An athlete asked me the other day, “How should I be doing?”
It’s a question I’ve heard countless times over the years, and it’s always an interesting one—because when athletes ask it, they’re usually not really asking how they should be doing.They’re asking how they want to be doing.
Here’s the truth: You’re doing exactly as you should be doing based on what you’re currently putting in.
Your performance today is a direct reflection of the big pieces you control every single week:
When athletes say, “I should be better,” what they really mean is, “I want to be better.”
But “wanting” without matching effort creates frustration. It pushes aside the reality that improvement requires consistent work over time.
So instead of asking “How should I be doing?” try asking: “Am I doing the things that support the results I want?”
If you’re unsure about your performance or unhappy with your results, pause for a moment and check in with the fundamentals:
This isn’t about judgment—it’s about clarity.
Setting realistic expectations based on your habits keeps you grounded and helps you see exactly where your next step should be. At the end of the day: You should be performing exactly how you’re performing—because it reflects what you’re doing right now. If you want that to change, start adjusting the inputs, not beating yourself up over the outcomes. And remember: every improvement you want is within reach when the work matches the goal.
