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MESSAGE #988 A PEAK PERFORMANCE POEM

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There are two types of teammates in the world: builder-uppers and breaker-downers.

The builder-uppers are the Derek Jeters who make the rest of their team better. Michael Jordan was the same way.

The breaker-downers focus on themselves and may even put their teammates down to make themselves look better. One bad apple ruins the bunch.

This applies to sports, work, school and relationships.

Here is my favorite poem to bring the point home…

One day as I was walking around my home town,
I saw a group of men tearing a building down.

With a heave and a ho and a mighty yell,
they swung a huge steel ball and a tall building fell.

Impressed, I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled?
Should I hire them if I ever want to build?”

“Oh no,” he laughed. “Oh no, indeed!
They’re unskilled laborers–that’s all I need.”

“These men can easily wreck in a day or two,
what it takes skilled builders many years to do.”

So I asked myself as I walked away,
which one of these roles do I want to play?

Do I want to be known as one who constantly tears down?
De-energizing others as I spread negativity around?

Or do I want to be known as one who skillfully builds up with care,
enthusiastically encouraging everyone whenever I’m there?

Which type of person will you be today?

MESSAGE #987 HOW WINE CAN HELP YOU

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Watch this great TED video where the great Gary Vaynerchuk (winelibrarytv.com) talks about doing what you love.

MESSAGE #986 THE WORD CAN’T CAN’T HELP YOU

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On a daily basis, in and out of the sports world, I hear people using the word “can’t.”

“I can’t hit a serve.”

“I can’t find a job.”

“I can’t get this math problem.”

But you’re lying to yourself. You CAN.

And if you think you can’t, then what if I offered you a million dollars to do it, could you? I’m sure you’d find a way.

I have had many students say the word “can’t” during lessons and I tell them that the only time you can say that word in a sentence is when you add the word “yet” at the end of it.

“I can’t hit a serve…yet.”

“I can’t find a job…yet.”

“I can’t get this math problem…yet.”

That’s a totally different mindset isn’t it? That’s what the winners think like. And it’s a choice.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #985

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Three bunnies were playing in the park.

Two of the bunnies decided to hop home.

How many bunnies were left?

Most people say one.

The answer is three. Just because the bunnies DECIDED to hop home doesn’t meant that they actually did.

People are the same way.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

MESSAGE #984 BOUNCE BACK

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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

MESSAGE #983

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to all who came out for the first ever Princeton Peak Performance Meetup Group.

For those of you who sent me hate mail and comments yesterday, I hope you had a good APRIL FOOL’S DAY.

S0 yesterday concluded my 21-Day Fitness Challenge. They say it takes twenty-one days to make something a habit and even though I stay active, I wanted to jump-start my fitness regimen. It certainly did that. And many of you joined me from all over the world, which made it even more fun.

Some days I merely performed an ab workout. Other days I went for a run, did jump rope, used my favorite piece of exercise equipment (not on the market yet but I have a prototype…stay tuned), worked out on the basketball court, soccer field or baseball field. If you missed the videos, click these links and watch me bend it like Beckham, shoot it  like Jordan and hit it like Jeter.

I feel like I’m stronger, leaner and have more energy. I actually surprised myself with sports I have never really played, like soccer and basketball, but with some tips from my coach friends, I performed quite well. Any skill is learn-able.

Did I ever not feel like working out? Of course, but I did it anyway. It also helped that I put it into cyberspace.

1. Set a goal

2. Make it public

3. Get to work

What do you want to kick-start in your life?

MESSAGE #980 MOTIVATION

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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

MESSAGE #979 YOUR IQ…

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Your “I Can” is more important than your “IQ.”

“I can’t hit a serve.”

“I can’t make any money.”

“I can’t stay positive.”

“I can’t stop smoking.”

Success does not come in bottles, it comes in “cans.”

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. -BUDDHA

MESSAGE #978 WIN

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great D.A. Abrams, Executive Director and COO of the USTA Eastern Section.

 

I may not know you, but I know this about you…

You want to win more…in sports, sales, school, relationships, music, etc.

Here’s how you do it: Don’t focus on winning!

Focus on the things that will help you win more.

1. Write down exactly what you want to accomplish

2. Write down three things you can do each day to get closer to that goal.

3. Do those three things!

4. Repeat.

And if you really want to ensure that you will reach your goals, find an accountability partner, who you will talk to at least once a week to make sure you are on track. (If you know you are going to talk to that person, you will be more likely to get the important things done.)

Remember what WIN stands for…

What’s Important Now

MESSAGE #976 LIVE LIFE

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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?