The most important step is the last. Take it from someone who’s gone against the best

Back when I was coaching decathletes, I quickly noticed that almost every one had the same bad habit of coasting to the finish line rather than running through the tape. I’ve noticed this in anglers, too: backing off and losing focus at that critical moment when victory is a millimeter away.

I see anglers get off to a good start, but when they get tired I see them gradually shut down before the fishing day is done. They’ve done all the hard work and then they begin to coast just when the law of averages begins to work in their favor. I can’t tell you how many times pushing that last little bit when I didn’t feel like it was when I caught something special.

It’s human nature to see the finish line and want to glide. Do this time and again, practicing shutting down too soon, and your results will begin to show why this is not the best idea for true victory.

I coached my athletes to first run a solid race, but I never wanted to see them slow down until they were past the finish line. I don’t care if you’re ahead of the other guy by 10 yards, you run through the line. As decathletes, this training was critical to their success. Many of these athletes had to make the transition from beating the competition one-on-one to getting the very best mark in each of the 10 events leading to the best and highest overall winning score. For a “dec,” beating someone by a mile means very little, but achieving a personal-best is epic. The real race and competition is about improving and doing your very best. The other guy just happens to be in the race with you.

Running through the tape takes discipline; usually it’s the moment it’s toughest to keep churning. That’s why it’s such an important discipline.

Anglers and athletes tell me they “know” this, but few “do” it. Realizing how to separate yourself and do your best takes internal fortitude and self-discipline. Your choice. Always run through the finish line with all you’ve got. It makes all the difference!

Never give up.

This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 12:00 PM.