Today’s message is especially dedicated to Lance Lee in Philadelphia, Lou Nespoli in Colts Neck, NJ, Makenzie Devine in Washington Township, NJ, Megan Brett in New York City, Rachel Mech in Washington, D.C., and Tommy Haas in Bradenton, Florida. Happy Birthday to you all!
Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, then became the greatest basketball player ever.
Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before perfecting the light bulb, then became the brightest mind of the past century.
Did Michael Jordan give up? NO.
Did Thomas Edison give up? NO.
Did Elmer McAllister give up?
You don’t know who Elmer McAllister is?!?
Of course you don’t, because he GAVE UP!
Never, never, never give up. -WINSTON CHURCHILL
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-04-03 07:34:452010-04-03 07:34:45MESSAGE #984 BOUNCE BACK
I feel that I am one of the most motivated people I know, but someone once said, “Motivation is like taking a shower – it feels good and it’s refreshing ,but you have to take a new one every dayp.”
Success is not doing something once, but doing something consistently.
I have a book in my library called, “Motivating Quotes For Motivated People.” Here are a couple of my favorites…
He who would leap high must take a long run. -DANISH PROVERB
Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events not of words. Trust movement. -ALFRED ADLER
Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. -PLATO
Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. -JOYCE BROTHERS
You will be a winner when you realize that failure is only a state of mind. -AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Today’s message is especially dedicated to Brittany Eckett. Happy Birthday to a softball great.
Most of us live a life of mediocrity.
We don’t like to get out of our comfort zones.
We fear change.
Well, guess what?
1. You don’t have to settle for mediocrity.
2. If you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you won’t get better.
3. Change is inevitable.
I recently listened to an interview with one of my favorite authors, Robin Sharma, who wrote “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” and more recently, “The Leader Who Had No Title.” In the interview, Sharma said something profound that stuck with me.
When we are born, we cry while the world rejoices. When we die, the world should be crying while we rejoice.
What do you want to have accomplished at the end of your life?
You can’t take your trophies with you. You can’t take your money with you. You can’t take your iPhone with you.
So what’s the purpose of life? To discover your gifts.
What’s the meaning of life? To give those gifts away.
Do you want to be comfortable, or do you want to be GREAT?
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-27 07:00:282010-03-27 07:00:28MESSAGE #976 LIVE LIFE
In this video blog, Ed interviews rising baseball star, Mike DeJesus of the New Jersey Jackals.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-23 13:03:022010-03-23 13:03:02MESSAGE #972 INTERVIEW WITH A RISING STAR...
Yesterday, I drove up to Stamford, Connecticut to attend the Diamond Sports Career Seminar with Bobby Valentine at Bobby Valentine’s Academy. My friend, Walter Recher, and Dave Torromeo are the founding partners of Diamond Sports Group, who create amazing events and programs in affiliation with professional sports down to the grassroots.
I met some amazing people at this event, including panelists, Rod Mergardt of CBS/MaxPreps and Shane Beardsley of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, an affiliate of the NY Islanders. Other interesting people I met were, Mary Jane Wells, business manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish, who shared with me a great George Steinbrenner story, Tom Chiappetta, executive director of the Fairfield Sports Commission, and Dave Torromeo of Diamond Sports Group.
I have some great conversations with each of them, but the person I really drove up to see was the great Bobby Valentine. During the panel discussion, there were some great quotes on the sports industry.
“When you go for it, you get it.” -BOBBY VALENTINE
“You have to learn responsibility – write down three things you want to accomplish every day. Then do them.” -BOBBY V.
“Winners will make more mistakes, but they move on immediately.” -ROD MERGARDT
“Losers can become winners.” -BOBBY V.
“Work hard.” -SHANE BEARDSLEY
Bobby Valentine managed 3,500 games and only won 1,900, but he said, in those losses he had little successes and those little successes turned into big successes.
I actually had a couple great conversations with Bobby before and after the event. I asked him what mental skills the Japanese players had that the US players didn’t. He said that the Japanese players just practice more. “Practice creates confidence and less fear. The Japanese players have less fear.”
Bobby V also said that the US players never play again without practicing first, which means, they never skip batting practice like the US teams.
My goal was to do an exclusive interview with Bobby, but unfortunately, ESPN doesn’t allow him to do that, but I did ask a question during the seminar to all three panelists, as seen in the video below.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-21 15:52:342010-03-21 15:52:34MESSAGE #970 HANGING OUT WITH BOBBY VALENTINE
In this video blog, Ed tries his hand (foot) at soccer with Coach Toby in Day 8 of his 21-Day Fitness Challenge Part II.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-19 09:27:202010-03-19 09:27:20MESSAGE #967 DAY 8 OF ED'S 21-DAY CHALLENGE PART II
Do people play sports to get to the end of the game?
Do people read to get to the end of the book?
No. No. No.
Life is not about doing as many things as you can. It’s not about getting to the end. It’s not even about making a lot of money (I know a lot of miserable rich people).
Life is to be lived. To do what matters to you. To do what you’re passionate about. To make a difference in the world.
We play sports because we enjoy the process. If winning was everything, wouldn’t we ONLY play people we knew we could beat? That would get old quick.
After Mats Wilander became number one in the tennis world (something he worked his whole life for), he said, “Is that it?” It got to a point where he would look forward to mowing his lawn more than playing tennis. So it’s not about the trophy. It’s not about the money. It’s not about materialistic objects.
1. Do what you love.
2. Stay in the present moment and savor it all.
3. Work hard but have fun.
4. Don’t let anyone tell you what you CAN’T do (how do THEY know?)
5. Make a difference and help others.
Think about what you want to have accomplished at the end of your life.
Now go and do it.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-16 01:38:072010-03-16 01:38:07MESSAGE #964 WHAT DO YOU DO AFTER YOU WIN WIMBLEDON?
We all know that sports are about 80 percent mental, so doesn’t that mean we should practice our mental game 80 percent of the time?
I met with meditation teacher, Jonathan Star yesterday and he explained his theory of “The Art of Being On” to me. It was very intriguing. An average tennis match lasts about 90 minutes and only approximately 18 of those minutes are actually playing. So Star developed a meditation to help you win “the game between points.”
Nobody can do it all on their own. Use all the brains you have and all that you can borrow. (Woodrow Wilson) I have a feeling Mr. Star and I will be collaborating on several projects in the near future. We have already begun planning a joint seminar.
Jonathan sought me out from the Princeton Peak Performance Meetup Group I started (see sidebar). The secret to success is to have a growth mindset and strive for constant improvement, but remember you don’t have to do it all on your own.
Ideas are the best currency – If you exchange dollar bills with someone, you both have one dollar bill. But if you exchange ideas, you both have TWO ideas.
Author’s note: Day 3 of my 21-Day Challenge is in full-force with being on court and hitting lessons. I will be sure to break a sweat and even do some running with my students.
I’d love to hear your comments. Leave them below.
https://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/default2.jpg300300adminhttps://www.edtseng.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TsengLogo211-2.pngadmin2010-03-13 08:20:052010-03-13 08:20:05MESSAGE #961 MEETING OF THE MINDS
