“Big things happen by doing small things very well everyday” ~ Steven Caldwell
Having coached sports at several levels, I am passionate about preparation. There are people who will defend their favorite college coach despite his diminished record because of uncompetitive practice facilities, weaker talent, or what not. Truth is, preparation and execution are the key to everything.
In sports, the only measure of success is winning. They keep score for a reason. And, winning is ultimately defined by execution. When one team out executes the other, they will usually win. Talented teams will lose to lesser teams that out execute them–and they often do. A team focused on and committed to the fundamentals, preparation, and execution will beat poorly prepared talent almost every time!
The only way to assure you will be successful is your preparation and consistent execution on the little things that matter most.
This quote inspired me because of its focus on the simple, the basics. We all want to accomplish great things. We have big ideas, big dreams, big desires. Often, we start working on getting to the big thing without realizing greatness requires several simple, small steps done really well and very consistently. 
- Woody Hayes and his “three yards and a cloud of dust offense” is an example of that. You knew they running off-tackle right or off-tackle left. Yet, no one could stop his teams. Why? They did the little things in that offense very well everyday.
- Magic Johnson was a skilled basketball player. One of my personal all-time favorites. As a kid, he would dribble a basketball in his right hand going to the store and in his left hand coming home. He learned to do the little things well everyday.
- Spouses who stay together forever and seem as happy as the day they got married, make it a point to express their love everyday. It sounds like such a little thing; but, its the little things that are the key to the big result.
Whether you are an athlete, a business owner, a leader, a sales professional or a parent or a spouse, being great isn’t about the big things. It is recognizing the little things that are critical to your big dreams and doing them well everyday. Execution is the key to success. The systematic, exceptional execution of the little things will get you there.