Little things matter to Harrison Barnes

He’s 23-years-old and an NBA champion. His team set the record for the most wins in a season. He knows about making extraordinary happen.

So I asked Golden State’s Harrison Barnes, what’s the difference between a great team and a championship team? With his familiar thoughtful reply, he said, “the little things.”

“The championship team will do all the little things necessary to win at any cost. A lot of people look at basketball and they say, ‘Oh, we need scorers, we need rebounders and we need someone to block shots.’ But, when you get into, for example, the NBA Finals like last year, it’s the little things like setting a screen, cutting without the basketball, running the floor hard, making an extra pass – it’s the little things like that that end up winning you the basketball game. It’s not necessarily the person that’s going to go out there and knock down a whole bunch of open shots and do that type of stuff, because once you get to the finals it’s two great teams.” –Harrison Barnes

Having the will to do all the necessary things – even the things that are seemingly small – to achieve a dream is a powerful tool. It’s not just making the shot or securing the rebound; it’s the hustle that gets you there that can matter most. And the little things are the difference makers not only in sport, but in life.

As he looks towards the possibility of a back-to-back championship, he’s following an already proven formula for success: find something you love, put all of your heart and soul into it, combine it with unparalleled work ethic and be willing to do everything it takes to win at all costs. A valuable strategy for all of us to follow.

Listen to my conversation with Harrison on Extraordinary Happens.