My family just returned from a vacation on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where we got a close-up of people trying to get the most out of their time away.

Whether it was a walk on the beach or para-sailing over the Sound, these vacationers wanted great things out of their week by the ocean.

This idea carries a lesson for coaches and student-athletes who want great things in the coming school year. And the lesson is this: It’s nothing special to want great things. Everyone does. Everybody who goes on vacation, everybody who plays the lottery, everybody who plays a game or takes a test wants great things to happen.

But not everyone is willing to do what it takes to make those great things happen. They think that good things will somehow materialize in their lives. It doesn’t work that way. There’s a connection between what you do and what you get.

In our gym, we have a saying: Extraordinary preparation leads to extraordinary results. If you want great results, you better take a look at how you’re preparing. If you prepare in an ordinary way, you will get ordinary results. And if you prepare in a sloppy way, you can guess what kind of results you will get.

For instance, back in June, coaches all over the state asked their athletes do some extra work this summer. Some athletes have ignored it, some have done it halfway, and some have done it to the best of their ability.

What do you suppose it will be like to compete against someone who has done it fully if you have not done it at all?

As you embark on another school year, ask yourself this question: What do I want out of this year? Once you know the answer to that question, you can then challenge yourself with another: Am I willing to do what it takes to get what I want?