How this NFL linebacker uses his bathroom wall for a goal-setting exercise - CNBC

Whether they were dietary restrictions, work out expectations or mental practices, Kennard got into the habit of writing down his goals and posting them on his bathroom door.

That's something he still does to this day, because he is not done growing. "I'm a firm believer in that you're either getting better or you're getting worse. You never stay the same," he says. Two veteran teammates of his, Jameel McClain and Jon Beason, shared this insight with Kennard during his rookie season. "Never get comfortable," they told him.

As soon as you start to feel relaxed in the locker room, you're going to decline. "You can't get comfortable in this profession," Kennard says.

That's echoed in what he says is his primary goal right now, which is to improve as a player. He wants his next season in the NFL to statistically be his best.

And to do that, he has established five manageable stretch goals.

The first, he says, is to simply strive to be better every day than he was the day before. The next is to eat healthy and avoid alcohol. The third is to bring energy and enthusiasm every day both on and off the field. The fourth is to be smart financially. Only recently did he decide to splurge on a new Range Rover (though he still drives his 2005 Kia Sorento from high school when he is back home in Phoenix). And his final goal is to stay focused on his faith.

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