The Action Gap

Mindset & Performance

“Everyone wants to improve—until it’s time to take action.”

You Say You Want to Improve—But Will You Take Action?

Being in the business of helping people improve is fascinating.

We’ve worked with athletes from every level—different backgrounds, different goals, different motivations.
And yet, no matter where they come from, the same pattern shows up again and again:

Person A:
“Coach, can you help me do ____________?”

Coach:
“Yes. Here’s exactly what to do.”

Person A:
“Awesome. I’m in.”

If only it were that easy, right?

Someone asks for help. You give them a plan. They follow through. They succeed.

But that’s not how it usually goes.

The Harsh Reality

Just last week, I sent out a video walking through one of our favorite drills for improving quickness.

Every single athlete on that list had signed up because they wanted to get faster, stronger, and more explosive.

So how many people actually clicked play?

Less than 20%.

Think about that.
Fewer than one in five people—who say they want to improve—took the literal first step.

That’s not a lack of ability.
That’s a lack of action.

The Science of Inaction

This isn’t just opinion—there’s research behind it.

Behavioral science shows that while most people intend to take action, the actual follow-through rate—without accountability or a strong internal driver—is shockingly low.

We don’t fail because we don’t know what to do.

We fail because we don’t do what we know.

Action Creates Outcome

Talk doesn’t change results.
Good intentions don’t either.

Real change comes from repeated, focused action.

So if you’re reading this—and you’re serious about improving, not just in basketball but in life—start here:

• Watch the video we sent.

• Watch it again.

• Study it. Apply it. Repeat it.

Then, send us an email.
Tell us your goals. Tell us what’s working. Tell us what you need next.

We’ll help you get there.
But you’ve got to take the first step.

Final Thought

This isn’t a locker-room speech.
It’s a wake-up call.

What you want is possible.
But you’ve got to do more than want it.

You’ve got to work for it.

— Coach Shelby and The Shelby Trained Team