When Pat Riley was coaching the New York Knicks in the early 1990s, he wanted to motivate his team. The team kept the usual stats on scoring, assists, rebounds and the like, but one year Riley decided to begin measuring hustle -- how many rebounds players went for even if they didn’t succeed; how many times a player would make an extra effort to snatch a loose ball; how often someone would make a steal attempt. Riley posted his “Hustle Stats” in the Knicks’ locker room after every game, without any additional comment on his part. Riley’s players took notice and soon became a top-level team.

Today’s sports landscape is filled with analytics that chart all these stats. Focus on results, yes, but keep an eye on your level of effort to reach the top.

It’s really no different in business. It’s just that the stats are reflected in the bottom line.

I recently saw two T-shirts that grabbed my attention. One said “Hustle or go broke.” The other read “Hustle now/relax later.” If there was ever a shirt for an entrepreneur, this would be the one.

That’s what I did when I started my envelope manufacturing company many moons ago. I basically kissed my wife and told her, “I’ll see you in five years.” It takes that kind of hustle to get a business off the ground.

There are a number of attributes a person needs to succeed in life. Two of them are outside our control – talent and luck. Hustle is a third component, and it can definitely be developed and cultivated. Hustling is important for anyone who wants to be successful.

Good things may come to those who wait, but only the things that are left by those who hustle. I’ve always felt that it doesn’t take any special ability to hustle, just a deep-down burning desire to get ahead. Anything you lack in talent can be made up with desire.

President Thomas Jefferson said: “Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”

Hustlers know they need to develop two skills. First is learning to network. Often it’s not what you know, but whom you know. You need to know as many people as possible before you might need their help. And knowing the right people can save time.

Second, you must reject reacting negatively to rejection. Rejection is part of life. You can’t avoid it. Handling rejection is a necessary skill for success, especially in my line of work -- sales. You can’t take rejection personally.

I like to analyze every failure. I always want to know why people say no to my sales proposals, and I’m not afraid to ask. Was it me? Was it my product? Price? Think about what you could have done differently. Then record it in your post-call notes. The next time, you’ll be better prepared.

Forbes magazine once did a story on the nine habits of productive people. One of them was focus, specifically using your morning to focus on yourself and what you need to accomplish that day.

It’s easy to have focus when everything is going well, but successful people keep their focus when they are staring at defeat. A sure way to fail is to lose focus.

Hustlers have intense, laser-like focus. They focus on one thing. Trying to get everything will get you nothing. Hustlers eliminate distractions.

Hustlers don’t do things because they have to. They do things because they choose to. They have self-determination. They don’t blame others; they keep moving forward.

Most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks. Not hustlers. They embrace risk-taking. They think taking no risks is the biggest risk.

Hustlers love what they do. Imran Asghar, founder of the internet auto parts retailer 24/7 Spares, said: “If you don’t truly love what you do it becomes very difficult to excel and experience success. It is much easier to dedicate the majority of your time to something when you are passionate about it.”

Finally, hustlers never quit. They have grit. They love to practice and get better each day.

Mackay’s Moral: Rustle up your hustle to build your business muscle.

When I am asked what I would like on my tombstone, my standard reply is, “He couldn’t sleep fast enough.” For my entire life, I’ve been afraid that I will miss something, so I cheat on sleep. I can’t tell you how many years I’ve been getting by on five to six hours of sleep.

After listening to “The Sleep Doctor,” I might have to reassess my sleeping habits.

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with a diploma from the American Board of Sleep Medicine, and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. With a specialty in sleep disorders, he is one of only 168 psychologists in the world with these credentials and distinction. You may have seen him on a variety of TV shows like "The Dr. Oz Show," where he also serves on the clinical advisory board.

I invited Dr. Breus to speak to my Roundtable members at a reunion this spring in Arizona. He held us spellbound for 75 minutes and certainly did not put any of us to sleep!

I’ve always considered my sleep deprivation a badge of honor. This is bad! Very bad, according to Dr. Breus.

The Sleep Doctor said that adults who regularly get less than five hours or more than 10 hours of sleep have double the mortality rate. WOW! It’s also hazardous to your health and performance.

Dr. Breus dispelled the idea that everyone needs eight hours of sleep. Everyone has a circadian rhythm, meaning we go through five 80-100-minute cycles of sleep each night -- or at least we’re supposed to. That’s averages 540 minutes, or 7.5 hours, of sleep.

The Sleep Doctor shared many secrets that I think you will find beneficial. For example, if you fall asleep almost immediately when your head hits your pillow, you are sleep-deprived. It should take you 15-20 minutes to fall asleep. Ironically, the more sleep-deprived you are, the more your brain tells you that you are doing fine.

If your alarm gets you up almost every morning, you are not getting enough sleep.

Dr. Breus said that about 75 percent of U.S. adults -- over 70 million -- have some form of a sleep problem. Roughly one-third of the people in the United States -- about 40 million -- suffer from some form of insomnia. Sleep apnea is No. 2. There are more than 88 sleep disorders.

He said sleep after an event helps you learn from an experience. If you are sleep-deprived, your reaction time and muscle memory are reduced. The same holds true in business.

Light is the single biggest disruptor of sleep, according to the Sleep Doctor. Before the invention of the light bulb, people worked during the daytime and slept when it was dark. The light bulb changed everything. Use a night-light if you must get up during the night. Bright light wakes up your system and makes it harder to go back to sleep. If you travel a lot, bring a sleep mask to keep things dark.

Dr. Breus joked that he has saved more marriages as a sleep specialist than a marriage counselor, just by getting couples back in bed together, sleeping comfortably. When you walk in your bedroom, you want to have an environment that is conducive to sleep.

He recommended these steps for better sleep:

1. Stick to a schedule. Get up at the same time, and go to bed at the same time. You can sleep 30 minutes extra on weekends, but any more and your biological clock shifts. Your body loves regularity.

2. Stop working at the same time every day. You must take a mental break, as well as a physical break.

3. Get ready for the next day so you aren’t running around in the morning.

4. Have an electronics curfew, with the exception of a TV.

5. Engaging in meditation or prayer just before going to sleep is very beneficial. It helps calm down the brain.

6. Exercise daily.

7. Get 15 minutes of sunlight every morning.

8. Journal what is bothering you a few hours before going to bed. Get it out of your head.

9. Maintain hydration.

As the Irish proverb says: “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.”

Mackay’s Moral: Wake up and discover the benefits of good sleep!

Thomas Edison’s teacher said he was a bad student. His mother was angry at that characterization, took him out of school and taught him at home.

Edison gave this account of the incident in an interview published on Nov. 29, 1907: “One day I overheard the teacher tell the inspector that I was ‘addled’ and it would not be worthwhile keeping me in school any longer. I was so hurt by this last straw that I burst out crying and went home and told my mother about it. Then I found out what a good thing a good mother is.

“She came out as my strong defender. ... She brought me back to school and angrily told the teacher that he didn’t know what he was talking about, that I had more brains than he himself, and a lot more talk like that.

“In fact, she was the most enthusiastic champion a boy ever had, and I determined right then that I would be worthy of her and show her that her confidence was not misplaced.”

A positive word of encouragement can help change anyone’s destiny.

In many ways, Mrs. Edison was a genius herself, at least at motivating and encouraging her son. Did she know that he would become one of the most prolific inventors and thinkers in history? Perhaps not, but she wasn’t going to risk limiting his potential the way his unfeeling teacher was willing to.

In the same vein, good managers have a responsibility to offer encouragement to workers to help them achieve at their maximum level. Otherwise, why would they bother to hire and pay people to do just enough to get by?

Encouragement and motivation go hand in hand, but they are not the same. Motivation is more general -- cheerleading, if you will, getting people excited and primed to take on or continue a project.

Encouragement means pointing out a person's potential and challenging him or her to succeed at a specific goal or project. Encouragement means empowerment, according to Samir Nurmohamed, an assistant professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“On the one hand, we know from research that people are much better at work when they feel empowered,” he told Entrepreneur magazine, “which consists of having meaning on the job, a sense of autonomy, a sense of confidence and also an impact on what you do and the people you’re trying to help.

“Yet you don’t want to feel so autonomous that you have no direction," he continued. It’s one thing to feel autonomous in terms of your motivation, but it’s another to be autonomous and go in the wrong direction.”

Top managers understand these basic truths about employee encouragement and motivation:

“I want to feel important.” No one wants to feel like a number, interchangeable or easy to forget. Get to know your employees as people. Find out what makes each one unique. And show them you’re paying attention to their individuality.

“I need encouragement.” Even the best employees continue to flourish with positive feedback. Let them know what they’re doing right and how they can keep performing at a high level. They will be grateful that you have noticed their work and will keep up with their efforts.

“I want to believe in you.” Employees want to know they can trust you -- your knowledge, your expertise and your word. Show that you are committed to helping them succeed and grow by listening, answering questions honestly and keeping your promises.

“I want to succeed.” Most employees want to do a good job, even if they don’t want to advance to upper management. Explain your expectations clearly, and give them the training and support they need so they know you’re invested in helping them succeed.

“I want to be motivated.” Employees want to be clear about the job’s value to the organization, the benefits the employee will enjoy. Encouragement enhances enthusiasm and commitment.

Hall of Fame ballplayer Reggie Jackson put it in baseball terms, but I think it applies across the board: “A great manager has a knack for making ballplayers think they are better than they think they are. He forces you to have a good opinion of yourself. He lets you know he believes in you. He makes you get more out of yourself. And once you learn how great you really are, you never settle for playing less than your very best.”

Mackay’s Moral: Encouragement gives you the courage to try.