Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover

Over time, I’ve realized that not everything can or should be applied, but some key takeaways have truly resonated with me. To save you time, you might be interested in the biggest learning I’ve taken away from the hours I’ve put in. (I won’t cover everything – Only some key concepts that I related to)

Don’t think

“Cleaners don’t think. They act. Automatically. Instinctively. Without hesitation.”

This one made the most sense to me, from this year and seeing it from the likes of Crimsix and Clay. They would have this innate ability to “Just DO”. And it made sense to me reading this.

Grover argued that the highest performers don’t stop to think during performance. They act on instinct, driven by hours of preparation, repetition, and internalization of their craft.

• Thinking introduces doubt.
• Thinking is hesitation.
• Thinking is fear wearing a smart disguise.

Cleaners operate from a place of pure confidence, not overconfidence, but earned certainty. They’ve trained and prepared so hard, for so long, that when the moment comes, they just execute. That’s why practise is so bloody important. If your practise isn’t as intense as your official games, you’re leaving improvement gains on the table. When you work harder in practise than you do when it matters, the game becomes easy. You already know what to do as a team.

So, now to this cleaners thing he was on about. He described 3 types of competitors. Cleaners, closer and cooler.

ESPORTS Players – Which one do you want to be?

Tim shows us there are 3 types of players in this world.

The Cooler

“Coolers are careful. They do a good job and wait to be told what to do. They’ll deliver when you ask, but rarely go beyond that.”

For their mindset, these are the guys that follow the structure and system. They want safety and predictability. They want to be liked and approved of, and they hate confrontation and pressure. Nothing wrong with these guys but, we’re reading this because we want to chase excellence, right?

From a performance perspective, these guys are consistent. That’s admirable. Consistent but, rarely elite. These are the type of guys that need direction and supervision. That perform best when the vibes are high, when stress is low. Consequently, they avoid risk and avoid situations of leadership. Polite guys, cool guys, nice guys. But you’re trying to be the greatest ever right. That’s what you and i are chasing? Doesn’t want the spotlight type of guy? Avoids conflict and just agrees for the sake of agreeing. These are the type of people who rarely achieve excellence.

This made sense to me over the career I’ve had, these are dependable guys who do their job well but, they won’t step up and take charge which shit goes south. There’s no innovation, and they need instructions. These are the traits where you freeze or retreat under pressure. Insane amount of self-doubt.

The Closer

“Closers can handle pressure. They’ll take the winning shot — if you set it up for them. They’ll deliver the win — if everything’s in place.”

Now we are getting somewhere, you might know a person or two in COD with this mindset. Think of a lot of the veterans who played.

These guys are results orientated and driven, focused and confident on what they want. Within their comfort zone – this is key. They want to be seen as the best but, they struggle with the fear of failure – now this is also another key.

From a performance perspective, the closer have high level of execution, always well prepared. Think about it from a COD perspective. They have all the nade spots, all the wallbangs, they know how to adapt to as many situations as they can. Their game plans and foundations on point. Their flow is consistent. Everyone with the same goal. However, some of these guys will need external validation to thrive. Meaning, if they ain’t receiving gas from the flank or reddit, they won’t play at their best. They can lead but, usually these guys won’t lift the team up at the lowest. When things are off script and you need to call an audible, they struggle.

Observe these guys under pressure, hesitation if the situation is uncertain or messy. They over think a lot – paralysis by analysis. These guys can look like leaders on the surface! But they aren’t obsessed with winning. Talk, not actions. When things are aligned, the environment is perfect, these guys will succeed. But, you don’t always get to choose your environment. Winners make the best out of what they are given!

The Cleaner; the relentless one

“Cleaners don’t compete. They dominate. They don’t worry about the outcome — because they’ve already decided it.”

This opened my eyes. This is who you want to be. You want to be relentless, even attempt to be it. From a mindset perspective, you want to be ruthlessly self-accountable. Meaning, you don’t let shit slide that can harm you. You want to lose weight and you eat 1 too many slices of pizza? Ruthlessly accountable. Never happens again. These guys don’t care about opinions, validation or rules – truthfully, i struggled with this all season, chasing being a cleaner. These guys NEED to win, it’s a must win and they are obssessed. You want to be the top 1% in competition, no matter what it is? You need to be obssessed, not motivated. Motivation fades. Obsession does not. I am proud of myself this year, i felt the obsession but, i need it to be more consistent.

The guys who are relentless, and i’ll always give my respects and props to Crimsix. These guys always deliver regardless of conditions. They will always give it 110% in practise, every single day. They will do extra, because extra is what champions do. Their training will be intense and obssessed. These guys prepare so thoroughly, thinking becomes unnecessary. When you are so prepared, you just DO.

I’ve seen a guy like Crim, when he’s under pressure, it fuels him. He lives for it, he enjoys it. The darker and more intense the moment, the better they perform. Think of Kobe, think of Jordan, think of Woods, think of Jeff bezos and Elon musk.

The Ultimate Litmus Test

“When things go wrong, a Cooler blames others.
A Closer looks for help.
A Cleaner looks in the mirror — and fixes it.”

We all need to ask ourselves this. I certainly need to.

Self-Assessment Time: Where Are You Now?

Look yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself these questions. Leave your ego at the door and out of sight. Tally how many you answer YES too….

Are you a Cooler?

I avoid confrontation and prefer not to be in charge.

I perform well when told what to do.

I want others to notice and validate my effort.

I fear making mistakes or looking stupid.

I often wait for permission or approval before acting.

If you answer yes to 4 or 5 then you’re in this stage.

Are you a Closer?

I like being the go-to person when stakes are high.

I can succeed under pressure — if I’ve had time to prepare.

I want to be seen as the best and crave recognition.

I enjoy leading, but prefer when conditions are in my control.

I sometimes second-guess when stakes get messy.

Same again, 4 or 5 and you are most likely a closer.

Are you a Cleaner?

I do the work when no one’s watching.

I don’t talk — I just execute.

I trust myself more than anyone else.

I don’t care about praise, validation, or critics.

I perform better under pressure, not worse.

Same again, 4 or 5 and you are most likely a cleaner – very few reading should be here.

I’ll talk about what this book tells you to do to move to the next level, later on —- KEEP READING!

Keep going, when everyone else wants you to give up…

I’ve mentioned in a couple previous journals, how some of these books preach the same thing. And there’s a reason for that. True relentless work ethic is based on your habits and routines. Not your mood and motivation. How does this relate to COD? Look at players like HyDra. Insanely talented, sure. Gifted, sure. High skill ceiling, sure. I mentioned this on twitter but, this is what i meant. Even working with Sib (Daunte), he had this mindset. This perfectionist, obsession with getting 1% better mindset.

You don’t get to the level that these guys do without basing your life around relentless work ethic. And that work ethic can only stem from your habit and routines. This is why i speak so HIGHLY of the guy. Even when the guy doesn’t want to, he does things, watches things, finds things without thinking about it – like it’s a regular day for him. Doing the things you don’t want to do. Everyone wants to win, everyone wants their name in lights. But, the days where you don’t want to AND you DO anyway, are the days that matter. That’s how you build consistency. As humans, we’re not consistent with our emotions, we’re so day to day. If your emotions are so day to day, then your improvement is so – day to day.

Resting won’t break your career but, stopping completely will. The book uses Kobe Bryant and Jordan a lot, these guys who would work through illness, exhaustion and comfort. Because they commit to “when i don’t feel like it” workouts and sessions. That is a measure of effort, not emotion. Whether you WANT to do something doesn’t mean you’re putting in effort. Whether you’re DOING these things when you DON’T WANT it measure effort.

You Get in the Zone and Control the Outcome

Focus is also another big part of competition and what we do. You get into the zone, you don’t stumble into flow state. It’s deliberate and purposeful. When you’re a cleaner, you create mental isolation from distraction — focus isn’t optional, it’s mandatory. The ways the best athletes in the world, you can name them. Your Brady’s, Jordan’s, Woods, Ronaldo’s all do the same thing. They meditate pre-game. They shut out the outside noise, they shut out socials and the fans. They are completely focused on the task at hand. Remember earlier in the journal, where your preparation is key in doing and not thinking. This compliments it.

For you players out there, ready to compete in challengers, or even that CCL league. What ever it may be, when you’re ready, you need to focus. Control what you can, don’t expend energy on what you can’t. Whether it’s observers, streamers, ping. Completely focus on the present, get the job done, be relentless and have fun.

Develop a 3-step “Zone Routine”. Develop a cue (music/quiet), visualize, begin. What i do, is 5 deep abdominal breaths so i’m relaxed, i’ll repeat to myself i’m calm and confident then i’ll begin to visualize what i need too.

Know exactly who you are…..

Be authentic, don’t try and fake something you’re not. Being true to who you are is how you get your advantage. You’re a hyper guy? Own it? You’re mellow and calm? Own it. Don’t bother trying to please others in the scene, doesn’t matter if it’s fans, other players, enemies. Focus all that time and energy into yourself. Trust yourself. Of course, take constructive feedback where you can. Not being arrogant – by any means.

Practice daily journaling, it’s completely changed my routine, mindset and life. Ask yourself every day “What do I stand for? What am I willing to do that others aren’t?”.

Jordans competitive drive and his pursuit to be the best would alienate his team mates. The guy was super relentless. But, he didn’t compromise because he was a cleaner. He had his goals, and he was relentless in pursuing them.

We all have a dark side…….

Everyone has a “dark side”. What that means is that intense, suppressed energy source built from fear, trauma, obsession, rage, jealousy, insecurity, rejection, or pain. Like for me, it’s cool that Optic won Champs 2025 but, that dark side in me is jealous they went back-to-back. When we had the potential to do this last year. That’s tapping into my dark side.

Cleaners don’t bury it. They control it. They use it.

They don’t pretend to be balanced or purely “good.” Instead, they weaponize that inner chaos with precision. They turn what others see as emotional instability into unmatched drive. Think about when you lose to the winners of a tournament in the first round. You sit there saying “we could of beaten them“. And they ended up winning the gold. That dark side in you should be angry, jealous. That can fire you to do more.

What Is the Dark Side?

• It’s the part of you that’s willing to go farther than others.
• It’s fueled by:
  • Betrayals you’ve never forgotten.
  • People who underestimated you.
  • Pain that made you stronger.
  • Internal hunger that doesn’t shut off.
• Most people are afraid of that energy because it doesn’t play by polite rules. But Cleaners trust it. They don’t let it explode. They channel it like electricity into action.

The Myth of “Goodness”:

• Society tells us to be calm, polite, modest, well-adjusted but, that’s for the Coolers and Closers.
• Cleaners understand: Greatness isn’t soft
• Kobe, Jordan, Tyson didn’t pretend to be angels. They knew their demons. They trained with them. They competed with them.

An example that this book shows us is from Mike Tyson. His fights were fueled by deep pain: childhood trauma, poverty, abandonment. He didn’t suppress it though, he funneled it. He walked in angry, but focused. Calm, but deadly. Our version isn’t going to be physical. It might be emotional intensity. Control issues. Fear of failure. Need for vengeance. Think of all the shit people talk about you, doubt you. Roast you. That’s the stuff you need to OWN.

Identify Your Dark Side

Write out the core drivers behind your inner fire.
Ask:

• What makes me angry or obsessive?
• Where did that come from?
• Have I been trying to “fix” it? Should I instead channel it?

Example entry:

I get obsessive when I feel like I’m being ignored or dismissed. I used to think that made me weak. But that’s actually the source of why I work 10x harder. I don’t need to be “cured” of that

Build Your Channel

List how you can turn your dark energy into results, not damage.

• Example:
  • Rage → Heavier lifts, longer runs.
  • Obsession → Mastery of craft.
  • Fear of being “not enough” → Extra reps after practice, late-night VOD sessions.

Affirmation to write:

I don’t need to be good. I need to be in control. My darkness is a weapon. I use it.

This chapter isn’t about being reckless or emotional. It’s about power without apology.
Not lashing out but, digging in. Not hurting others but outworking them silently.
Your dark side doesn’t control you. You ride it like an elephant lol.

YOU NEED TO BE OBSSESSED………

This was my biggest take away over the past 3 years. Obsession. Knowing what you are obsessed about and with. We’re in a god damn competition. Yeah, you might have talent. But, if i’m obsessed, i’m putting myself in a position to be BETTER than you. Obsession isn’t a weakness. It’s your most dangerous competitive weapon. Cleaners don’t chase everything but, once they have their obsession, they go all in.

“Being relentless means demanding more of yourself than anyone else could ever demand of you.”

Now this one is a touchy subject within COD esports. COD esports isn’t really in a place to go ALL in – until you’re actually involved. For you aspiring professionals out there, of course have you plan B / C and D’s in place. But keep trying your best to be obsessed with improving, and reaching your goals. Now once you get that ONE shot – then you need to be ALL in. Being all in is going to be better than half-in and half-out. You can’t put yourself in a position to chase excellence without being ALL IN.

Obsession is not just passion. Passion is emotional. Obsession is relentless focus with teeth. It’s not a hobby. It’s not a preference. It’s a non-negotiable identity (you are this thing, even when nobody sees it).

All the early mornings that people don’t see. All the late nights, the VOD sessions, the studying, the reflecting, the reading. The consistency. The outside world won’t see that. Cleaners don’t dabble. They eliminate distractions, isolate what matters, and build their entire existence around domination in one domain. For me, that was Coaching.

Why do most people resist obession?

• Society glorifies balance and warns us about burnout.
• Most people fear becoming “too much.”
• They water themselves down to fit in
• They go deeper, not wider.

Jordan. Kobe. Serena. Elon. Jobs. MJ. They weren’t interested in greatness. They were addicted to domination. I felt this same way too for a while but, once you sort your diet out, your poor sleep schedule, and commit to healthy habits, as gamers you’ll realize how long of a way that goes. You can still be obsessed with someone and disconnect once or twice a week – too. Putting in 14 hours days, for 6 days a week didn’t really feel like it when i prioritized the right things. As well as my day off, most importantly.

Answer these with honesty:

• What am I really obsessed with (beneath the surface goals)?
• What do I think about when I’m alone?
• What makes me angry when I’m not doing it?
• What am I willing to suffer for that others won’t?

Create a sacred routine that reinforces your obsession.

• Daily Focus Session (e.g., 90 minutes, no interruptions)
• Nightly Review (What did I move forward?)
• Obsession Symbol (A quote, item, or goal in plain sight)
• Dark Hour (Focused time when others are sleeping/slacking)

For me, as an example. Wake up at 6 AM. Gym by 7:30 / 8. Office by 9 and watching VOD / preparing the lesson of the day or personal player development plan etc. After scrims, 45 minute reflection session to set up the next day and at least 1 new concept to the table.

Being obsessed isn’t about working harder. It’s about aligning your identity so completely with your mission that anything not aligned becomes intolerable.

“Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.”

You Don’t Recognize Failure. You Know There’s Always Another Way

Same again with the other points above. Concepts that many books preach. This one being that cleaners don’t believe in failure. To them, setbacks are data, not defeat. When a plan breaks, they don’t collapse, they pivot.

Failure only exists if you stop looking for the next move.

Where others stall, Cleaners keep adapting until they win. It’s the exact same concept in our esports. Any competition. Failure teaches you, if you go and look for learnings.

Most people hit an obstacle and:

• Freeze.
• Overthink.
• Blame others.
• Quit.

Cleaners do none of that.

They:

• Process the hit.
• Absorb the lesson.
• Find the next angle.

If Plan A doesn’t work, they go to Plan B, C… or Plan Z.

Not emotional. Not desperate. Strategic.

A couple real world examples that this book uses.

Michael Jordan

Lost in the playoffs 7 times before his first ring. Didn’t quit. Didn’t switch goals.

Kobe Bryant

Missed game-winners. Shot airballs. Took criticism. He’d be back in the gym the same night, adjusting. Because of this, Kobe Bryant once practiced 1,000 makes (not shots — makes). That’s the difference between wanting it and needing it. That’s relentlessness right there.

He never said, “I failed.”
He said, “That wasn’t it. Let’s try again but smarter.”

So what can you do or apply in COD esports? This is the process the book teaches.

Acknowledge after the 1st 10 minutes

First 10 minutes, you want to blackout. Get rid of all emotion. Then after 10 minutes, be honest about what happened, no excuses, no finger pointing. Just the truth. You didn’t prepare properly? You avoided the hard part? You crumbled mentally? You were under or over confident?

IDEATE

This means you ask questions and try to formulate ideas. What’s another way? What did this expose in you? If you replayed the game, what would you do differently?

Most importantly! If you had to start again right now, what’s the first action you would take?

IMPLEMENT!

Take action, immediately. Doesn’t have to be perfect, just moving in the right direction. You don’t wait for the perfect comeback moment, you act now even if it’s rough. Momentum will fix more than motivation ever could.

Success isn’t about getting it right. It’s about refusing to sit in wrong.

Your turn………

Write about the most recent thing that didn’t go your way…

What outcome did I expect?

What actually happened?

What assumptions did I make that were wrong?

What truth did this expose?

Build your recovery playbook…

If you fail anything like a test or project – what will you do within the first hour?

What are ethe 3 alternate routes to the same goal?

Who or what can i lean on for realignment?

Habit Upgrade System: Moving to the Next Level

Okay, so above we talked about reflecting on whether you’re a cooler, closer or cleaner. Most of us are coolers. And that’s cool. But, i’m sure we all want to progress and chase our dreams.

Cooler to Closer

Your training // pressure simulation –> try and practice realistic pressure or scenarios, as much as you can. Simulate match time intensity, where possible.

Accountability –> Set yourself weekly goals, and self-reflect – make no excuses.

Decision – making –> You need to try and make 1 uncomfortable decision a day, without asking permission

Mental toughness –> Journal your daily fears and expose yourself to one of them

Closer to Cleaner

Preparation –> employ visualization every day. Visualise high-stakes moments daily. Feel the emotional intensity of you being in a 5-5 or you being 230-145 down on redcard.

Ownership –> Take FULL responsibility for results and your situation. Complete ownership. Even other peoples mistakes.

Intensity –> Schedule and block our dark zones. Pure focus and no distractions. Whether it is watching VOD, or coming up with nerdy stuff. Even your scrim blocks. Take that phone away and focus entirely on the practise.

Emotional control –> Practice silence, say less, observe more and execute. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.

Self-Standards –> Raise your baseline – not your goals. What are your non-negotiable behaviors?

Cleaner Mindset Rewire Routine (10–Minute Daily)

I have the same routine that i’ve used for 3 years, except just waking up earlier. The 3 part routine is similar to what the book highlights here:

Affirm (1 min)

“I don’t compete. I dominate.”
“I don’t explain. I execute.”
“My work is my reputation.”

Visualize (3 mins)

• Picture a challenge you’ll face today and see yourself crush it, feel it.

Grind Trigger (choose one):

• Cold shower
• Morning workout
• Call someone you’re avoiding
• Execute a “no plan B” move

This stuff isn’t a title, it’s a lifestyle.

Summary of Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim S. Grover (COD Esports Perspective)

At its core, Relentless is about becoming more than just good, it’s about becoming unstoppable. Even if it’s a mindset shift to do things that make you feel uncomfortable.

The “Cleaner” mentality is built on obsession, not motivation. They are defined by habits, not moods. Where others slow down or break, Cleaners adapt and dominate.

You don’t rise to the occasion but, you fall to the level of your preparation. Piss Poor Preperation Leads to Piss Poor Performance.

Grover also emphasizes how Cleaners control focus deliberately, create routines to lock into the zone, and don’t wait for praise. They’re not interested in balance. They’re addicted to domination. In COD esports, this shows in players like Crimsix, HyDra, Sib. Relentless in prep, elite in pressure, and never casual with effort.

If you’re reading this, chances are you want to be more than just good.

So let me ask you:

Are you obsessed enough to outwork talent; even when no one’s watching?

Because in a game full of Closers and Coolers, the Cleaners walk away with the legacy. Look at Crimsix, Clayster, Formal and so on.

Now look in the mirror.

Which one are you becoming?

If you want to begin your journey,  I’d recommend the book here!

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