I ate peach cobbler with Tiger Woods. Well....not exactly. At an Orlando Magic home game last year I made my way to the Blue Room for the half-time dessert menu which featured delicious peach cobbler. Much to my surprise, sitting next to me, with a nice size portion himself was Mr. Woods. As he sat with his arms crossed waiting for the cobbler to cool off to an eatable level, I friend of mine took a 007 like picture of him:0
Fortunately this week's MMM does not have anything to do with mine or Tiger's affinity for peach cobbler. It does however, lead me into the example of the lesson for the week. This week is about how you. And just like Tiger, with a lot of work, you can be "awesomely, amazingly, and world-class excellent" at what you do.
I just finished the book, Talent is Overrated, by Geoff Colvin. This is one of the best books I've read on performance. I highly recommend reading it if you are an athlete, parent, coach, or are just intrigued with the psychology of performance. About a week ago I posted the last paragraph of this book on my Facebook. Here it is:
"The evidence offers no easy assurances. It shows that the price of top-level achievement is extraordinarily high. Perhaps it's inevitable that not many people will choose to pay for it. But the evidence shows also that by understanding how a few become great, anyone can become better. Above all, what the evidence shouts most loudly is striking, liberating new: that great performance is not reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone else."
Back to Tiger...
Most of us think that Tiger Woods was born to play golf. That he was a child prodigy. That he was destined to be the greatest golfer of all time. But the may not be exactly the case.
Tiger had a few things going for him that helped him achieve his status in the game of golf. First and foremost, his father Earl. Earl Woods was a teacher, specifically of young men who had a passion for sports. In the army he was a teacher, he was a star baseball player in high school and college, and between college and the army he coached little league baseball teams. He said in his book, Training a Tiger, "I love to teach."
Second, when Tiger was born, Earl had time to teach him. When Tiger was born, Earl's older children were grown up and he was retired. Earl was a golf fanatic and after being introduced to the game only a couple years earlier he had worked at it hard enough to achieve a handi-cap in the low single digits.
Colvin wrote, "So here's the situation: Tiger is born into the home of an expert golfer and confessed "golf addict" who loves to teach and is eager to begin teaching his son as soon as possible. Earl's wife does not work outside the home, and they have no other children; they have decided that "Tiger would be the first priority in our relationship," Earl wrote. Earl gives Tiger his first metal club, a putter, at the age of seven months. He sets up Tiger's high chair in the garage, where Earl is hitting balls into a new, and Tiger watches for hours on end. Before Tiger is two, they are at the golf course playing and practicing regularly."
By the time Tiger was 19 years old he had been through 17 years of intense practice. First, with his father and then at the age of 4 began having professional teachers and coaches.
The evidence, research, and examples of great performer such as Tiger Woods indicates that, "deliberate practice," is far more an identifying factor of high level performance than "natural ability." Deliberate practice is not your normal half-focused practice that most people go through. Deliberate practice is performance based, difficult, mentally, and physically exhausting, and is constantly being evaluated.
So here is my question for you. How is your deliberate practice schedule? In three, five, or 10 years, where will you be because today you decided to be that person who practices more, practices harder, and practices smarter than anyone else. And where are you today because of your past years of deliberate practice? For most of us, probably not where we want to be.
There are so many people who say they want to be the "best" at what they do. They, for the most part, do not understand the pain, the suffering, the commitment, and discipline that comes with that statement. Most people would rather try a little bit and if they do not get to the top just go with the fact that they just didn't have the talent or genetic ability to make it. According to Colvin's research, that is now just an excuse.
"Great performance is not ordained for the preordained few. It is available to you and everyone else."
This week decide to take what you do seriously. Do you want to be the "best." Do you want to be known as "world class" at what you do. The research has shown it's possible, but it would be a good idea to start right now.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
MICHAEL'S MOJO
I love the question..."What have you done for the first time today?
Last Friday I had a new first. For the first time I was mad that I missed Oprah.
Oprah was hosting the first meeting between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield since the infamous ear biting incident. Unfortunately, I had to miss the show because or work, but to my pleasant surprise, Oprah airs more than once per day. So, Friday evening I came across another airing of the episode.
With all the excitement of watching the two champs reunite, this week has nothing to do with them. However, in this same episode, Oprah interviewed Kenny Ortega, the producer and director of the film, This is It, the movie that may smash all the box office film records beginning October 27th.
This is It, is a film that shows Michael Jackson's final tour rehearsal preparation. A tour that never happened due to his premature death. During the interview Oprah asked Ortega to clarify what she had heard about Jackson while rehearsing for his final tour. This is what this MMM is about...
Oprah: "You said, even though he (MJ) was 51, the younger dancers would get tired, and he would dance and dance and dance, and not be breathless because he became one with the music."
Kenny Ortega: "Yea he was. He was channeling. It's as if he was the music, he embodied the music."
Say what you will about Michael Jackson, the man had something about him that was deeper than any other musical performer that I have ever seen. You may or may not be a fan of Michael Jackson, but there is one thing for sure, no matter how old you are right now, you know his music and when you hear it, it makes you want to move a little.
But as big of a fan as I am of MIchael Jackson (He's my favorite musical artist ever), I never really understood why people at his concerts would be crying and shaking uncontrollably, and even passing out! I did not really understand why he had this type of effect on millions of his beloved fans. But after many years of studying some of the most successful athletes, politicians, generals, CEO's, and religious leaders, I believe I have finally figure it out. It's called "Mojo."
Mojo is simply your passion coming through you. Ortega said that "he was the music, he embodied the music." Watching Michael Jackson perform, is like watching an artist perform his greatest work of art. It's like watching Michael Jordan in his unstoppable prime, It's like watching a great speaker deliver a message that forever changes you.
The greater your Mojo, the greater your ability to inspire others. The greater potential you have to lead, the greater potential you have to build followers who will do anything to support your passion, your cause, and you talent. Your Mojo has the ability to change peoples thoughts, which changes their actions, which changes their lives. If you're capable of touching enough people, this exponential passing could even change the world.
In the book, The Invisible Touch, author Harry Beckwith wrote, "Passion is worth billions, it attracts clients. Even more clearly, it keeps clients for life."
In a study done by authors Robert J. Krigel and Louis Palter, they studied 1500 individuals over 20 years to see if passion makes a significant difference in people's career. They began the study by putting the individuals in two groups, group A (83% of the participants) and group B (17% of the participants). Group A were in a career they chose to make money now in order to do something that they love later in life. Group B were choosing the career they wanted now and would worry about the money later. At the end of 20 years, 101 of the 1500 became millionaires. All but one were from the second group. The group that decided to follow their passions.
How have your decisions to do what you do affected your Mojo? How has it affected people around you? Inspired them? or helped them to decide to go the other way?
If you feel that you can turn it on and off, you can't. Eventually you and everyone else you know will see your lack of enthusiasm for what you do. From then on, Mojo is history.
This week, get motivated to find your true Mojo. Re-think what you really love to do. Set out to be inspired to live with passion and energy, so you can inspire others to do the same. Do not waste your life doing something that does not bring you true joy, energy, and passion.
So do you know if you've got Mojo? Read Below:
NINE WAYS TO KNOW YOU'VE GOT MOJO
1. If you wake up before the sun, without an alarm clock, ready to show the world what you've got, you've got it.
2. If someone asks you about what you do and you almost feel as if you are coming out of your seat when talking about it, you've got it.
3. When watching, reading, listening, or being a part of what you do brings you to tears, inspire you to tears, or brings you tears of joy, you've got it.
4. When you can't stop thinking about new ways to be creative in and solve problems in what you do, you've got it.
5. When others tell you that you inspire them, you've got it.
6. When you do what you do and those who are witnesses leave you with more energy then they had when they left, you've got it.
7. When you're idea of fun is mastery of your craft, you know you've got it.
8. When you've got more critics than fans, you've got it.
9. When make a better living or perform at a much higher level then the average person trying to do what you do, you've got it.
I will miss Michael Jackson for his music, but much more for Mojo, his ability to channel his passions into his art, and then inspire his millions of fans with it. Luckily I can forever watch him because of You Tube:) Oprah said that when she watched the a piece of the new film, she just thought to herself, "What a loss." What a loss indeed.
On October 27th I will see "This is It." I said to my wife, if you are coming with me be ready to be embarrassed, because I may cry the whole time:)
Watch the "This is it Move Trailer" here
Last Friday I had a new first. For the first time I was mad that I missed Oprah.
Oprah was hosting the first meeting between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield since the infamous ear biting incident. Unfortunately, I had to miss the show because or work, but to my pleasant surprise, Oprah airs more than once per day. So, Friday evening I came across another airing of the episode.
With all the excitement of watching the two champs reunite, this week has nothing to do with them. However, in this same episode, Oprah interviewed Kenny Ortega, the producer and director of the film, This is It, the movie that may smash all the box office film records beginning October 27th.
This is It, is a film that shows Michael Jackson's final tour rehearsal preparation. A tour that never happened due to his premature death. During the interview Oprah asked Ortega to clarify what she had heard about Jackson while rehearsing for his final tour. This is what this MMM is about...
Oprah: "You said, even though he (MJ) was 51, the younger dancers would get tired, and he would dance and dance and dance, and not be breathless because he became one with the music."
Kenny Ortega: "Yea he was. He was channeling. It's as if he was the music, he embodied the music."
Say what you will about Michael Jackson, the man had something about him that was deeper than any other musical performer that I have ever seen. You may or may not be a fan of Michael Jackson, but there is one thing for sure, no matter how old you are right now, you know his music and when you hear it, it makes you want to move a little.
But as big of a fan as I am of MIchael Jackson (He's my favorite musical artist ever), I never really understood why people at his concerts would be crying and shaking uncontrollably, and even passing out! I did not really understand why he had this type of effect on millions of his beloved fans. But after many years of studying some of the most successful athletes, politicians, generals, CEO's, and religious leaders, I believe I have finally figure it out. It's called "Mojo."
Mojo is simply your passion coming through you. Ortega said that "he was the music, he embodied the music." Watching Michael Jackson perform, is like watching an artist perform his greatest work of art. It's like watching Michael Jordan in his unstoppable prime, It's like watching a great speaker deliver a message that forever changes you.
The greater your Mojo, the greater your ability to inspire others. The greater potential you have to lead, the greater potential you have to build followers who will do anything to support your passion, your cause, and you talent. Your Mojo has the ability to change peoples thoughts, which changes their actions, which changes their lives. If you're capable of touching enough people, this exponential passing could even change the world.
In the book, The Invisible Touch, author Harry Beckwith wrote, "Passion is worth billions, it attracts clients. Even more clearly, it keeps clients for life."
In a study done by authors Robert J. Krigel and Louis Palter, they studied 1500 individuals over 20 years to see if passion makes a significant difference in people's career. They began the study by putting the individuals in two groups, group A (83% of the participants) and group B (17% of the participants). Group A were in a career they chose to make money now in order to do something that they love later in life. Group B were choosing the career they wanted now and would worry about the money later. At the end of 20 years, 101 of the 1500 became millionaires. All but one were from the second group. The group that decided to follow their passions.
How have your decisions to do what you do affected your Mojo? How has it affected people around you? Inspired them? or helped them to decide to go the other way?
If you feel that you can turn it on and off, you can't. Eventually you and everyone else you know will see your lack of enthusiasm for what you do. From then on, Mojo is history.
This week, get motivated to find your true Mojo. Re-think what you really love to do. Set out to be inspired to live with passion and energy, so you can inspire others to do the same. Do not waste your life doing something that does not bring you true joy, energy, and passion.
So do you know if you've got Mojo? Read Below:
NINE WAYS TO KNOW YOU'VE GOT MOJO
1. If you wake up before the sun, without an alarm clock, ready to show the world what you've got, you've got it.
2. If someone asks you about what you do and you almost feel as if you are coming out of your seat when talking about it, you've got it.
3. When watching, reading, listening, or being a part of what you do brings you to tears, inspire you to tears, or brings you tears of joy, you've got it.
4. When you can't stop thinking about new ways to be creative in and solve problems in what you do, you've got it.
5. When others tell you that you inspire them, you've got it.
6. When you do what you do and those who are witnesses leave you with more energy then they had when they left, you've got it.
7. When you're idea of fun is mastery of your craft, you know you've got it.
8. When you've got more critics than fans, you've got it.
9. When make a better living or perform at a much higher level then the average person trying to do what you do, you've got it.
I will miss Michael Jackson for his music, but much more for Mojo, his ability to channel his passions into his art, and then inspire his millions of fans with it. Luckily I can forever watch him because of You Tube:) Oprah said that when she watched the a piece of the new film, she just thought to herself, "What a loss." What a loss indeed.
On October 27th I will see "This is It." I said to my wife, if you are coming with me be ready to be embarrassed, because I may cry the whole time:)
Watch the "This is it Move Trailer" here
Monday, October 12, 2009
HOW FAR CAN YOU GO?
Ahhh success. What we are striving for each day. To get to that place that says, "I'm here. I am known for what I do. I am respected for what I do. I am accepted because of what I do. I am loved because of what I do. And I get paid better than others, and sometimes, a whole lot better than others because of what I do."
But how high can you go? The answer is simple. Most of us don't really think about this. But the fact that most do not is what ruins thousands and thousands of people's lives, families, careers, and opportunities each and every day. You would think that we would be able apply wisdom from the mistakes of others. You would think that while traveling down a similar path of other broken individuals, we could stop, turn around, and run like hell in the opposite direction...
BUT WE NEVER BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN TO US
Humble yourself, my friends. I do not care who you are, how much money you have, how much status you have, how great you are, how spiritual you are, it will. I have seen it, experienced it, and in my own mistakes lived it.
SO HOW FAR CAN YOU GO?
The answer to the question is simply this: How far you go is limited by one thing and one thing only...Your Character. If you are a sports fan, all you have to do to get a small glimpse of this is watch ESPN. There are entire shows dedicated to showing the rise and fall of these glorious athletes. The old adage says, "If you want to know how long it takes to get to the top, consult a calendar. If you want to know how long it takes to get to the bottom, consult a stopwatch."
Current coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Joe Torre, says, "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." Most of us go through life really concerned about our reputation. Afraid to reveal our true character because we care so much about being accepted. So instead of living a life of personal freedom and living with the joy of pursuing the best of who we are, we pursue what we think we should be, or what other people think we should be. This causes us to make choices outside of who we are. These choices lead to a life of being broken down, stressed out, angry, frustrated, and eventually lead to self-destruction.
WHAT IS CHARACTER?
In my book The Passionate and Profitable Fitness Professional, I wrote this about character:
"Character is simply the sum of your decisions. Without character you will never--read carefully--never reach your potential as a professional. Why? Because people who make poor decisions on a regular basis will eventually be revealed. Character is not who you show yourself to be; rather, character is who you are behind closed doors, when nobody is watching. If you look at the greatest people in history who have fallen, it has always been a character issue. If you look at the greatest people who are never noticed, it is a character issue. Why? Because character does not care about pleasing others; character is solely concerned with doing what is right."
PURSUING CHARACTER PROTECTS YOUR SUCCESS
The only way to protect your success, it to focus on doing what is right and building character first. It may take longer. And it is for sure going to be a lot harder than the road others take. Others around you will be cutting corners to get there faster. Others will seem to get there faster, get breaks you don't get, get all the attention, achieve success when they haven't worked as hard as you for. You will say, "It's not fair." You will say, "I work harder." "I do it the right way."
I encourage you to hang in there my friend. While these one hit wonders continue to climb fast, they will drop even faster. One by one they will fall and you will steadily climb to the top of who you are and what you do. And in the end you will have protected all of your success with your character. You will be trusted, loved, humble, and will be a living example of someone who cared more about doing right than being successful.
Make a commitment this week to pursue character first. It is the insurance of your success in your family, your careers, and ultimately your legacy.
Watch this clip of Mike Tyson's movie trailer as it quickly portrays the rise and fall of a man who seemed to be on top of the world. This is a great documentary. I recommend it highly.
TYSON MOVIE TRAILER
But how high can you go? The answer is simple. Most of us don't really think about this. But the fact that most do not is what ruins thousands and thousands of people's lives, families, careers, and opportunities each and every day. You would think that we would be able apply wisdom from the mistakes of others. You would think that while traveling down a similar path of other broken individuals, we could stop, turn around, and run like hell in the opposite direction...
BUT WE NEVER BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN TO US
Humble yourself, my friends. I do not care who you are, how much money you have, how much status you have, how great you are, how spiritual you are, it will. I have seen it, experienced it, and in my own mistakes lived it.
SO HOW FAR CAN YOU GO?
The answer to the question is simply this: How far you go is limited by one thing and one thing only...Your Character. If you are a sports fan, all you have to do to get a small glimpse of this is watch ESPN. There are entire shows dedicated to showing the rise and fall of these glorious athletes. The old adage says, "If you want to know how long it takes to get to the top, consult a calendar. If you want to know how long it takes to get to the bottom, consult a stopwatch."
Current coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Joe Torre, says, "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." Most of us go through life really concerned about our reputation. Afraid to reveal our true character because we care so much about being accepted. So instead of living a life of personal freedom and living with the joy of pursuing the best of who we are, we pursue what we think we should be, or what other people think we should be. This causes us to make choices outside of who we are. These choices lead to a life of being broken down, stressed out, angry, frustrated, and eventually lead to self-destruction.
WHAT IS CHARACTER?
In my book The Passionate and Profitable Fitness Professional, I wrote this about character:
"Character is simply the sum of your decisions. Without character you will never--read carefully--never reach your potential as a professional. Why? Because people who make poor decisions on a regular basis will eventually be revealed. Character is not who you show yourself to be; rather, character is who you are behind closed doors, when nobody is watching. If you look at the greatest people in history who have fallen, it has always been a character issue. If you look at the greatest people who are never noticed, it is a character issue. Why? Because character does not care about pleasing others; character is solely concerned with doing what is right."
PURSUING CHARACTER PROTECTS YOUR SUCCESS
The only way to protect your success, it to focus on doing what is right and building character first. It may take longer. And it is for sure going to be a lot harder than the road others take. Others around you will be cutting corners to get there faster. Others will seem to get there faster, get breaks you don't get, get all the attention, achieve success when they haven't worked as hard as you for. You will say, "It's not fair." You will say, "I work harder." "I do it the right way."
I encourage you to hang in there my friend. While these one hit wonders continue to climb fast, they will drop even faster. One by one they will fall and you will steadily climb to the top of who you are and what you do. And in the end you will have protected all of your success with your character. You will be trusted, loved, humble, and will be a living example of someone who cared more about doing right than being successful.
Make a commitment this week to pursue character first. It is the insurance of your success in your family, your careers, and ultimately your legacy.
Watch this clip of Mike Tyson's movie trailer as it quickly portrays the rise and fall of a man who seemed to be on top of the world. This is a great documentary. I recommend it highly.
TYSON MOVIE TRAILER
Monday, October 5, 2009
7 PERCENTERS
A study published by a training and publishing organization, ThinkTQ, revealed how infrequently people develop strategies for achieving their goals.
Here is what the study revealed:
"-26% focus on specific, tangible targets for what they want in life
-19% set goals aligned with their purpose, mission and passion
-15% write down all their goals in specific measurable details
-12% maintain a clearly defined goal for every major interest and life role
-12% identify related daily, weekly, and long-term goals with deadlines
-7% take action daily toward attainment of at least one goal."
Where did your strategic planning take an exit on this list? It is fun, exciting, and motivating to set goals or talk about what we would like to accomplish. We say and sometimes even write down our goals. But the long road between stating (verbally or written) and doing lies a morgue of unrealized dreams and unused potential.
The rest of this article shows how each goal and dream gets progressively picked off in that journey.
Seventy-four percent fail to make it past the idea stage Goals and dreams are just that, a good idea, until they are breathed or written into reality as specific and tangible targets.
Continuing down the road, 81% set goals that lead us to a dead-end. This happens when our goals are not properly aligned with our purpose, mission, and passion. This happens when we are a) living for someone else's expectations, b) have not been honest with ourselves in our talents, skills, beliefs, and passions, or c) are too fearful to get our of our comfort zone. Many people set goals to try to appease their parents. Many people set goals way outside of their skill or talent level. Many people, once challenge, either make excuses to take another path or just quit all together. The show American Idol would not exist if this were not true.
Eighty-five percent of us getting past this point begin to write out clearly defined goals and dreams in specific measurable details. Doing this helps define the pathway for which we will follow. Specific measurable details include things such as step by step process, who can help you, identifying financial resources, identifying problems and solving them before they happen, identifying forks in the road and setting up alternate routes, and a detailed time line. But even this, still, may not be enough.
Moving past this stage the numbers really start to drop as 88% of us fail to identify goals for all the major interests in our life. We are usually great at setting goals in one are of our life. But we fail to remember that to live a truly successful and significant life, we must have balance and maintain perspective on all thing important. Focusing all your attention in one area of our life starves and eventually destroys the others.
The top 12% set personal goals, professional goals, family and relationship goals, health goals, financial goals, and contribution goals. All of these categories are important and must be taken into consideration to live a healthy, balanced, successful, and significant life.
Now on to the 7 PERCENTERS. Ninety-three percent of us fail to do this. "Take action daily on the attainment of at least one goal." Think about that. If you take action daily on only ONE specific, meaningful, and purposeful GOAL, you will be in the top 93% of the population.
If you do this consistently. If you have identified a specific goal or dream, if you have aligned it with who you are and what you are passionate about, if you have given time to thinking and planning out how you will accomplish this goal, and if you take action on it daily, you will be at a 93% advantage over anyone you know.
YOU WILL BE A 7 PERCENTER
This week put yourself in another category. You want to be different? You want to be successful? You want to achieve your dreams? Stop talking and start taking action.
And if you ever feel like quitting, feel discouraged, or need some perspective, just watch this hilarious clip.
Don't Quit
Here is what the study revealed:
"-26% focus on specific, tangible targets for what they want in life
-19% set goals aligned with their purpose, mission and passion
-15% write down all their goals in specific measurable details
-12% maintain a clearly defined goal for every major interest and life role
-12% identify related daily, weekly, and long-term goals with deadlines
-7% take action daily toward attainment of at least one goal."
Where did your strategic planning take an exit on this list? It is fun, exciting, and motivating to set goals or talk about what we would like to accomplish. We say and sometimes even write down our goals. But the long road between stating (verbally or written) and doing lies a morgue of unrealized dreams and unused potential.
The rest of this article shows how each goal and dream gets progressively picked off in that journey.
Seventy-four percent fail to make it past the idea stage Goals and dreams are just that, a good idea, until they are breathed or written into reality as specific and tangible targets.
Continuing down the road, 81% set goals that lead us to a dead-end. This happens when our goals are not properly aligned with our purpose, mission, and passion. This happens when we are a) living for someone else's expectations, b) have not been honest with ourselves in our talents, skills, beliefs, and passions, or c) are too fearful to get our of our comfort zone. Many people set goals to try to appease their parents. Many people set goals way outside of their skill or talent level. Many people, once challenge, either make excuses to take another path or just quit all together. The show American Idol would not exist if this were not true.
Eighty-five percent of us getting past this point begin to write out clearly defined goals and dreams in specific measurable details. Doing this helps define the pathway for which we will follow. Specific measurable details include things such as step by step process, who can help you, identifying financial resources, identifying problems and solving them before they happen, identifying forks in the road and setting up alternate routes, and a detailed time line. But even this, still, may not be enough.
Moving past this stage the numbers really start to drop as 88% of us fail to identify goals for all the major interests in our life. We are usually great at setting goals in one are of our life. But we fail to remember that to live a truly successful and significant life, we must have balance and maintain perspective on all thing important. Focusing all your attention in one area of our life starves and eventually destroys the others.
The top 12% set personal goals, professional goals, family and relationship goals, health goals, financial goals, and contribution goals. All of these categories are important and must be taken into consideration to live a healthy, balanced, successful, and significant life.
Now on to the 7 PERCENTERS. Ninety-three percent of us fail to do this. "Take action daily on the attainment of at least one goal." Think about that. If you take action daily on only ONE specific, meaningful, and purposeful GOAL, you will be in the top 93% of the population.
If you do this consistently. If you have identified a specific goal or dream, if you have aligned it with who you are and what you are passionate about, if you have given time to thinking and planning out how you will accomplish this goal, and if you take action on it daily, you will be at a 93% advantage over anyone you know.
YOU WILL BE A 7 PERCENTER
This week put yourself in another category. You want to be different? You want to be successful? You want to achieve your dreams? Stop talking and start taking action.
And if you ever feel like quitting, feel discouraged, or need some perspective, just watch this hilarious clip.
Don't Quit
Monday, September 28, 2009
IT'S TIME TO STEP IT UP
This one truly hits home...
I receive a daily email from the website, All-Pro Dad. This website was founded by former NFL Head Football Coach Tony Dungy (I highly recommend signing up for this daily email if you are a father).
An email I received last week was called, "How to Crush Your Daughter." It began with a letter that they had received from a young woman. The letter read:
"My dad is the most important person in the world to me, even though he doesn't have much time to spend with me. That affected me negatively in the teen years. If you want me to cry at the drop of the hat, just get me to thinking about him someday dying, and leaving me without him. I can be doing anything and when that thought floats by, I'm reduced to sobbing. I wish my dad knew how much he could heal in my family if he would just make us feel more important than work."
This email hit me hard...No way do I want my daughter to ever feel like this. But, like most of you, the grind of life could make me forget about what is important, just like this father apparently had.
Life is no doubt tough right now. Most everyone is having to spend more time trying to stay afloat, working longer hours, spending time not only physically at work, but when home, mentally at work. And because technology keeps us connected 24/7, we are able to stay connected to work all day and all night long. Because of this, we tend to forget about the special people, and special things we need to continually do.
Understand the role you play as a positive influence in people's lives (especially your family). Spending a little extra time with a loved one, actively encouraging someone, and/or doing things for others for no other purpose but to help them out. These things make a positive impact in people's lives. These people will look back and remember, forever, this gift you gave them.
Think about the people who have done this for you. Think about the way you felt the last time someone genuinely told you that you did an outstanding job. Think of the last person who took time out of their day to do something just for you. Think of the last person who encouraged your effort or your talent out of nowhere.
In Coach Tony Dungy's latest book, Uncommon, he asks a few questions that we should think about daily:
"When was the last time you went to visit someone who needed a visit? When was the last time you made a call--or wrote a letter--to someone who could use a lift in his or her life? When was the last time you had a date with your spouse or a "date night." with your little girl, who adores you? When was the last time you sent flowers to someone for no particular reason? When was the last time you did something that will forever be a positive memory in someone's life? When was the last time you were an encourager for someone else?
Life is tough enough right now. This is a time in our history that is leaving a lot of painful memories for people. I challenge you as my friends, my family, and my team to put your work away a little this week and go make a positive memory for someone. Then, learn to make it a living habit.
IT'S TIME TO STEP IT UP
And if that doesn't get you fired up this link below may be the only thing that may. It's what I wish my team meetings were more like:)
LETS GOOOOOOOOO
Have a Great Week!
I receive a daily email from the website, All-Pro Dad. This website was founded by former NFL Head Football Coach Tony Dungy (I highly recommend signing up for this daily email if you are a father).
An email I received last week was called, "How to Crush Your Daughter." It began with a letter that they had received from a young woman. The letter read:
"My dad is the most important person in the world to me, even though he doesn't have much time to spend with me. That affected me negatively in the teen years. If you want me to cry at the drop of the hat, just get me to thinking about him someday dying, and leaving me without him. I can be doing anything and when that thought floats by, I'm reduced to sobbing. I wish my dad knew how much he could heal in my family if he would just make us feel more important than work."
This email hit me hard...No way do I want my daughter to ever feel like this. But, like most of you, the grind of life could make me forget about what is important, just like this father apparently had.
Life is no doubt tough right now. Most everyone is having to spend more time trying to stay afloat, working longer hours, spending time not only physically at work, but when home, mentally at work. And because technology keeps us connected 24/7, we are able to stay connected to work all day and all night long. Because of this, we tend to forget about the special people, and special things we need to continually do.
Understand the role you play as a positive influence in people's lives (especially your family). Spending a little extra time with a loved one, actively encouraging someone, and/or doing things for others for no other purpose but to help them out. These things make a positive impact in people's lives. These people will look back and remember, forever, this gift you gave them.
Think about the people who have done this for you. Think about the way you felt the last time someone genuinely told you that you did an outstanding job. Think of the last person who took time out of their day to do something just for you. Think of the last person who encouraged your effort or your talent out of nowhere.
In Coach Tony Dungy's latest book, Uncommon, he asks a few questions that we should think about daily:
"When was the last time you went to visit someone who needed a visit? When was the last time you made a call--or wrote a letter--to someone who could use a lift in his or her life? When was the last time you had a date with your spouse or a "date night." with your little girl, who adores you? When was the last time you sent flowers to someone for no particular reason? When was the last time you did something that will forever be a positive memory in someone's life? When was the last time you were an encourager for someone else?
Life is tough enough right now. This is a time in our history that is leaving a lot of painful memories for people. I challenge you as my friends, my family, and my team to put your work away a little this week and go make a positive memory for someone. Then, learn to make it a living habit.
IT'S TIME TO STEP IT UP
And if that doesn't get you fired up this link below may be the only thing that may. It's what I wish my team meetings were more like:)
LETS GOOOOOOOOO
Have a Great Week!
Monday, September 21, 2009
DON'T LEAVE IT UP TO LUCK
John Wooden wrote down every single one of his basketball practices, in detail, on 3 x 5 cards. He started this routine at South Bend Central College, continued it at Indiana State, all the way through his championship years at UCLA.
It was said that before each practice, Wooden and his staff would spend 1-2 hours preparing, in great detail, each and every practice drill. Each drill would be written on a 3 x 5 card, and after it's use was stored away as a reference for future practices.
One of Wooden's former players, All-American John Green said, "Coach used the same plays year after year. Everybody knew what we were going to do, but very few could stop us. That's because Coach had us do things over and over again until we did them right. We always knew where to go, where to be, and that we'd better be there."
Coach Wooden's practices were run like a well-oiled machine, packed with drills, and perfectly on schedule. Green went on to say, "If there was a drill we couldn't get right, he didn't dwell on it. We'd spend ten minutes on it and then go on to the next drill. But the following day, Coach would probably have us scheduled to work fifty minutes on that drill, until we were able to run it to perfection."
Why was Wooden so bent on this type of preparation and repetitive practice? He did not want to leave his team's success up to luck. He wanted to make sure, that which he could control, he controlled, and he did it through assiduous preparation and practice.
Wooden said, "We never took our eye off of the basketball and started gazing at the crystal ball."
Think about it. Most of our dreams and aspirations we have handed to luck. We may not do this on purpose, but if our daily actions are not matching up with what we are trying to achieve, we are simply chasing a pot of gold.
Author of the best selling book, The Encore Effect, said, "Preparation is most underrated piece of success." He goes on to say, "Most speakers succeed or fail before they get on the stage and most days are ruined or made remarkable before you leave the house for work."
How do you prepare each and everyday for greatness in your life? Do you take the time to prepare each day for those things you can control? Or do you leave it up to luck? If you need some help, here is a place to start: Your attitude, excellence in what you do, and your work ethic. All three of these are controllable factors that can begin to change your life right away.
I am a coach. I inspire others to become more of who they are. I like to say, "I'm here to pull the greatness out of people." To become better at who I am, each and everyday I spend planned time reading, listening, or watching something that inspires me. Each and everyday I spend planned time learning to become a better leader. I spend planned time on becoming a better performance coach. I spend planned time on becoming better at serving my clients and running my business. I try to make sure I purposefully encourage and inspire as many people as I can each day. To me, each and every day is an opportunity to "pull some greatness" out of somebody.
I committed to this plan about 6 years ago. The accumulative results of 10-30 minutes of this planned time per day, in each of these practices, has blessed my life in so more than I could have ever hoped for.
Like Coach Wooden, begin planning your actions for the day. Plan what you will practice on. Practice them over and over and over so that you become a master at what you do. It's time that you get rid of that four leaf clover, make a decision to go after what's in your heart, prepare for it each day, and go...go...go.
THIS WEEK, RE-TAKE YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS, LEAVING IT UP TO LUCK IS OVER. LETS GO...
It was said that before each practice, Wooden and his staff would spend 1-2 hours preparing, in great detail, each and every practice drill. Each drill would be written on a 3 x 5 card, and after it's use was stored away as a reference for future practices.
One of Wooden's former players, All-American John Green said, "Coach used the same plays year after year. Everybody knew what we were going to do, but very few could stop us. That's because Coach had us do things over and over again until we did them right. We always knew where to go, where to be, and that we'd better be there."
Coach Wooden's practices were run like a well-oiled machine, packed with drills, and perfectly on schedule. Green went on to say, "If there was a drill we couldn't get right, he didn't dwell on it. We'd spend ten minutes on it and then go on to the next drill. But the following day, Coach would probably have us scheduled to work fifty minutes on that drill, until we were able to run it to perfection."
Why was Wooden so bent on this type of preparation and repetitive practice? He did not want to leave his team's success up to luck. He wanted to make sure, that which he could control, he controlled, and he did it through assiduous preparation and practice.
Wooden said, "We never took our eye off of the basketball and started gazing at the crystal ball."
Think about it. Most of our dreams and aspirations we have handed to luck. We may not do this on purpose, but if our daily actions are not matching up with what we are trying to achieve, we are simply chasing a pot of gold.
Author of the best selling book, The Encore Effect, said, "Preparation is most underrated piece of success." He goes on to say, "Most speakers succeed or fail before they get on the stage and most days are ruined or made remarkable before you leave the house for work."
How do you prepare each and everyday for greatness in your life? Do you take the time to prepare each day for those things you can control? Or do you leave it up to luck? If you need some help, here is a place to start: Your attitude, excellence in what you do, and your work ethic. All three of these are controllable factors that can begin to change your life right away.
I am a coach. I inspire others to become more of who they are. I like to say, "I'm here to pull the greatness out of people." To become better at who I am, each and everyday I spend planned time reading, listening, or watching something that inspires me. Each and everyday I spend planned time learning to become a better leader. I spend planned time on becoming a better performance coach. I spend planned time on becoming better at serving my clients and running my business. I try to make sure I purposefully encourage and inspire as many people as I can each day. To me, each and every day is an opportunity to "pull some greatness" out of somebody.
I committed to this plan about 6 years ago. The accumulative results of 10-30 minutes of this planned time per day, in each of these practices, has blessed my life in so more than I could have ever hoped for.
Like Coach Wooden, begin planning your actions for the day. Plan what you will practice on. Practice them over and over and over so that you become a master at what you do. It's time that you get rid of that four leaf clover, make a decision to go after what's in your heart, prepare for it each day, and go...go...go.
THIS WEEK, RE-TAKE YOUR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS, LEAVING IT UP TO LUCK IS OVER. LETS GO...
Monday, September 14, 2009
WHO'S YOUR LEROY SMITH?
In classic MJ style, the greatest basketball player to ever lace em up, spent the majority of his Hall of Fame induction speech on thanking the people who motivated him in his basketball career. He referred to these people as logs that were thrown on his competitive fire.
Sitting in the stands was the guy who was chosen over Michael his sophomore year in high school for the varsity team. Jordan said this,
"He started the whole process with me because when he (Leroy Smith) made the team and I didn't, I wanted to prove to not just to Leroy Smith, not just to myself, but to the coach who actually picked Leroy over me. I wanted to make sure he understood, 'You made a mistake dude.'"
As Leroy Smith, who was in attendance, and the rest of the crowd burst into laughter, Jordan went on to talk about all those who placed more and more logs on his competitive fire.
He thanked his teammate and roommate at North Carolina, Buzz Peterson. He said that when they first met, all he kept hearing was about how this kid was the Player of the Year. Jordan said, "Well he's never played against me yet, so how can he be called player of the year?" He went on to say that Buzz didn't know it, but he became a "dot on my board."
He talked about his Coach Dean Smith. The day that Coach Smith was on Sports Illustrated and named four starters but didn't name him. "That burned me up," Jordan said. He thought he belonged in that magazine.
Jordan talked about what continued to drive him as a basketball player through his career. "All the media nay-sayers, saying the scoring champion can't win an NBA title, you're not as good as Magic Johnson, you're not as good as Larry Bird. And that put so much wood on that fire, that it kept me each and every day trying to get better as a basketball player."
He said, "When you accomplish as much as I have in a period of time, you look for any kind of messages that people may say or do to get you to play the game of basketball at the highest level."
My favorite story was about Utah Jazz shooting guard Byron Russell. When Jordan retired from basketball and was playing baseball, he visited John Stockton in Utah. During that visit Byron Russell came to him and said, "Why'd you quit Michael. You know I could guard you. If I ever see you in a pair of shorts..."
Jordan went on to say with a smirk on his face, "So when I did decide to come back in 96' I'm at the center circle, and Russell was sitting next to me. I said to him, 'Remember in 94' when we had this conversation you made about when you said I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you?...Well you're about to get your chance."
And of course Jordan drilled a free thrown line jumper to beat the Utah Jazz for the NBA championship about 10 seconds after that conversation.
Each and every day there will be people trying to talk you out of who you are, what you want to do, and who you want to be. I know that the majority of us actually listen and begin to believe these nay-sayers.
But instead of letting these people be buckets of water on your fire, like Jordan, turn them into another log. Like Jordan's Buzz Peterson, put them as dots on your board. Like not being named a starter by your coach, let them "burn you up," so that you will make sure this will not happen again. Like having someone make the team over you, put that deep inside so that you can prove to that person picked over you, yourself, and the coach who actually picked that person over you that, "you made a mistake dude."
My motto with myself and with my athletes is, "Give em no choice." This means you work so hard, you go after what you want with so much tenacity, that you give people no choice but to choose you.
If you live by this, your critics even start believing in you. They see you are never going to give up. And for those who continue to doubt you, write their disbelief on a piece of paper and carry it around with you, put it in your locker, keep it somewhere you can see it everyday.
When I was finishing my internship and looking for a job, I applied specifically to 5 collegiate programs for the assistant strength and conditioning coach job. Two of them, in particular, being the University of South Florida and Colorado State University programs both said that due to my lack of experience and probable knowledge that I was rejected the $20,000.00 per year position. I saved these letters and tacked them to my wall as reminders of their disbelief. They were two of my Leroy Smiths'. They helped me get to where I am today. Even when I look at them now, it burns me inside.
WHO ARE YOUR LEROY SMITHS?
Watch the 23 Greatest Jordan Moments on this Link.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/jordan23
Sitting in the stands was the guy who was chosen over Michael his sophomore year in high school for the varsity team. Jordan said this,
"He started the whole process with me because when he (Leroy Smith) made the team and I didn't, I wanted to prove to not just to Leroy Smith, not just to myself, but to the coach who actually picked Leroy over me. I wanted to make sure he understood, 'You made a mistake dude.'"
As Leroy Smith, who was in attendance, and the rest of the crowd burst into laughter, Jordan went on to talk about all those who placed more and more logs on his competitive fire.
He thanked his teammate and roommate at North Carolina, Buzz Peterson. He said that when they first met, all he kept hearing was about how this kid was the Player of the Year. Jordan said, "Well he's never played against me yet, so how can he be called player of the year?" He went on to say that Buzz didn't know it, but he became a "dot on my board."
He talked about his Coach Dean Smith. The day that Coach Smith was on Sports Illustrated and named four starters but didn't name him. "That burned me up," Jordan said. He thought he belonged in that magazine.
Jordan talked about what continued to drive him as a basketball player through his career. "All the media nay-sayers, saying the scoring champion can't win an NBA title, you're not as good as Magic Johnson, you're not as good as Larry Bird. And that put so much wood on that fire, that it kept me each and every day trying to get better as a basketball player."
He said, "When you accomplish as much as I have in a period of time, you look for any kind of messages that people may say or do to get you to play the game of basketball at the highest level."
My favorite story was about Utah Jazz shooting guard Byron Russell. When Jordan retired from basketball and was playing baseball, he visited John Stockton in Utah. During that visit Byron Russell came to him and said, "Why'd you quit Michael. You know I could guard you. If I ever see you in a pair of shorts..."
Jordan went on to say with a smirk on his face, "So when I did decide to come back in 96' I'm at the center circle, and Russell was sitting next to me. I said to him, 'Remember in 94' when we had this conversation you made about when you said I can guard you, I can shut you down, I would love to play against you?...Well you're about to get your chance."
And of course Jordan drilled a free thrown line jumper to beat the Utah Jazz for the NBA championship about 10 seconds after that conversation.
Each and every day there will be people trying to talk you out of who you are, what you want to do, and who you want to be. I know that the majority of us actually listen and begin to believe these nay-sayers.
But instead of letting these people be buckets of water on your fire, like Jordan, turn them into another log. Like Jordan's Buzz Peterson, put them as dots on your board. Like not being named a starter by your coach, let them "burn you up," so that you will make sure this will not happen again. Like having someone make the team over you, put that deep inside so that you can prove to that person picked over you, yourself, and the coach who actually picked that person over you that, "you made a mistake dude."
My motto with myself and with my athletes is, "Give em no choice." This means you work so hard, you go after what you want with so much tenacity, that you give people no choice but to choose you.
If you live by this, your critics even start believing in you. They see you are never going to give up. And for those who continue to doubt you, write their disbelief on a piece of paper and carry it around with you, put it in your locker, keep it somewhere you can see it everyday.
When I was finishing my internship and looking for a job, I applied specifically to 5 collegiate programs for the assistant strength and conditioning coach job. Two of them, in particular, being the University of South Florida and Colorado State University programs both said that due to my lack of experience and probable knowledge that I was rejected the $20,000.00 per year position. I saved these letters and tacked them to my wall as reminders of their disbelief. They were two of my Leroy Smiths'. They helped me get to where I am today. Even when I look at them now, it burns me inside.
WHO ARE YOUR LEROY SMITHS?
Watch the 23 Greatest Jordan Moments on this Link.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/features/jordan23
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