We have a tendency to waste a great deal of time and energy considering the mistakes and errors we have made and contemplate what might have been: "If only I had done this." While it is certainly fair for us to assess the path we have taken - rightly or wrongly - we can't dwell on the "what if's"....all the while forgetting the opportunity found in the "next times". Life is never about the pursuit of perfection....but rather to "perfect our will" to see the GAIN we learn

The Pursuit of Excellence , while a valuable cause for anyone to undertake personally, cannot be minimized by only focusing on individual perspectives. The act of one person elevating themselves will only serve to pull others with them. And if this process is repeated over and over again, the end result can only be understood as growth for all. As we have come to understand that: "The Rising Tide Lifts All Boats" So too is the Champion's Quest for lasting achievement.

How easy it is for us to get caught up in the negativity and confusion of life and lower ourselves to wallow in fear and self-loathing. We invariably realize that immersing ourselves in the cycle of vitriol and victimization is not a place where we can grow - but we go there anyway. We fall prey to the force or the lure of rudimentary criticism, with little more than an attitude better suited for the average preschooler. A True Champion realizes that no matter how difficu

It is difficult at times to envision the possibilities that lie before us. When confronted with relentless challenges and problems we have a tendency to believe that pain is to be our life's calling. Yet through the darkness and the chaos, we MUST take hold of the reality that we are destined for greatness - it may not be the greatness that we have envisioned for ourselves, but it is a form of greatness that is defined in a manner that is powerful for all. We don't always

I may not always be thinking as clearly as I should be.... I may not always be doing the tasks I need to be doing.... I may not always believe that I am moving in the right direction.... I may not always understand that I am capable.... I may not always appreciate the relentless education I am receiving along the journey.... And I may fail...time and time again. But.... As long as I put one foot in front of the other, I am ALWAYS committed to a new day. For every bre

How many times in your life have you been told that you will never accomplish the goals you have set out for yourself? I believe you would be hard-pressed to find too many people who have not been hit head-on with such destructive words. This is, for all of us who have heard those words, the proverbial "fork in the road" . We can either choose to believe that what we have been told is the "truth".... Or we can resolve to prove the naysayers wrong. For one must truly come

Whenever we meet the inevitable roadblocks and disappointments that are all part of the process of excellence, we will often respond with the predictable notion that it is essential for us to " change ". While adaptation is certainly something we must at least consider when facing issues of stunted progress, there must be caution used when we entertain the notion of changes - be they minor, or be they wholesale. No one who strives to be a Champion should ever change simply

In Major League Baseball, if you can hit for an average better than .300, you will undoubtedly make a lot of money. Yet stop to consider that hitting for an average of .300 is defined by getting 3 hits for every 10 at-bats....therefore it is also comprised of NOT getting a hit for 7 of those same at-bats. So explain to me how "failing" more than half of the time makes you worthy of accolades? Because that .300 hitter never let the failings define them. When they stepped i

I have witnessed many an individual's perspective on achievement be derailed simply by their attitude. The negative, bored, detached person gets exactly those kinds of daily results in return. Positivity never actually WON the moment....but it sure offered us all an opportunity. Enthusiasm never actually DEFEATED the opponent....but it sure did make the task at hand look possible. Energy never actually OVERCAME the challenges....but it sure offered a light of hope for oth

The very act of stepping onto the field of competition is the absolute definition of "risk". We put it all on the line and open ourselves up for loss....for failure....for pain....every time we try and reach for the Gold. Far too many people are (sadly) denied the opportunity to taste victory by their own choosing. They let their mind be consumed by the pitfalls of risk. They never grasp the reality that risk is simply another form of opportunity. To become "risk averse"

Defeat, loss, and failure can only be viewed as temporary markers in the Process of Excellence . We cannot allow such setbacks to be the point where we cease to move with a forward purpose. We will discover - when the light shines on us again - that from the ruins we will rise and be that much more prepared for the next roadblock that any CHAMPION will have to face.

When I first started as a coach, I believed in my "brilliance" - that I could change, influence, teach, and move all players to greatness. It was my sense of invincibility combined with an incredibly over-inflated sense of personal value that drove my ego to embrace the reality that I could motivate all that heard my words. Time and truth can be cruel taskmasters. I learned that I did not have the premium on brilliance nor did I have the patent on wisdom. In fact, the irony

There is one guaranteed way for you to never feel the sting of losing, the pain of failing, or the physical and emotional agony that comes from defeat.... And that is to never try. Monuments are not built for the reckless or for the timid. They are constructed by those souls who realize that security is rarely a precursor of success.

We are taught from the earliest age that success in any endeavor is often of a reflection of how well we discipline ourselves to do the things that lend themselves to high levels of achievement. The reverse reality is just as important - maybe more so. It tells us that success is also rooted in disciplining our minds to shut down the attitudinal mechanism that tries to focus our attention into believing all that we can't do. Stop THAT inclination.....and the opportunities a

Hope is the greatest attribute we can ever hold in our mind. As soon as the will to proceed is gone, or the faith in your cause ceases, you are now held hostage by darkness. And as much as someone can try to buoy your spirit and cheer you moving forward, they can only hold the door open for you..... YOU have to walk through that entryway towards your date with destiny.

No one finds excellence by accident. It is the by-product of careful examination .... Thoughtful planning .... Tireless commitment .... Relentless effort .... And an unwavering belief in your abilities and your calling.