What Counts

A reporter once asked Mohammed Ali how many sit-ups could he do. His reply?

"I don’t count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. When I feel pain, that’s when I start counting, because that’s when it really counts."

Pain drives you to get better at X.

Kobe Bryant didn't spend his childhood playing against other 12-year-olds; he forced himself to play against his father's professional teammates.

Gaining proficiency at something is like building freakish muscles:

• The more you stress yourself, the stronger you become at it.

Likewise, the less you stress yourself, the weaker you become at it.

Seek pain.

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