MESSAGE #1209 ARE YOU A TEAM PLAYER?
When I was younger, my cousins brainwashed me into liking the Dallas Cowboys. The truth is, I didn’t really enjoy football but they were passionate Cowboy fans, so it rubbed off. To this day I still do not follow football but I can remember Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, and others.
For some reason, the player I remember the most was #12, Roger Staubach. Recently, I hear an amazing story about Roger.
In 1963, while playing football for Navy, Staubach won the Heisman Trophy for being the most outstanding collegiate football player.
After Roger received the award, he went back to Navy and a team meeting was held. As he spoke to his teammates, Roger said that the trophy wasn’t his, it belonged to all of them. He said he would not have won the trophy without them.
And then Staubach proceeded to smash the Heisman Trophy into pieces.
Everyone in the room was stunned.
Staubach walked over to each teammate and handed them a piece of the trophy.
Now that’s a teammate.
And that’s a leader.
MESSAGE #1207 HOW TOUGH ARE YOU?
Recently, I was speaking to a friend of mine, Ernie, who played football for Notre Dame in the 1940s. In fact, Ernie spent a whole year eating breakfast at Vince Lombardi’s house.
On November 3, 1945, one of his teammates, Elmer Angsman, a fullback got an elbow right in the mouth. They had leather helmets at the time. Well, after the play, Ernie said that Angsman called time-out, jogged over to the sideline and spit out four teeth (he ended up losing 11 teeth total from the play). Elmer stayed in the game. After the game, the Notre Dame coach walked up to Angsman and said…
“Why did you call a time-out?!?”
That’s being tough.
MESSAGE #1206 WORRY
Many times I work with an athlete on strategy. For example, I will tell a tennis player to come to net so he/she can finish off the point.
As a response, they often say, “But they might lob over my head!”
I tell them not to worry about it until it happens.
I know many business owners that don’t take risks because of the dreaded, “What if?”
Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t prepare for these situations. You should.
The bottom line is that you need to get out of your comfort zone.
You need to take risks.
You need to what you’ve never done so you can get the results that you’ve never gotten.
Preparation…YES.
Worry…NO.
MESSAGE #1205 ADVERSITY
Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.
-WILLIAM A. WARD
It’s all perception and reaction.
Go all-out today!
MESSAGE #1204 THIS WILL HELP YOU
Tonight I spoke to the NJ Unemployed group at Mrs. G’s in Lawrenceville.
I did it for free.
Why?
Because I know that helping others and making a difference is more important than financial rewards.
You see, we can’t take our money when we leave this world, but we can take the satisfaction that the world is a better place because we lived.
Money comes and goes, but what we do and how we impact our world stays forever.
You know what the funny thing is?
The more you help others, the more money you will make (and the better your results will be).
Try it just for one day…
Be a great teammate.
Be a great romantic partner.
Be a great employee.
Focus on adding value, being the best unselfish you you can be.
And then leave your comments below.
MESSAGE #1203 THE BEST PLACE TO COACH
Someone once told me that the best place to coach is in an orphanage.
No parents.
There is a lot of truth in this joke.
I have seen many parents OVER involved in their child’s sport.
I have even had to kick parents out of a tournament site for coaching during a tennis match.
I understand that a parent wants their child to succeed, but by being overly involved and putting a tremendous amount of pressure on their child is not the way.
The main role of the parent is to provide LOVE and SUPPORT.
Period.
MESSAGE #1202 THEY DID IT!
Well, Justin Gimelstob won his bet with Andy Roddick, as he finished the New York City Marathon in 4:09:58, well under the 4:45 that Roddick predicted he wouldn’t finish within.
I’m sure Laura Skladzinski, his running mate had a large part to do with it.
And my new hero, Edison Pena, Miner #12 finished in 5:40:51. Pena was having trouble with his knees and had to stop between mile 19 and 20 to ice. He could have quit, but he didn’t. His goal was to finish the marathon in 6 hours and he was determined to do whatever it took.
Congrats to Justin, Edison and everyone else who ran today in the New York City Marathon.
What an inspiring day!
MESSAGE #1201 ACCOUNTABILITY
Tomorrow is the New York City Marathon.
Guess who is running?
Ex-pro tennis player, and tennis analyst, Justin Gimelstob. See my interview with him at the 2010 US Open here.
Andy Roddick bet Gimelstob that he couldn’t finish the marathon in 4:45. Justin took the bet and the loser gives $10,000 to the other persons charity.
I remember recently when Justin was downloading motivational videos onto his iPod for the race. He was getting ready.
Well, he also got a little bit of luck. Laura Skladzinski, the youngest female to run a marathon in all 50 states volunteered to help Gimelstob out.
She will be running alongside Justin to make sure he finishes and wins the bet.
Brilliant.
That’s accountability.
We all need that.
I have a feeling Justin Gimelstob is going to win this bet.