The Power of Anticipation: Unlocking Greatness in Sports, Business, and Life

About 15 years ago I spent some time thinking about the attributes of greatness in athletes. Is there a common denominator in great hitters, great infielders, great goalies in soccer or hockey, great quarterbacks in football and great race car drivers. And is there a way to apply this attribute to the way we run our own businesses so that they, too, rise above the herd and exhibit greatness?

Aaron Rogers, Creative Commons
Photo by Mike Morbeck

Let’s start with football. One chapter in Brian Billick’s More Than A Game addresses the challenge of picking first round draft picks during the football draft, and in particular the near impossibility of predicting whether a quarterback will succeed in the pros after an outstanding college career. A full fifty percent of all first round picked quarterbacks fail to live up to their potential. Why is this? At time I was writing this in 2009 I'd been watching Aaron Rogers of the Green Bay Packers who was having another stellar season. What was Rogers doing that lesser quarterbacks were not?  

In baseball, what made Derek Jeter a superstar? It wasn’t just charisma. How did a great hitter like Albert Pujols snag a ten-year contract worth more than a quarter billion dollars. How about goalkeepers in soccer, or the National Hockey League? What do the best do that the rest do not? What about champion race car drivers? At the NASCAR level they all have to be good. Is there a quality that sets the best apart from the rest?

 

There are undoubtedly many qualities that contribute to success, but one in particular that seems especially common to all is the ability to anticipate. Alertness, focus, anticipation. Here’s an excerpt from a blog called Axon Potential which deals with the mindset of athletes. 

Based on athletes’ reports and technology that tracks their eye movements, we know that athletes anticipate what’s coming next by focusing only on the most relevant cues in an opponents’ movement pattern. And that this skill changes and becomes refined with training. The eyes of novices are all over the place, whereas athletes’ focus is much more targeted and economical. Across a number of different sports, expert athletes demonstrate similar “visual search strategies”. Their eyes focus on fewer targets, jump around less, and they stay focused for longer periods of time than do the eyes of novices.

This is a fascinating concept because in a world filled with a gazillion pieces of information flying at us from all directions, how do we process it all? The key for Aaron Rogers when he faces down eleven defenders has more to do with which information not to process, and identifying the right cues so as to obtain the most effective result. Crowd noise and stunt maneuvers by defensive linemen are all distractions. Perhaps the success in a scoring touchdown pass revolves around what he sees in a single linebacker’s eyes.

Goalkeepers in soccer and hockey operate in high-stakes, high-speed environments where anticipation is critical. A soccer goalkeeper facing a penalty kick or a hockey goalie stopping a slapshot must predict the shooter’s intent based on subtle cues—body position, head tilt, or stick angle. The best goalkeepers don’t just react; they anticipate, positioning themselves a fraction of a second ahead of the play. Their refined visual search strategies allow them to focus on these cues while ignoring irrelevant distractions, such as crowd noise or feints, resulting in more consistent saves.

In NASCAR, where all drivers are skilled and cars are closely matched, anticipation is what separates the champions from the rest. Elite drivers anticipate track conditions, competitors’ moves, and even split-second changes in aerodynamics. They read the race’s flow—knowing when to draft, pass, or conserve fuel—by focusing on critical cues like a rival’s line or tire wear. Like other athletes, their ability to process only the most relevant information in a high-speed, high-pressure environment gives them an edge.

The concept of anticipation as a critical attribute of greatness in athletes across various sports but has relevance for our own lives far outside the arena. The principle of anticipation, as seen in elite athletes, has profound applications in business. Just as athletes filter out noise to focus on critical cues, business leaders must navigate a world overflowing with data, market trends, and competing priorities. The ability to anticipate—whether it’s market shifts, customer needs, or competitive moves—can elevate a business above the herd.

In practice, this means developing a disciplined focus on the most relevant signals. For example, a CEO might anticipate industry trends by focusing on emerging customer behaviors rather than getting lost in short-term financial metrics. A startup founder could prioritize a few key performance indicators (KPIs) that predict long-term growth, ignoring less impactful data. Like Aaron Rodgers ignoring crowd noise, business leaders must filter out distractions—such as media hype or irrelevant industry fads—to make strategic decisions. 

Moreover, anticipation in business involves preparing for multiple scenarios. Just as  goalkeepers position themselves before a shot, businesses can use predictive analytics or scenario planning to stay ahead of disruptions. For instance, companies that anticipated the rise of e-commerce or remote work before 2020 gained a competitive edge. By focusing on the right cues—customer preferences, technological advancements, or economic indicators—businesses can position themselves for greater success, much like elite athletes.

In our personal lives, anticipation can transform how we approach challenges and opportunities. Just as athletes focus on what matters most, individuals can achieve greater success by prioritizing meaningful goals and filtering out distractions. For example, in a world of constant notifications and social media noise, anticipation means identifying what truly aligns with your values and tuning out the rest. This might mean setting boundaries, like limiting screen time, to focus on high-impact activities, such as learning a new skill or deepening connections.

Anticipation also applies to emotional and mental resilience. By recognizing early signs of stress or burnout—subtle cues like irritability or fatigue—you can take proactive steps, such as practicing mindfulness or adjusting workloads, before problems escalate. Like a NASCAR driver reading the track, anticipating life’s challenges allows you to navigate them with greater control and confidence.

Ultimately, the ability to anticipate is a learnable skill that requires practice, reflection, and discipline. By training ourselves to focus on the most relevant cues in our environment—whether in sports, business, or life—we can rise above the ordinary and achieve greatness. Just as Aaron Rodgers, Derek Jeter, or a champion goalkeeper hones their craft through targeted focus, we can cultivate anticipation to make smarter decisions, seize opportunities, and lead extraordinary lives.

Where's the focus of your life right now?