Control Your Inner A.P.E.
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
Golden Nugget #3 for Strength Coaching Success
By Joe “Big House” Kenn, VP of Performance Education
Introduction
This article is part of my four-part series: “3 Golden Nuggets for Strength Coaching Success.”
Throughout this series we are exploring several principles that help shape successful strength coaches.
In this third article we discuss a mantra that guided our program during my time with the Carolina Panthers.
That mantra was simple but powerful:
Control Your Inner A.P.E.
A.P.E. stands for:
Attitude
Preparation
Effort
These three elements are completely controllable, yet they often determine the difference between success and failure.
Attitude
Everything begins with attitude.
Your attitude determines how you approach the day, how you respond to adversity, and how you interact with the people around you.
One of the most important truths about attitude is that it is a choice.
Circumstances may influence how we feel, but we ultimately decide how we respond.
A positive attitude creates opportunity.
A negative attitude creates obstacles.
Choose wisely.
Preparation
Preparation bridges the gap between intention and execution.
Successful coaches and athletes prepare.
Preparation means developing a plan and investing the time necessary to execute that plan effectively.
I often refer to this as Purposeful Preparation.
Purposeful preparation allows us to anticipate problems and respond quickly when challenges arise.
And in coaching, challenges always arise.
There is a simple phrase that still holds true today:
Failure to plan equals planning to fail.
Effort
The final component of controlling your inner A.P.E. is effort.
Effort represents your willingness to invest everything you have toward achieving a goal.
Effort can be physical.
Effort can be mental.
But effort always requires commitment.
In athletics, one of the worst things a coach can say about a team is that they had to coach effort.
Effort must come from within.
When athletes care deeply about what they are doing, effort follows naturally.
Closing Thoughts
Success in coaching and athletics often comes down to controlling the controllables.
Your attitude.
Your preparation.
Your effort.
When those three elements align, individuals and teams place themselves in the best possible position to succeed.
Control your inner A.P.E., and you control the foundation of success.
— Coach Joe “Big House” Kenn
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