Curt Cignetti's mentality extends far beyond football — it applies to everyday life

Last weekend, the campus of Indiana university was buzzing with excitement. Throughout the weekend, each of IU’s 16 different schools held their own individual graduation ceremonies, with Saturday night holding undergraduate commencement for more than 11,000 students.

Indiana football saw 14 of its players receive degrees, and while they earned those because of their work done in the classroom, the football field taught them a thing or two as well. Because Curt Cignetti’s “process-oriented” football philosophy doesn’t just apply on the gridiron, it shapes his players for their life outside of the sport.

“I think the things that we ask our football team to do on a daily basis are the things you got to have to be successful in life,” Cignetti said in an interview with Josh Pate.

Pate brought up a specific hypothetical to Indiana’s head coach, explaining a situation where a 32-year-old working a “normal job” is inspired to change and alter his habits to be more disciplined. After pondering for a second or two, CIgnetti said: “You know, I I think that’s a good point and and it probably does happen.”

Now, this specific situation may or may not have actually occurred, but what is clear is the fact that the discipline and mindset that IU football applies each and every day inside the practice facility can certainly apply when the Hoosiers go home, and especially when they leave Bloomington to go become a professional – regardless if that’s in football or not.

“He wants to see his guys improve and make those strides to become better players and better men at the end of the day” Kaelon Black said during Rose Bowl week.

“Whether that’s cooking, vacuuming, cleaning up the house, those certain things that you have that certain mindset from football that you learned from him,” Black said. “It just kind of translates to your everyday life.”

What Black was explaining might seem like rudimentary tasks, even common household chores can require a proactive mentality in order to cross them off and move onto the next. What Cignetti advocates for when it comes to discipline doesn’t stop at the door of Memorial Stadium, it extends everywhere.

The buzzwords that have become synonymous with Cignetti: “humble and hungry,” “smart, disciplined and poised, “not affected by success nor failure” all can apply to every single walk of life, because there aren’t football techniques, they’re ways to improve in no matter what career path you choose.

“You have to be process driven. You have to be competitive. You have to be uh striving to find the edge on a daily basis. And you got to have consistency and performance and strong habits and discipline and commitment and a work ethic and be able to handle success and learn from failure” Cignetti explained to Pate. 

‘You’re amazing’: President Trump wouldn’t stop praising Curt Cignetti during Indiana’s White House visit

“You got to have all those things to be successful in life and to be a good husband, a good wife, you know, to be successful in business.”

Cignetti has taught his players a mindset that is always focused on how to constantly improve, no matter the circumstance – and it started on day one. His first step inside the program was to get everyone to buy into his vision for what success looks like on a day-to-day basis. It involves all of what he spelled out to Pate, but more specifically, it involves accountability from top to bottom.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a star, or a true freshman, everyone prepares the same. Cignetti doesn’t name official captains, because everyone on the roster has a role to play in building a culture that holds everyone to the same standard.

In life, there’s obviously superiors in the workplace, but if someone is simply searching for their boss’ approval, that’s not a recipe for success. Having a high standard individually is critical, while also maintaining a strong sense of teamwork.

“If you want to be good in anything in life, you’ve got to have a goal, and then you’ve got to be committed to it and have the discipline day in, day out to work toward your goal, the work ethic and the mental toughness to persevere. That all goes into discipline” Cignetti said ahead of the national championship game.

These are the same principles that he mentioned to Pate, and they’re the same because no matter the stage of the season, they don’t change. They keys to success the week during the national title game are the same areas of mental focus during the offseason.

While the on-field physical aspects certainly do change depending on what time of year it is, the mental fortitude that is required to win in football – and in life – is always the same.

“It’s a simple message, all right? Prepare the right way every single day to a high standard and anything is possible in life” Cignetti said during Indiana’s White House visit. “The only limitations are those between your ears. And you can’t have any of those either.”

Video: President Trump, Curt Cignetti and players speak during Indiana’s visit to White House

On arguably the biggest stage in America, or at least the one with the most eyes on it, Cignetti is still preaching the same process. He credits Indiana’s success to the people inside the program, but also the mentality that allowed the Hoosiers to avoid complacency, as well as mistakes throughout their 16-0 season.

Obviously life is more complicated than listening to a football coach for advice, but Cignetti’s way of running his program can certainly be of help in the discipline department. He doesn’t teach his players to work on a spreadsheet or to do their taxes, but the lessons in work ethic that IU football instills can help with mindset, determination and self-improvement.

Even from a national perspective, Pate could see the impact that Cignetti has on his team, as well as on Hoosier nation. Whether or not you are playing for him, Cignetti’s message on mindset transcends football.

Indiana’s White House visit showed just not national of a story IU football is, and the lessons aren’t just one of an underdog story, they’re a blueprint to continued success for all that life can throw at you.

Not yet a member of TheHoosier?  Join our community for Just $1 and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership. Join here!

Make sure to follow and subscribe to all TheHoosier social media platforms so you never miss any of our content including X, Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Pocket Casts.