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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Val Barnaby.

The way to become one of the best is to…

Train with the best.

Learn from the best.

Hang around the best.

Val Barnaby was one of the best. He played football for Rutgers and signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Lions of the NFL. Val was tied for second in the Big East (14th nationally) with 10.0 sacks in 2005… Helped lead the Scarlet Knights pass rush which ranked second nationally with 47 sacks… Tied for seventh in the conference with 13 tackles for loss… Finished career with 109 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks.

I trained with Val on Tuesday. I was about to do a quick workout on my own but after my warm up, I walked by Val who was being trained by Parisi Speed School Manager, Anthony Carter and all I heard was “Hey Ed, wanna workout?” I looked up and saw the shadow of a 6’3″, 285lb Defensive End waiting for a response while doing one armed standing rows.

I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not, but without hesitation, I said, “Sure.” So I joined their workout session and it was amazing. Carter worked us out for about an hour focusing mostly on the back and finishing with abs.

Now I know what you’re thinking, and no, I didn’t lift the same amount as Val. But I did the same routine. I’m not trying to get into the NFL, though I felt like I might be able to be a running back for the Cowboys after our workout. So I did less weight, not only to prevent injury, but to be specific to my own fitness goals.

And yes, I’m still a bit sore today, but not TOO sore.

So how does this relate to you? Well, whatever you want to be great at, seek out the great ones and find out their secrets. Ask them what they would do if they were in your shoes. See if they are willing to be a mentor to you. Spend as much time as you can with them. Work for them. You become the average of the five people you hang around most. And don’t think the experts won’t want to talk to you, you might be surprised. At the very least, read the books that the experts have written. There’s many options.

After I worked out with Val, I instantly felt stronger, more energized, more confident and ready to take on the world.

You can too.

“All our dreams can come true-if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney

Thank you to Val Barnaby and Anthony Carter…and thanks for reading.

Are you stressed out right now? Do you want to relax and enjoy life? This may help…

Tip #1 Get your favorite song in your head. This will help you calm down and get into a better state of mind.

Tip #2 Cultivate gratitude and help others. When you appreciate all that you have in your life, like your friends, family, health and even nature, you will have less stress. Remember, there’s many people out there that are much less fortunate than you. When you help those worse off than you, your own troubles don’t seem so big.

Tip #3 Exercise. This could mean going to the gym, for a walk or doing 50 push-ups. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something active to reap the benefits.

There’s really no such thing as stress…it’s all perception.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”
-The Dalai Lama

Thanks for reading.

I have a feeling that someone reading this, has put off something that they wanted to do in the past, whether it be trying a new sport, starting their own business, quitting smoking, or asking someone out on a date. Well I have seven words that could change your life…

“It’s the start that stops most people.”

See, it doesn’t matter if it’s Easter or not. Don’t wait until the “perfect” time to do something. There never will be a perfect time. Just do it. You don’t have to “feel like” doing it to actually do it.

Just start doing it and then you gain momentum. Success loves speed but you have to first get the ball rolling.

Thanks for reading and Happy Easter.

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Derek Jeter, Captain of the New York Yankees.

I recently read an article in Men’s Health on Derek Jeter; I had always been a fan of his from day one, but now this article just solidified that. Here’s what I got out of it.

Jeter describes himself as, “competitive to a fault.” I like that. See so many people look at potential or grades as the end-all and be-all to success, but it’s the ones that WANT it most that get it. “You tell me you want to race down the street, I’m going to try to beat you,” he says. “My grandmother asks me to race down the street, I’m going to try to beat her. And I’ll probably enjoy it.” Jeter chuckles after that last comment.

I also liked the approach he took to the minor leagues…

“I remember going from rookie ball to A, to double A, then to triple A. At every level it seemed like the game was faster. The bigger the situation, the more the game speeds up. That’s all mental. It messes people up. You think, ‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that.’ when in reality, all you have to do is the same thing you’ve always been doing. Slow it down. Realize you’ve been in this situation before. You’ve been successful in this situation before. Be calm. The more you can do that, the more pressure you take off yourself and the easier it is to perform.”

I really like that philosophy because it truly is all in your perception.

Here’s another great quote from Jeter, “I love it when people doubt me. It makes me work harder to prove them wrong.”

Talk about goals…Jeter is already looking past his playing days. His plan is to open 24 Hour Fitness Derek Jeter Clubs in New York City and eventually becoming an owner in baseball. Derek Jeter realizes that his baseball career is only going to be a small part of his life; that’s a great lessons for everyone out there.

Derek Jeter has fun but takes his job seriously. Here’s proof…

“When it’s all said and done, the worst thing you can say is, ‘Ah, well, I could’ve been better if I’d worked a little harder.'”

Speaking of peak performance, if you missed last night’s teleseminar on Peak Performance for Athletes, you can call now to listen to the recording. (641) 715 3470 Access number 1051282#.

Thanks for reading.