Doing the basics: Toni Minichiello
Why doing the basics well is more important than marginal gains, with Jessica Ennis-Hill's former long term coach Toni Minichiello. Toni met Jess when she was 13, and guided her athletics career for the next 15 years, winning three world titles and Olympic heptathlon gold at London 2012. Toni then won coach of the year in what was arguably the greatest year in the history of British sport. He was inducted into the coaching hall of fame too. Toni has also coached a number of other top athletes, and worked his magic in cricket, football and business as well. The theme of this conversation is “doing the basics”, and doing them well. Toni thinks the idea of marginal gains is largely irrelevant if you're not doing the basics as well as you possibly can time and time again. It’s about going step by step and gradually moving towards your goal over a long period of time. He emphasises the importance of loving what you do, and prioritising the journey not the destination. He talks about managing egos, prepping for success and failure, letting go of a fear of the future and, to pinch one of his many mantras, 'normalising not traumatising'.