You can’t always control your size, but you can always control your effort.
Growing up as an athlete, I learned pretty quickly that size matters to a lot of people. Before you even step onto the court or field, people are already making assumptions about what you can and can’t do based on how tall you are.
But here’s something I’ve learned throughout my journey: being the biggest athlete doesn’t automatically make you the best athlete.
I’ve competed in both basketball and football, and along the way, I’ve realized that one of the biggest advantages you can have isn’t something that shows up on a measurement chart.
It’s grit.
Grit is what keeps you going when you’re tired. It’s what pushes you to get another rep in when everyone else is finished. It’s what makes you show up early, stay late, and keep working even when nobody is watching.
And for athletes like me who don’t always fit the traditional physical expectations, grit isn’t just something nice to have.
It’s a necessity.
What Does It Really Mean to Have Grit?
People talk about working hard all the time. Coaches say it. Parents say it. Athletes post about it on social media.
But there’s a difference between talking about hard work and actually living it.
To me, grit means having the discipline to keep showing up, especially when things aren’t going your way.
It’s not just about having one great workout or playing one great game. It’s about what you do consistently.
Are you putting in extra work when practice is over? Are you studying your mistakes? Are you finding ways to improve your game instead of making excuses?
One thing I learned early is that effort is one of the few things I have complete control over.
I can’t control how tall I’m going to be. I can’t control what a recruiter thinks when they first see me. And I definitely can’t control every opportunity that comes my way.
But I can control how prepared I am when that opportunity finally shows up.
That’s the foundation of what I call The Grit Principle.
You Have to Be Willing to Do What Others Won’t
One of the athletes I talk about in The UnderSix Advantage is Kyle Lowry.
At six feet tall, Lowry wasn’t the biggest player on the court, but he built a career that included becoming an NBA champion and All-Star.
What stood out to me about his journey wasn’t just his basketball ability. It was his toughness, his competitiveness, and the way he approached the game.
He didn’t need to be the tallest player to make an impact.
He found other ways to win.
That’s the mentality I believe every undersized athlete needs to develop.
If you’re not the tallest, become one of the smartest. If you’re not the strongest, work on your fundamentals. If someone doubts your ability, let your preparation speak for itself.
I’ve always believed that the work you put in behind the scenes eventually shows up when it matters.
The extra repetitions, the early mornings, the film study, and the attention to detail all add up.
And when your moment comes, you want to know you’ve done everything possible to prepare for it.
Are You Really Working Hard, or Just Going Through the Motions?
Here’s a question I think every athlete needs to ask themselves:
Are you actually getting better, or are you just getting through practice?
There’s a difference.
You can spend hours in the gym and still not make progress if you’re not being intentional about what you’re doing.
In my book, I talk about becoming a “hot grit” athlete.
To me, that means being the athlete who brings energy, focus, and purpose into everything they do.
It’s not about being loud or trying to prove something to everyone around you. It’s about holding yourself to a higher standard.
When you’re training, are you working on the things you struggle with? Are you listening to your coaches? Are you taking feedback seriously, even when it’s something you don’t want to hear?
Those are the things that separate athletes who simply participate from athletes who continue to develop.
One of my favorite reminders comes from the idea that hard work compounds.
A couple of extra hours each week might not seem like much in the moment, but over months and years, that work adds up.
The goal isn’t to train until you’re exhausted every day. It’s to train with purpose, recover properly, and keep building on yesterday’s progress.
The Mental Side of Grit
Something that doesn’t get talked about enough in sports is how much of the game happens mentally.
Especially when you’re an undersized athlete.
There are going to be people who doubt you. Coaches who overlook you. Players who assume they have an advantage before the game even starts.
And sometimes, the hardest voice to overcome is your own.
I’ve learned that you can’t allow every opinion to become your reality.
In The UnderSix Advantage, I focus on three qualities that I believe every athlete needs to develop:
Perseverance. The ability to keep moving forward when things get difficult.
Resilience. The ability to bounce back from mistakes, losses, disappointments, and setbacks.
Self-discipline. The ability to do what needs to be done, even when you don’t feel like doing it.
Those three qualities have shaped how I approach sports and life.
Because the truth is, you’re not always going to feel motivated. You’re not always going to have your best game. And you’re definitely not going to win every time.
But you can decide how you respond.
When you make a mistake, learn from it. When you lose, figure out what you could have done better. When somebody tells you that you can’t do something, don’t waste all your energy arguing.
Get back to work.
Your Mindset Can Become Your Biggest Advantage
One of the reasons I wrote The UnderSix Advantage is because I know what it’s like to pursue goals in a world where physical measurements can influence how people see your potential.
But I’ve also learned that limitations don’t have to define your future.
Becoming a Division I athlete wasn’t just about talent. It required discipline, sacrifice, consistency, and believing in what I was working toward.
There were lessons I had to learn along the way, and one of the biggest was understanding that I had to take ownership of my development.
Nobody can want your success more than you do.
Your parents can support you. Your coaches can teach you. Your teammates can push you.
But at some point, you have to make the decision to put in the work yourself.
That means being accountable when things don’t go your way.
It means accepting constructive criticism instead of taking everything personally.
And it means understanding that your journey isn’t going to look exactly like somebody else’s.
You have to focus on becoming the best version of yourself.
Grit Isn’t Just for Sports
Although I wrote this book for athletes, I believe the principles apply to so much more than basketball or football.
The same discipline it takes to improve your game can help you succeed in the classroom.
The same resilience it takes to recover from a tough loss can help you navigate challenges in life.
And the same perseverance it takes to keep chasing an athletic goal can help you pursue whatever dreams you have for your future.
Sports have taught me that success isn’t always immediate.
Sometimes you have to keep working without knowing exactly when your opportunity will come.
That’s where faith, patience, and discipline become important.
You have to trust the work you’re putting in while continuing to hold yourself accountable for your progress.
The Challenge: How Gritty Are You Really?
I want every athlete reading this to think about something.
When was the last time you challenged yourself to get better at something you weren’t naturally good at?
Not something that comes easy to you.
Something that actually requires you to put in extra work.
Maybe it’s your ball handling. Maybe it’s your footwork. Maybe it’s your conditioning, your confidence, or your ability to stay focused under pressure.
Whatever it is, stop avoiding it.
Start working on it.
Set a goal. Build a routine. Track your progress. Ask for feedback. And most importantly, stay consistent.
Because the athletes who continue to improve aren’t always the ones with the most natural ability.
They’re often the ones who refuse to stop developing.
You Don’t Have to Be the Biggest to Become the ONE
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from The Grit Principle, it’s this:
Your height may be part of your story, but it doesn’t have to determine how that story ends.
There will always be athletes who are taller, faster, stronger, or more naturally gifted.
That’s part of sports.
But instead of focusing on what somebody else has, focus on what you’re building.
Your discipline. Your fundamentals. Your confidence. Your intelligence. Your work ethic.
Those are advantages you can develop every single day.
I didn’t write The UnderSix Advantage to tell athletes that the journey would be easy. I wrote it because I believe athletes who are willing to put in the work deserve to understand how much potential they really have.
So the next time somebody underestimates you because of your size, remember this:
You don’t have to prove everything with your words.
Let your preparation, your performance, and your grit tell the story.
And never forget, you don’t have to be tall to be the ONE.
Discover More in The UnderSix Advantage
The Grit Principle is just one of the lessons I share in my book, The UnderSix Advantage.
I wrote this book for every athlete who’s ever been overlooked, underestimated, or told they weren’t big enough to compete at the next level.
Whether you’re trying to make your school team, earn a college scholarship, or simply become a better athlete, I want you to understand that your greatest advantage might be something you haven’t fully developed yet.
Your size doesn’t define your ceiling. Your commitment to getting better helps determine how far you can go.
