Blog
Read Blog Posts by Category:
Passion: Articles that deal with the inner drive that we all need to want to MOVE from where we currently are to where we dream to be.
Preparation: These posts reference articles, books, documentaries, speakers, quotes, and other inspirational and formative ideas that I have found that helped me and the people around me.
Practice: Articles in this category have a heavy sports and performance training lean.
Performance: These articles focus on how you go about your work. From networking to communications to finding a better way to do what you do.
Perseverance: Articles in this category speak to the mechanics that we go through both mentally and physically to stay on track and not get STUCK.
The Advantages of Age
Getting older is often viewed with fear and negativity. We are surrounded by images of youth and beauty, leading many of us to worry about the inevitable passage of time. Let me give you a different point of view: Aging is not a curse but a privilege. The gift of getting older allows us to accumulate knowledge, gain perspective, and forge unforgettable memories. Embracing the aging journey can make us stronger and enable us to live a life of excitement and enjoyment.
Moving On: It’s Okay to Outgrow People
Are you still friends with people you were friends with five years ago or ten years ago? Why not?
Growth isn’t always linear; it can be messy and unpredictable. We may evolve in different directions from friends or family members who were once the most essential parts of our lives. This divergence doesn’t necessarily signify a failure in those relationships but indicates individual paths moving in different directions.
Embracing the Struggle
In a world that often glorifies perfection and seamless success, it can be easy to overlook the value hidden within our struggles. Each challenge we face is not merely an obstacle; it’s a teacher, a sculptor chiseling away at the outer shell of our lives to reveal something about us that we did not know was there.
Imagine your life as a movie. Each scene represents a moment—some exciting and happy, others dark and miserable. At first glance, the chaotic scenes may seem disjointed. But upon closer inspection, you begin to see how each scene leads to the next to create a unique story: your story.
Being the Tide
The idea that "a rising tide lifts all boats" can be felt deeply in a world often characterized by competition and individualism. President John F. Kennedy passed on this adage to us, and it speaks to a profound truth: when we support one another, we not only elevate those around us but enrich our lives in ways we may not initially perceive.
Go Ahead, Take That First Step
Every journey begins with that first step, yet that first step often feels like climbing a mountain or dropping off the edge of a bottomless abyss. Whether it’s starting a new project, going to the gym for the first time, or making a life-changing decision, the anticipation can cause us to freeze up. Why is this initial step so scary? And how can we shift our perspective to embrace rather than resist this pivotal moment?
Embracing the Grind: Hard Times Equal Great Lessons
How many of you have been in a position that seemed like there would be no end to the trials and tribulations, so much so that you felt that you just needed to get up and walk out?
I think we all have been there.
But how many of you hung on one more day, and then one more day, and another and another until the hate became a passion?
In life, we often find ourselves wading through some hard times. Whether personal challenges, professional struggles, or challenges out of our control, the phrase “things will get worse before they get better” resonates deeply. It’s a hard truth that we all wrestle with at one time or another. What we learn through the grind is that what we are going through will one day allow us to face any adversity with resilience and hope.
Suck It Up, Buttercup
When I played football, my mom had only one coaching point: “If you get hurt, don’t lie on the ground; get up and run off the field.” My father often told us, “You need to stop crying, or I’ll give you something to really cry about.” Our family dictionary didn’t have the word "Sympathy” in it. We weren’t abused in any way; we were just taught that we should push through the little things that life throws at us.
We were raised to be tough.
Toughness is often associated with physical strength, but true toughness goes beyond the surface. It's about resilience, perseverance, and the ability to overcome challenges. The earlier in life we are taught this, the better.
Keep Climbing: Overcoming The Struggles in Your Life
In every story of success there is a point of struggle followed by an action where the storyteller overcame the issue that caused the struggle. In every story of a person getting stuck there is a point of struggle followed by inaction, where the storyteller allowed the issue to stop them.
Read that again. I’ll wait.
Yes, it is that simple. MOVE. Keep moving forward. It may be in small steps, but you must find a way to continue to fight through whatever it is that is slowing you down.
Never Doubt Yourself Again
The biggest killer of your dreams is … the person you see in the mirror everyday of your life!
The biggest reason for your success is … the person you see in the mirror everyday of your life!
You have all the control.
Did you know that? If you did, are you where you always dreamt you would be at this time of your life? If not, maybe you didn’t really know that you were the reason for your present situation.
Dualism: Get To vs Got To
Life is a Get To vs a Got To proposition. I have used these two terms (Get To vs Got To) for 40 years. I have asked countless athletes and clients to help them understand the truth about their commitment to being successful.
Comprehending the “Get To vs Got To” concept will lead you directly to understanding “who” you truly are.
Dualism: Ancestors vs Ghosts
I went to New York to watch Bruce Springsteen on Broadway. During his show he spoke about Ancestors and Ghosts.
It took me a while to work this through, but when I did it made perfect sense.
Ancestors are those who came before us that we lean in to when we are growing in our personal or professional lives. They are the people who taught us the basics. How to pray, how to drive, how to work on an engine, how to cook. The taught us what it looked like when you were doing things right and how to push through the hard times.
You Are Not Alone
One of the scariest things we have to do in our life is to do something for the first time, by ourselves. It may be walking to school or riding a bike or driving a car. As we get older, we have these same issues, whether it is personal or professional, where we feel that we are fighting our dragons all by ourselves.
Resist the Tug
When I was young, my friends and I would go down to one of the three rivers that came together in Mason City, Iowa (aka “River City” from the Broadway show “The Music Man”) and catch “crawdads” or crayfish.
It wasn’t unusual to catch a bucket full in 5 – 10 minutes as we walked down the bank of the river. The one thing that I thought was interesting about these “rock lobsters” was that when one was working his way to the top of the bucket, to escape, one of his brethren would reach up and pull him back into the pile at the bottom of the bucket. I never really thought much about it until I got older and my professional career began to grow and flourish.
Fighting Negativity
“Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” – Albert Einstein
Negativity is the slayer of our dreams. When we are young, we have the ability to dream BIG. We dream big, until someone steps in and tells us the price. Instead of staying with the dream many will adjust their course. Then they dream big again, until someone steps in and tell them they’re not good enough. Some will listen to them. What’s worse is when they stop dreaming big because have stopped believing in themselves.
Life: Help!
The “voice” of the 60’s was asking for help … and they were at the top of their game when they wrote this song. It happens to everyone. Life doesn’t care if you are in the low of lows or when you seemingly are at the top of your game, we all still need help.
It’s Been a Year
I heard an amazing song the other day. A young lady named Ashley Cooke was singing “It’s Been a Year.” She has a great voice, but I love the chorus when she sings, “It’s been three hundred sixty-five of record lows and record highs. Loving and losing, fun and confusing, praying and shifting gears … it’s been a year”. What a great hook. “365 of record lows and record highs”, I think everyone can relate.
Clearing Headspace
She stopped talking and just dropped her head. I then asked the “hard” question, “How much do you charge for rent?” She was staggered. “What?” She replied, “What the f*#k does that mean, what rent, I’m living in my house?” I chuckled and said, “Rent for the room that these people are taking up in your head?”
Accepting Blame
One of the biggest faults most of us have is that we lack the ability to take the blame when things go wrong. We can turn on the TV any time of day and watch one political party blame the issues on the other party and yet, in the same breath, take credit for all of the good. Not only in politics but we see this on talk shows, courtroom shows, soap operas, movies, commercials, sitcoms … everywhere!! We go to work and we watch the drama in real life. Even at home we see family bickering with one side saying it was the other side’s fault.
We are inundated with the “blame game”.
Dancing In the Rain
Over the Memorial Day weekend, I was the officiant at the wedding of the daughter of two of my quarters (Rod and Jacque Coyan). My part was short – to the point – with “humor and just the right amount of seriousness”, as I was told after the ceremony by a person I had never met.
From the rooftop of a hotel, located in the middle of the city, to the open fields of my friend’s father’s farm, was a 20-minute ride in a limo. The cocktail hour was full of laughter and handshakes and hugs from people that I knew who had attended the wedding. The dinner was great, not just chicken, but a choice of salmon and beef. Then came the after-dinner speeches. The brother of the groom, who had never addressed a crowd that numbered nearly 250 souls, if not more, did a great job. The parents and the maid of honor all hit home runs. The music started and about an hour afterwards the wind started picking up. If you’ve ever lived in the high plains, you know you can see a storm coming.
The wedding and the storm were going to meet … head-on.
The rain came down and the wind blew. A beautiful day was now at the will of the storm. I sat back and wondered how the bride would react. I thought I knew who she was. I wanted to see if I was right or wrong. This wedding balanced on her reaction to the turn in the weather.
Move or Die
Have you ever heard of Hugh Glass? If you remember the movie “The Revenant” which starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass. He was a fur trapper who was mauled by a bear and was left for dead after his fur trapping “friends” left him near a small stream because they were being hunted by a group of indigenous warriors.