Titan alum Zach Bussard, a sophomore forward at Dordt College, scored a career high 25 points vs Hastings College on February 10, 2018. If you know Zach like we do, you know that he earned every point and some. This young man is intentional. He does the work.
Intentional practice is above the line behavior. Simply stated it is reps with a purpose, high focus and maximum effort. Autopilot practice is the opposite: mindless reps, low focus and minimum effort. (Credit this to Tim and Brian Kight of @Focus3_Team)
Zach has always practiced and trained above the line; as you see in the picture above and video below. This behavior is not normal, but it is for him. He is a highly disciplined student-athlete. And the beauty of it all is that "Big Z" intentionally practices like this regardless of his circumstances. His playing time has been all over the place -- high minutes, low minutes, JV minutes, to average minutes -- none of which phase him. He just keeps putting in work.
Z's studying to be an civil engineer. Which means he could be analyzing the structural design of a building I am working in or a bridge I am driving over. With that said, my confidence is high that those structures will be designed "above the line". I can also promise you when Zach gets home from work he won't be an "autopilot" husband or dad. Will he be perfect? No, but he will have purpose and strive to do the right thing. And that's all we can ask and hope for.
Do the work! You won't regret it.