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MESSAGE #463 FOR ALL YOU RUNNERS OUT THERE…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to all the runners that participated in the recent New York City Marathon, especially Todd Kovacs, who read “Game. Set. Life.”…hope it helped!

From The Quotable Runner…

“To keep from decaying, to be a winner, the athlete must accept pain – not only accept it, but look for it, live with it, learn not to fear it.”
Dr. George Sheehan

“If I am beaten the next time I run, I do not mind. If you have a salad that is all one thing, all lettuce, it is not good. It has no flavor. So victory, always, would be flat. You must mix it with defeat to gain the flavor.”
Gerard Cote, four-time Boston Marathon champion in the 1940s

“My life is a gift to me from my Creator. What I do with my life is my gift back to the Creator.”
Billy Mills

“Sport is not about being wrapped up in cotton wool. Sport is about adapting to the unexpected and being able to modify plans at the last minute. Sport, like all life, is about taking risks.”
Sir Roger Bannister

“There are people who have no bodies, only heads. And many athletes have no heads, only bodies. A champion is a man who has trained his body and his mind, who has learned to conquer pain for his own purposes. A great athlete is at peace with himself and at peace with the world; he has fulfilled himself. He envies nobody. Wars are caused by people who have not fulfilled themselves.”
Coach Sam Dee in The Olympian

“Who are you? Who are you?”
Japanese official to Billy Mills after he won the 10,000 in Tokyo

“Have a dream, make a plan, go for it. You’ll get there, I promise.”
Zoe Koplowitz, Achilles Track Club member with multiple sclerosis, who required 24 hours on crutches but finished the 1993 New York City Marathon


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #462 SUCCESS WILL COME TO YOU…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Bob Larson.

I am confident that success will come to you.

But I am also confident about this…

Nobody’s going to ring your doorbell and hand you success. You have to go out and get it.

I have been spending hours each day promoting my new book, “Game. Set. Life.” and today, I’m going into New York City to create a buzz.

The plan is to hit Tennis Magazine, Tennis Week, ESPN, the Public Library, Sports Illustrated, Mason’s Tennis Mart and perhaps some racquet clubs.

Maybe I’ll even give some away to random people on the street. It’s all about getting yourself out there. It doesn’t matter how great you or your product/service is…if nobody knows about it, it doesn’t matter.

So expect success, but you should also CREATE success.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #461 A QUOTE FROM A GREAT COACH…

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“The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.”

Vince Lombardi

MESSAGE #460 DO THE IMPOSSIBLE!

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Nobody knows you better than you. So don’t worry about those people who don’t believe in you – they don’t know you! I know anything is possible and that if you want anything badly enough, you can achieve it…

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.”

–Roger Bannister (After becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile, 1952)

And guess what? After Bannister broke the four-minute mile, 37 others did so as well within the following year.

Impossible?

Never.


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MESSAGE #459 The SCARRRY Truth…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Stephanie Sheldon.

I think that what you do when you can’t do any more reps is who you are. It’s what you’re made of. What you do at the end of the work day when you’re tired is who you are. What you do at the end of the school day when you can’t take it any longer is who you are.

When you push yourself, you’re actually pushing yourself through to another level. That’s progress – that’s success in my book. We only have one shot on this Earth at this thing called life…

Do you want to be average, or do you want to be great?

Do you want to stay comfortable, or do you want to leave a legacy?

If you shoot for mediocrity, the highest you can get is…

Mediocrity.

What are you shooting for?


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MESSAGE #458 FINISH WHAT YOU START…

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Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies for a championship season!

Do you finish what you start?

I’ve gotten some great feedback from people who loved my book.

I’ve also heard that some people haven’t started it yet or are still on the first chapter.

Did you know that most people who buy a book don’t read past the first chapter?

What does that tell you?

Yesterday, I received a phone call from one of my heroes.

She plays tennis, soccer and football…

and she is legally blind.

For those of you who read “Game. Set. Life.” you know that this person is Jenny Murphy. Jenny called to tell me that she loved the book and to thank me for including her in it. But that’s not what impressed me.

What impressed me was that Jenny read the book in one day! It takes Jenny at least twice as long as most readers to finish a book, and she did it faster than most people. And she finished what she started!

What have you started but haven’t finished yet?

Be like Jenny.

For more on Jenny Murphy, go to Message #176.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #457

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Amy Perpetua.

“I now know with a conviction beyond all doubt that the biggest problem you and I have to deal with – in fact, almost the only problem we have to deal with – is choosing the right thoughts. If we can do that, we will be on the high road to solving all our problems. The great philosopher who ruled the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius, summed it up in eight words, eight words that can determine your destiny: ‘Our life is what our thoughts make it.’

Yes, if we think happy thoughts, we will be happy. If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable. If we think fear thoughts, we will be fearful. If we think sickly thoughts, we probably will be ill. If we think failure, we will certainly fail. If we wallow in self-pity, everyone will want to shun us and avoid us. Am I advocating a Pollyanna attitude toward all our problems? No. Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple. But I am advocating – in the strongest of terms – that we assume a positive attitude instead of a negative one.”

-Dale Carnegie



Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #456 BE A SANTA…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Justin Cohen.

The best way to help yourself is by helping others. Some of you bought my book on Sunday, and I appreciate that, but not that many people bought it. Many people say they are going to do things, but they don’t.

I’m going to go on a diet.

I’m going to quit smoking.

I’m going to take up the guitar.

And it wasn’t about me making money because I’m not going to see a penny of it. It’s going to the NJTL of Trenton.

Okay, I forgive you and here’s your chance to redeem yourself…

Be a santa! I am a captain for Stockings with Care this year.

Stockings with Care is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making sure that families in need have everything they need to create the magic of Christmas morning for their kids. Last year, Stockings with Care played Santa to over 2000 kids. For us, it’s about opening hearts, inspiring dreams and preserving the dignity of parents and their families.


Stockings with Care works with coalitions that assist families either living in homeless shelters or who are in jeopardy of becoming homeless and can not afford to celebrate their holiday. Social workers at each of these coalitions work with the parents to make their wish lists. These lists are passed on to Stockings with Care. Through the generosity of our individual Santas, private and corporate donors and a small army of volunteers, we make sure that every child gets at least two things on their list and that each child has at least three gifts to open on Christmas morning. Thousands of gifts are wrapped and delivered to the parents, empowering them to create magic for their kids.

Of course, lots of kids ask for what every kids wants – toys. But there are an equal number of requests for life’s essentials. Clothes. Books. Strollers, Diapers. One year, a child even asked for dog food so that they didn’t have to give up the family dog that they could no longer afford. We delivered a year’s supply of dog food.

Stockings With Care was founded in 1992 by Rosalie Joseph and Tom Fontana. And every year since then, sometime in early October, we come together to make this happen. There is no office. There are no salaries. Members have even donated their phone numbers for the two months leading up to the holidays. 100% of the money we raise and 100% of our volunteers’ efforts go to our kids.

We need santas! You basically just purchase a gift for a child…not a major commitment on your part, but imagine the look on the child’s face when they open it…Email me for details: .


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #455 ARE YOU CAFFEINATED OR ARE YOU MOTIVATED?

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Zamir Cobb.

Many of us need coffee in the morning. Many peak performers, like high-pressured athletes and scholars tend to rely on such stimulants, but here’s the truth…

We don’t necessarily do better work on coffee. Caffeine increases speed, but not mental power or acuity. It can also cause jitters, elevate your blood pressure and increase lactic acid levels. (Life’s Playbook for Success)

Exercise will give you more energy

Drinking more water will give you more energy.

Having a proper nutritional plan will give you more energy.

Doing what you love will give you more energy.

Are you caffeinated, or are you motivated? The choice is up to you.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #454 TODAY IS THE DAY…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to my mother and father, Mary and Vincent Tseng.

Why am I blogging on my birthday?

Because I’m dedicated to helping others.

I enjoy it.

It motivates me.

I love what I do and it’s not work to me.

I don’t see my birthday as being any different than any other day. Sure, I’m a day older today, but I was a day older yesterday, too.

For every copy of “Game. Set. Life.” purchased on Amazon.com today, I will match, sign and personally deliver one to the NJTL of Trenton so a child in need can have some inspiration for the holidays. Help make a difference…

http://www.amazon.com/Game-Set-Life-Performance-Sports/dp/1419654756

And don’t forget to stop by Amalfi’s tonight in Lawrenceville at 6pm for some food and fun. You can also order the book then…


Thanks for reading.