What Are Tim Grover’s 13 Rules of Being Relentless? Michael Jordan’s Personal Trainer Explains

TL;DR

Being relentless means developing a powerful mindset, mastering one area before chasing another, and consistently delivering results through pressure and adversity. Tim Grover draws on 15 years as Michael Jordan’s personal trainer and distinguishes among coolers, closers, and cleaners, the performers who elevate everyone around them. Read on for his approach to mastery, resilience, continuous learning, and sustained success.

Transcript

so I want you to think about this I want you to think about the greatest basketball player of all time let's call him Michael Jordan right he chooses somebody to be his trainer this iconic player chooses one person to train him for 15 years and you have a chance to sit down with them and talk to him imagine that person who is that person that MJ pi... Read More

Key Insights

• Tim Grover was Michael Jordan's personal trainer for 15 years, emphasizing the importance of mastery and relentless pursuit of excellence.
• Grover categorizes performers into three types: coolers, closers, and cleaners, each with different levels of effectiveness and impact.
• Mindset is crucial to success, often more so than skill set; a strong mindset enhances one's ability to develop and apply skills effectively.
• Consistency and dedication are key to mastering any field; jumping from one thing to another without mastery leads to mediocrity.
• Grover discusses the importance of surrounding oneself with people who are smarter in different areas to achieve success.
• The concept of 'cleaners' involves elevating everyone around them and consistently delivering results regardless of circumstances.
• Grover highlights the role of pressure and adversity in personal growth, stating that how one deals with adversity defines their development.
• Success requires a combination of talent, intelligence, competitiveness, and resilience, and the ability to continuously learn and adapt.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does being relentless mean according to Tim Grover?

Being relentless means maintaining the mindset, consistency, and inner drive needed to produce results regardless of circumstances. Grover connects it with mastering your craft, confronting adversity, and concentrating on factors you can control.

Q: How did Tim Grover prepare to work with professional athletes?

Grover studied kinesiology and exercise physiology after deciding that he was unlikely to become a professional basketball player. After graduating, he worked at a local health club with people ranging from injured athletes and children to housewives, using those experiences to learn how to apply his academic knowledge and build effective programs.

Q: Why did Tim Grover decide he would not become a professional basketball player?

While playing college basketball at the University of Illinois Chicago, Grover faced a high-school junior in a one-on-one game and was thoroughly beaten. That player was Tim Hardaway, and the experience convinced Grover that Hardaway would turn professional while he would not.

Q: What are Tim Grover’s three types of performers?

Grover divides performers into coolers, closers, and cleaners. Coolers meet expectations, closers can deliver exceptional results when given a plan, and cleaners repeatedly produce results while elevating the people around them.

Q: What makes a cleaner different from a closer or cooler?

A cleaner consistently delivers results regardless of external circumstances and raises the performance of everyone nearby. Cleaners remain focused under pressure and are driven by an internal obligation to excel, making them the most effective of Grover’s three categories.

Q: Why does Tim Grover prioritize mindset over skill set?

Grover views mindset as the foundation that allows someone to develop and apply skills effectively. Mental strength also determines how a person handles pressure and adversity, which shapes personal growth and sustained success.

Q: What is Tim Grover’s approach to mastery?

Grover advises focusing on one area until it is mastered before moving to the next. He warns that repeatedly jumping between pursuits without achieving mastery leads to mediocrity, while consistent dedication builds excellence.

Q: How long did Tim Grover train Michael Jordan?

Tim Grover served as Michael Jordan’s trainer for 15 years. His experience working with Jordan informs his lessons about mindset, mastery, competitiveness, resilience, and relentless performance.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Tim Grover emphasizes the importance of having a relentless mindset to achieve success, drawing from his experience with Michael Jordan. He categorizes people into three types: coolers, closers, and cleaners, with cleaners being the most effective and impactful. Grover stresses the need for mastery, consistency, and surrounding oneself with smarter individuals.

• Grover believes that mindset trumps skill set in achieving success, as a strong mindset enhances one's ability to develop skills. He advises mastering one aspect before moving to another and highlights the role of pressure and adversity in personal growth, noting that how one deals with adversity defines their development.

• Success, according to Grover, requires a combination of talent, intelligence, competitiveness, and resilience. He shares that success magnifies one's true self and emphasizes the importance of focusing on internal control rather than external factors, advocating for continuous learning and adaptation.