What It Takes to Become an 'A' Player

November 10, 2025

Welcome to another beautiful week. When an idea sparks that I think is worth sharing, it becomes this weekly newsletter. If something hits home, write back. I love conversations. This is Weekly Spark #25. You are receiving this because our paths have crossed in the past!

Hey friend, 

Whenever I watch a team or a player outperforming the rest of the flock, I ask myself - what does it take to become an 'A' Player? Why doesn't everyone chase that status?

Today, let’s talk about something that shows up in every workplace, team, and even family but rarely gets spoken about with honesty. The difference between A, B, and C players. 

The Research 

Harvard Business Review and McKinsey studies have shown this consistently: 

1. A players, the top 20%, often deliver up to 80% of total results. 

2. B players, the reliable middle 60%, keep things running, meet expectations, but rarely challenge the status quo. 

3. C players, the bottom 20%, tend to drain energy, miss accountability, and often need constant supervision. 

In short: performance follows the 80/20 rule everywhere. 

A few people drive disproportionate impact not because they’re smarter or luckier, but because of how they think, act, and grow. 

The thing with A players is that they never stop growing.

What Makes Someone an “A Player”?

A Players are not born. They are built - choice by choice. Here’s what they do differently: 

1. They own outcomes, not excuses. They don’t wait for motivation. They build systems that make consistency inevitable. 

2. They are obsessed with growth. Feedback doesn’t hurt them. Ignoring it does. 

3. They elevate everyone around them. They’re not in competition with others. They’re in collaboration with their purpose. 

4. They stay curious, not complacent. The day they stop learning is the day they start declining. 

Why It Matters 

Not everyone needs to be an A Player. 

Some people are content being steady, comfortable, and consistent — and that’s okay. But if something inside you says, “I was made for more,” then settling for a default state will always feel like betrayal. Because years from now, you won’t regret not being the best. 

You’ll regret not becoming your best. 

Growth is a choice and the cost of comfort is your potential. 

How Coaching Helps 

Coaching isn’t about turning everyone into hyper-performers. 

It’s about clarity, alignment, and accountability. 

When I work with coachees, founders, and teams, here’s what shifts: 

1. They see their blind spots.  Awareness changes everything. 

2. They define what “A Player” means for them. Because not everyone’s excellence looks the same. 

3. They build the systems, mindset, and habits to sustain it. Purpose without structure burns out. Structure without purpose burns out others. 

Through coaching, the gap between potential and performance gets smaller, one deliberate choice at a time. 

Final Spark 

Becoming an A Player isn’t about beating others. It’s about beating yesterday’s version of you. 

So here’s your reflection for the week: When you look 20 years into the future… will you meet your default self or your designed self? 

Choose to become an A Player. Because the world needs more of those. 

With courage and clarity,

Utkarsh 

(Coach | Founder, IgnitedNeurons | Builder of A-Players in Life & Work)

If you enjoy this newsletter, you will definitely love listening to the IgnitedNeurons podcast. Find it on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube.