Pound the Rock
I came across this Popovich philosophy and it really resonated with me. For those of you living in a challenging time, feeling discouraged about a goal or have been trying to break through something… This is the way.
If you walk through the Spurs players’ area toward the locker room, there is a large sign and quote titled boldly, “Pound the Rock”
“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
— Jacob Riis
This might be the single reason why the Spurs are the only sports team I truly connect with. Not because of the championships. Not because of the stars. But because of the ethos… Do the DAMN HARD WORK… POUND THE ROCK! And results will follow.
It's not flashy. It’s not viral. It’s not trending. But it’s true.
Why the Rock Resonates
Because life doesn’t hand out breakthroughs. It’s not easy and there are no true overnight successes.
You earn them—one swing at a time.
It can be discouraging and most people quit at the 37th hit. Or the 76th. They look at the rock, see no change, and assume they’ve failed. But the truth is, the rock is always changing. You are making progress. You just can’t see it yet. The crack doesn’t show until it’s ready.
You Gotta Do the Boring Work
Repetition. Consistency. Basics.
We all want the win. The deal. The contract. The confidence. But that only comes from doing the boring work when no one’s watching. When there’s no applause. No scoreboard. No likes.
It comes from the unsexy swings:
The reps when your motivation is gone.
The dials after three people ghosted you.
The training when no one’s pushing you.
The second, third, and tenth follow-up.
Mastery hides in the monotony. And it never fails, progress always looks invisible—right before it’s inevitable.
So, When Things Get Tough…
When fear creeps in.
When you doubt your value.
When your confidence is low.
When the scoreboard doesn’t match your effort.
Pound the Rock.
Pound out fear.
Pound out doubt.
Pound out weakness.
Pound out distractions.
Pound in the muscle memory.
Pound in the discipline.
Pound in the ethic.
You get better because you pound the rock.
You gain trust because you pound the rock.
You earn respect because you pound the rock.
You win because you never stopped swinging.
This is the Work. This is the Way.
You just have to keep showing up and pounding the rock. Because the stone will always break.
Not from the last hit—but from all the ones that came before it.
That’s the game. That’s the market. That’s the journey.
You don’t win because of one magic moment. You win because you kept swinging—even when the rock refused to crack.
Because I pound the rock.
Notes that Resonated
Happiness is only available if you know how to receive it.
Rejection isn’t a verdict; it’s data. Use it.
Most people mistake discomfort as a signal to stop; the great ones see it as evidence they’re on the right track. - Shane Parrish
The people you admire are just the ones that had the courage to start
So Start!
Potential: is the difference between what is actual and what is possible
Podcasts to listen to
Movie to watch
The Life List
Top Quotes
You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them -Michael Jordan
“When you focus on things you can’t control, you miss what God is calling you to do now” - Steven Furtick
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up” -Babe Ruth
Food & Drink
This is a great treat for an Easter gathering or spring potluck.
Strawberry Tiramisu https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIPbRqTS7kI/?igsh=MWV1czdpN2szZnc4bQ==
