famers, so you could say that he has the clout when it comes to talking about the mentality required to go to the next level. The first time I read this book was back when I was training for a half marathon last year. I recall how much I would repeat the lessons from this book to keep me going early in the morning for my run before work. This book may come across as if it is all about basketball players however, the concepts are universal, it is all about mindset and can be utilised in any discipline.

Tim categorises competitors into three categories: Coolers, Closers and Cleaners.

Coolers are the most common, a smaller percentage are Closers and Cleaners are the treasured rarity. The Coolers wait to be told what to do, can handle a certain amount of pressure and generally set up for the Closers and Cleaners to take over. Closers can handle a lot of pressure but need to know exactly what to do, they become uncomfortable when dealing with the unexpected. Cleaners are the ultimate competitors, they do not compete with others, they raise the bar and make everyone else get on their level.

Here is an example of some of the comparisons in the book to further explain:

• Coolers worry about the competition and how they measure up.

• Closers study the competition and plan their attack based on the opponent.

• Cleaners make the competition study them; they don’t care whom they’re facing, they know they can handle anyone.

• Coolers won’t offer to take on a role they’re not comfortable with.

• Closers will take the role if you ask them and they’ll do it well, if they have enough time to prepare for and study the situation.
• Cleaners don’t wait to be asked, they just do it.

Personally, when looking at myself I can see that I have a lot of the attributes of a Cleaner, but I can fall back into the Closer zone if I get too comfortable. There is a slight difference between Closers and Cleaners, but it is that difference that makes all of the difference. Whether it is a CEO, a Scientist, an Actor or an Athlete, a Cleaner performs at a completely different level to the rest.Usain Bolt is a cleaner. There are some other great runners who are Closers, but Usain is not concerned with being great he is concerned with being the best ever. Full Stop. Nothing else is acceptable.Those heights are what I strive for and this book, as the sub title states, is about going from Good to Great to Unstoppable.

If you are interested in being the best at what you do, I would definitely recommend it.

Some of my favourite excerpts are:

Most people are willing to settle for “good enough.” But if you want to be unstoppable, those words mean nothing to you. Being the best means engineering your life so you never stop until you get what you want, and then you keep going until you get what’s next. And then you go for even more.

From this point, your strategy is to make everyone else get on your level; you’re not going down to theirs. You’re not competing with anyone else, ever again. They’re going to have to compete with you. From now on, the end result is all that matters.

The fact is, you can’t train your body—or excel at anything—before you train your mind. You can’t commit to excellence until your mind is ready to take you there. Teach the mind to train the body.

You can waste a lifetime sitting around overthinking possible ways to look at something. On one hand . . . but on the other hand . . . but then on this hand . . . Stop it, you only have two hands, and that’s already too many.