Follow the Process
Replace overwhelming goals with relentless focus on the next small step
Coach Nick Saban, arguably the most dominant figure in college football history, attributes his success to a concept he calls The Process. Rather than focusing on winning championships, Saban teaches his players to focus exclusively on the task immediately in front of them -- this drill, this play, this moment. Holiday presents this as a core framework for overcoming obstacles through action.
The Process works because overwhelming obstacles become manageable when broken into small, sequential steps. When you focus on the next action rather than the final outcome, fear and anxiety lose their grip. You stop catastrophizing about distant possibilities and start executing on immediate realities. Excellence becomes a matter of steps -- excelling at this one, then that one, then the one after that.
This approach also works psychologically. By focusing only on what is right in front of you, you create momentum. Small wins compound. The scoreboard, the crowd, the competition -- all become irrelevant noise. What matters is finishing the task at hand, doing it well, and moving to the next one.
- Breaking an overwhelming goal into a sequence of immediate steps removes the anxiety that comes from staring at the distance remaining.
- Excellence is a product of excelling at individual steps rather than a property that can be aimed at directly.
- Focusing exclusively on the next action makes fear and catastrophizing irrelevant because neither lives in the present moment.
- Small wins compound into momentum, and momentum makes subsequent steps feel easier than they would in isolation.
- The scoreboard, the crowd, and the competition become noise the moment attention narrows to the single task immediately in front of you.
- Identify the Overwhelming ObstacleName the large, intimidating goal or problem that feels paralyzing. Acknowledge that its size is what makes it feel impossible. Understand that you are reacting to the totality of the challenge rather than any single component of it.
- Break It Down Into Sequential StepsDecompose the obstacle into the smallest possible discrete actions. Each step should be something you can complete in a single sitting or session. Order them sequentially so that completing one naturally leads to the next.
- Focus Exclusively on the Current StepDo not think about the championship, the final result, or the remaining steps. Think only about what you need to do right now. Execute the current step with full attention and effort. As Saban instructs: think about what you need to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment.
- Finish Before Moving OnThe Process is about finishing. Finish the current task completely and do it well before advancing. Resist the temptation to skip ahead or do things halfway. Each completed step builds momentum and confidence.
- Repeat Without Attachment to OutcomeMove to the next step and repeat the cycle. Do not pause to evaluate your overall progress or worry about how far you still have to go. Trust that the accumulation of well-executed steps will produce the desired result.
Saban took over the University of Alabama football program and built what many consider the most dominant dynasty in college football history. His method was not motivational speeches about championships but a relentless focus on individual moments -- this practice, this play, this rep. Players were taught never to think about winning the national championship but only about executing the task immediately in front of them.
Coach Nick Saban, arguably the most dominant figure in college football history, attributes his success to a concept he calls The Process. Rather than focusing on winning championships, Saban teaches his players to focus exclusively on the task immediately in front of them -- this drill, this play, this moment. Holiday presents this as a core framework for overcoming obstacles through action.
The Process works because overwhelming obstacles become manageable when broken into small, sequential s