I remember when I was a young boy ready to learn how to play different sports, my dad (who is probably the most naturally gifted athlete I have ever known) seemed to give me the same advice despite the individual sport itself: “Now just follow through”. WHAT!? I just wanted to hit the ball as hard as I could and peel the skin off the ball with a vapor cloud behind it. I wanted to be a phenom and anyone that saw me would say “Look at that kid…he just hit that ball harder and further than I have ever seen before!” Reality: I can’t tell you how many times I began my stroke with all the fury and might of Zeus himself…only to then hit the dirt…well short of the ball…or I’d swing and miss the ball, or I would miss the goal entirely. In each instance, as if I didn’t hear him the first time, my dad would calmly say “Don’t forget about your follow through”. Trying to hit a ball hard versus hitting a ball right yields two entirely different results.
By definition, follow through means to “continue an action or task to its conclusion”. See, where a lot of people miss the point is they think POINT OF IMPACT (POI) as the conclusion. In sports it means finishing your shot, your swing, your throw, etc. after the ball is struck or released. Beyond sports, think about what you are doing after the POI in other areas too: Relationships, business, goals, convictions etc.
Generally, there are three phases of movement: preparation, execution and follow-through. The preparation contains all of the elements that prepare a person for something. The execution is the performance of the actual movement that often includes a point of contact with an object (e.g., bat and ball), the release of an object or a flight phase (e.g., jump and shoot). Finally, the follow-through refers to all of the movements which occur after the execution phase (e.g., pitching, swing and kicking) that to get ready for another movement.
Practice!
Anytime I have a meeting in an unfamiliar area, I always go to GoogleMaps – StreetView and virtually “drive” the route so when I ACTUALLY drive there, I am already familiar with landmarks, exits and distances.
It’s is easier to recreate something if you felt it before. In some cases, this might mean picturing the event in your head, or just trying to imagine the potential challenges that might spring up so you are not taken completely off-guard. Much in the same way that sports activities require “muscle memory” and body recognition – repetition helps us to gain confidence of the skill or task. Also, especially when you are doing something new or for the first time, we have to give ourselves the permission to “follow through” and to NOT necessarily be great at something the very first time! And in that same way, that is what needs to happen in order to find success in life. Not just in sports, but also in your career, in school, and even in your resolutions and goals!
Once you have your goals, ideas, or resolutions written out so that you can track them, then you start the process of implementation and action. it’s not always the “getting started” part that we as humans have the hardest time with. We have all of these great ideas, and begin to implement them, but then once your well into the ‘process’ it’s easy to lose steam if things don’t work out as planned or you meet some tough challenge. Don’t be mistaken though, ‘momentum’ can be initiated well ahead of the POI and if you haven’t designed your approach with follow through in mind, you could be in for a disappointing result!
In sales…people want to know that you genuinely care, whether that is caring enough to find out more information, care enough to check in on someone, care enough to let them know you are interested, people want to know you weren’t just interested in the sale, or the promotion or the date. etc.etc
Don’t stop short of a complete action by ignoring your follow through. It could very well mean the difference between a failed attempt and success.