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.
Lead With Enthusiasm and Success Will Follow
In leadership, where vision and strategy often take center stage, one crucial element frequently goes unnoticed—the Gift of Enthusiasm. This powerful trait can transform not only the leader but also the entire team, igniting a fire that propels individuals toward shared goals.
Find Enthusiasm in Your Work
It's crucial to understand that the culture of any workspace is not a random occurrence, but a result of effective leadership. It's about creating an environment where shared passions flourish, and this is a responsibility that lies in the hands of every leader. Your role as a leader is pivotal in fostering this enthusiasm, empowering you to shape a workplace culture that inspires and motivates.
Find Your Niche
Finding your niche can be a never-ending adventure, but no matter what field you lean into, it is imperative to find your “sweet spot.” Whether you are a young entrepreneur, an artist, or someone looking to discover your place in the world, figuring out your niche is the key to leaving your mark.
Don’t Be Afraid to Compete
In a world that often preaches the importance of collaboration and teamwork, the idea of competition can sometimes be seen as divisive or even detrimental. However, I believe that competition is essential to personal growth and development.
Dualism: Compress and Expand
This concept, Compression and Expansion, when taken off the draftsman table and applied to life is what makes life exciting.
Set the Bar Higher
Did you hear that?
That collective sigh of relief.
That sound came from 99% of the population after hearing that “they only need to compete with themselves”. I can hear them, they’re saying, “Finally, I don’t have to try to be much better than I am right now.”
Chase The Match
Some people will find their motivational sparks from EXTERNAL sources. These might be found in videos on the internet, a motivational speaker, or a book that you just read. Watching and listening to speakers such as Eric Thomas or Les Brown always help to push me through some slow times.
You might find your spark from an INTERNAL source. It may be a person you work with who always gets excited about being better at what you are doing. These INTERNAL motivators can come from anyone. It also may be a negative comment that sparks us to say, “We’ll see about that.”
Whatever gives you your spark, continue to use it so you don’t get stuck along your journey.
It’s Been ANOTHER Year
Wow, that was fast!
365 days have spun by so fast! As I said in an earlier Thursday Thought, “It is true that time does fly. But when you spend time with those that you love, time becomes the memories that make life worth living.” This year has been full of memories that I will always cherish. New friends and old friends have made this year fly by. Laughs and stories have filled my life as one day turned to the next!
Be Unique
I thought about this revelation. Eventually it began to make sense. Being “unique” isn’t about genetics - or talent - or skill - or environment - or race - or religion - or gender … being unique is about US … getting the fuck out of our own way. Once we stop making excuses for our shortcomings, lack of effort or self-imposed limits we can ALL become unique.
Trust: The Essential Ingredient
I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the greatest athletes that have been in their sport. I’m not afraid to say that I pushed them hard. And I am proud to say that they answered the call … again and again and again. Why?
Because they TRUSTED me!
TRUST is the key ingredient to any successful venture.
When you have trust there is nothing that cannot be achieved. When we don’t believe in each other hard times will follow.
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.
Chase Your Passion
Why is it that some people are constantly moving towards achieving their dreams and others just dream about their dreams?
It’s simple … each of us is wired differently.
Full-Blooded Mutt
My mom’s side of the family were thrown out of Ireland a long time ago because we weren’t good enough. My dad’s side of the family was thrown out of France and then Canada. Somewhere along the way blood lines from Scotland, Germany and other northern European countries enter the mix. Eventually these two people got together to make a litter of full-blooded mutts.
Humble and Hungry
Two words summed up why you might not have heard of John Stucky: Humble / Hungry.
He lived these two words every day of his life. Because he lived these two words that’s probably why you don’t know who he is. He was humble beyond reproach and was never satisfied with his base of knowledge.
Finding Stillness
I remember riding my bike to East Park in my hometown. As I flew down the shaded park roads, I noticed people sitting on the park benches. I would silently wonder why. Why were they sitting quietly when there was so much life to live? Why weren’t they looking for next game? Why weren’t they exploring the old locomotive at the park entrance? Why weren’t they doing something with their life?
Then I got older. Life became more hectic. I was no longer hunting for things to do; I was now building my own world. There were very few opportunities to take a breath. From the time I woke up to the time I went to bed there was not a spare second. I actually needed more time on the clock. The 86,400 seconds sped away, just as I had done on my bike as a youth.
Stop Trying – Do It!
“No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda
I was talking to a group of athletes the other day and they used a “dirty” word. The athlete said they would, “try to work harder.” I stopped them right there. I asked them if being successful was important to them or if they just wanted to spend all their time and effort and get nothing out of it. Of course, they said, they “wanted” to be successful. Strike Two.
I looked at the coach and he shrugged and said, “That’s why you’re here.”
Thank goodness he reached out.
Stop Procrastinating … NOW
The dread of doing a task uses up more time and energy than doing the task itself. – Rita Emmett
Have you ever been around a person who says, “I’m great under pressure”? Did you do a follow-up question and ask them, “Why were you behind in the first place?”
It’s those people who think that they can keep putting things off until the end, and then finish the project with seconds remaining, which in the long run will have a negative impact on the overall success of your company.
Retired or In Transition?
I was talking to a good friend I had gone to school with named Sherry. She had finished her 35th year in teaching and was all set to retire. I told her how excited I was for her and her husband Mike. We talked for about fifteen minutes; she was quick with all of the answers to my questions. And then I asked the hard question. “What’s next?” She hemmed and hawed for a while about just decompressing and getting things done around the house, maybe travel.
What Makes the Impossible… Impossible?
What makes the impossible … impossible? Don’t make it hard … the answer is simple. Something is impossible because nobody has done it … yet. When someone does the “impossible” then it becomes possible and eventually, it will become routine.
It’s Roger Bannister running a sub-Four Minute Mile. When he accomplished that in 1954, no one had achieved that feat. He made the impossible … possible. Let’s jump ahead … during the 2021-2022 collegiate track season, 82 student-athletes in the NCAA, ran a sub-four-minute mile. (The men’s record for the mile run has 3:43.13 – Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco).
The next “impossible” feat accomplished will be when the first woman runs a sub-four-minute mile. Right now, the fastest mile run by a woman is 4:12.33, run by Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, born in Ethiopia. This means that she would have to take three seconds off each lap … that’s a lot. But it’s only impossible because no had done it … yet.
Never Be Satisfied
Being satisfied. I think this is one of the hardest things I have had to deal with during my coaching career and the single biggest issue that I confront daily as a motivational professional.
I know that everyone has the right to be who they want to be. Everyone has their own idea of what success looks like. But what happens when you sell yourself short? The great artist and sculptor, Michaelangelo once said, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting out aim too high and falling short, but setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”