HABITS OF THE TOP 1%: JANNIK SINNER’S WIMBLEDON WIN REVEALS WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO FOCUS ON THE PROCESS

One of the most common phrases in high performance is, “Focus on the process.” Coaches say it. Sport psychologists teach it. Authors write it. Business leaders encourage it. The problem? Almost everyone says it. Very few people truly understand what it looks like.

This year’s Wimbledon may have provided one of the best examples.

Just six weeks before successfully defending his Wimbledon title, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner walked off the court at Roland Garros with far more questions than answers. Battling oppressive heat deep into the tournament, Sinner physically faded in one of the most difficult losses of his career. The headlines weren’t about his forehand or his movement. They were about his second round loss and his body’s ability to handle long matches in extreme heat.

Then came Wimbledon.

Ironically, the Championships opened with some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded at the All England Club. The same conditions that had become the story in Paris were now waiting for Sinner again in London. Many wondered whether history would repeat itself. Instead, he looked stronger than ever.

He defended his Wimbledon title with remarkable composure, proving once again why he sits atop the ATP rankings. What changed? It was Sinner’s response to the loss at Roland Garros and his understanding of what it really means to FOCUS ON THE PROCESS.

In one of the most revealing stories to emerge, coach Darren Cahill shared what happened the day after Roland Garros. Rather than dwelling on the disappointment, Sinner called his team with one question:

“All right, boys, what are we doing? Let’s get back on the court. What are we working towards? What’s the plan? Where are we going? What do we need to do to get better?”

That single conversation perfectly captures what elite performers actually mean when they say, “Focus on the process.”

It isn’t positive self-talk. It isn’t a mindset. It isn’t trying not to think about winning.

It’s a lifestyle. It’s action. It’s behavior. It’s a set of repeatable habits.

Elite performers don’t focus on the process because they ignore results.

They focus on the process because they’ve learned that results are produced by repeatable habits.

Here are three habits that define what focusing on the process really looks like:

Habit #1: Fall in Love with the Work

One of the most striking aspects of Sinner’s post-match interviews wasn’t how often he talked about winning Wimbledon. It was how often he talked about the work that led there. Rather than celebrating the trophy itself, he reflected on the countless hours invested before anyone was watching.

“We put in a lot of work… very, very long days… sacrificing a lot to put ourselves in this position.”

Notice his language. He wasn’t reminiscing about championship point. He was talking about practice, preparation, and sacrifice. The daily work. That’s what elite performers fall in love with. The trophy simply validates years of behind-the-scenes effort.

Over the past three decades of working with elite athletes and top financial professionals, I’ve discovered the same principle applies in both worlds. Advisors often become consumed with outcomes – assets under management, net new assets, revenue growth. Those outcomes matter, but they aren’t the process.

The process is preparing thoroughly for every client meeting. Mastering integrated wealth, tax and estate planning. Developing their teams and work processes. Seeking coaching. Making one more prospecting call.

Ironically, the advisors who are obsessed with the process, not the outcomes, are often the ones who produce the most.

Think about what that reveals. The world’s No. 1 player wasn’t trying to prove he had all the answers. He was searching for better insight, guidance, solutions. Coachable individuals seek feedback from others. They invite challenge. They embrace accountability.

Championships are earned by teams long before they’re celebrated by individuals.

The individuals themselves aren’t necessarily the most gifted. They’re the most curious. The most coachable. The most accountable.

They actively seek feedback from mentors. They welcome difficult conversations. They invite others to challenge their thinking. They surround themselves with talented financial planners, investment specialists, client service professionals, operations leaders, and marketing specialists, not because they need others to do the work for them, but because they recognize that excellence is accelerated through collaboration.

Ironically, many advisors believe coaching is something you need early in your career. The opposite is usually true. Like Sinner, the more successful professionals become, the more intentional they are about remaining coachable. Because they understand a simple truth:

The ceiling of your business is often determined by the ceiling of your willingness to learn.

Habit #3: Stay Connected to Your Purpose

One of the biggest misconceptions about elite performers is that they’re primarily motivated by trophies and results. In reality, those who remain at the top are usually driven by something much deeper than results Their process is tied much more to motives like mastering their craft, maximizing their potential, or discovering just how good they can become.

Following his Wimbledon victory, Sinner reflected not on striving to become a two-time Wimbledon champion, but on becoming a better player.

“I was looking for this improvement… player improvement from my side. We made it happen.”

Notice the distinction. He didn’t define success as winning Wimbledon. He defined success as becoming a better player. Winning was simply evidence that his process was working. Purpose drives process. Results simply follow.

I’ve observed the same pattern in my work with financial professionals. Those who sustain excellence over decades rarely wake up thinking first about revenue or assets under management.

Instead, they’re driven by purposeful questions like:

• How can I better serve my clients?
• How can I build a business that will best provide for my family?
• How can I build a stronger team?
• How can I access and impact more prospective clients?
• How can I create a legacy in my community?

Revenue matters. Growth matters. But purpose gives those results meaning. And over time, exceptional results tend to follow.

Final Thoughts

One of the biggest misconceptions in business is that elite performers think differently when the moment arrives. More often…

They simply live differently long before the moment arrives. 

They fall in love with the work. 

They remain coachable. 

They stay connected to their purpose.

The championship point at Wimbledon wasn’t where Jannik Sinner won the title. It was won weeks earlier, when disappointment at Roland Garros became a conversation about improvement rather than excuses.

That’s what it really means to focus on the process. Not ignoring results. Not pretending that outcomes don’t matter.
But becoming so committed to the daily behaviors that produce excellence that the outcomes begin taking care of themselves.

Whether you’re striving to win Wimbledon or build a world-class advisory practice, the lesson is the same.

Championships, thriving businesses, extraordinary careers. They’re all outcomes.

The Habits of the Top 1% aren’t built in the spotlight. The spotlight simply reveals them.