Better Today

We are constantly in the process of becoming. Becoming more and becoming better.

Our greatest challenge is to not let ourselves believe that we have “arrived” after we win the big game or are at the top of the podium.

Yes, there is time to celebrate the victories and we may exhale a little bit, but our biggest challenge is setting our sites on another goal and then getting back to work to be better and become more.

Our greatest competitor is not standing beside us or across from us.  Our greatest competitor is looking at us in the mirror every day when we get up. 

We also answer to that same person in the mirror at the end of the day. 

At the end of today what will your answer be to the question “are you better now than you were at the start of the day?”

Only you will be able to answer that question.

Be Better Today and Become More.

I’m cheering for you. 

The Lives You Touch

“My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done,
Leave countless marks for good or ill ere sets the evening sun,
This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray;
Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.”
-Anonymous

You often recognize the influence and impact you can have on those close to you and those you work or interact with every day.

But what about those “one and done” interactions? The clerk at the convenience store? The waiter when you go out to eat?
The person you pass coming out of the grocery store?

Every interaction that you have today matters. With every interaction you leave a little bit of yourself and you make a choice.

You make a choice to make experiences meaningless, and even miserable, or you can give them a smile and help to make their day.

Your life will touch dozens of lives today;
may you help them in some way.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching #bebetter #beblessed

Victory From Defeat

Remember the opening of ABC’s Wide World of Sports?  Jim McKay’s iconic voice saying,  “The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat”.   I can hear it now, and see the ski jumper crashing.

It’s an exciting time of year.  Tournament time for high schools, colleges, including March Madness on the horizon. 

Many will experience defeat at some point.  Competitors don’t, and shouldn’t, like to lose but what it can reward us with in the long run sometimes comes because of the defeat. 

Remember March 16, 2018?

A #16 seed had never beaten a #1 seed in the NCAA Basketball Tournament until that day.  The University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers not only beat the overall #1 seed Virginia Cavaliers but beat them by 20 points.

In his post game press conference Virginia Coach Tony Bennett said “If you learn to use it right, the adversity, it will buy you a ticket to a place you couldn’t have gone any other way.”

Fast forward 388 days to April 8, 2019. The Cavs had squandered a 10 point lead in the final minutes and trailed Texas Tech by three.

Virginia forced overtime with 12 seconds in regulation and went on to win the NCAA championship in overtime. They used the ticket bought with adversity a season earlier.

To become all that you can be you will have to go through the darkness of defeat at times to get to the joy of victory. 

We enjoy the joys of victory but it is the tough times, the dark times, that make us stronger, better, who we really can be, and the opportunity to be better.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#bebetter #beblessed

Control What You Can Control

This is one of the things I say to myself and others several times a day.  Often times more to myself than others if I’m being honest.

You can’t control what other people do, how they do it, or how they react to the world around them.

You can’t control their attitudes, actions or reactions but you can, and must, control yours.

The only two things you can control each day is your attitude and your effort.

Easier said than done sometimes, but if you can stay in control of those two things you will have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. 

This not only helps you, but also helps those you are around and leading to remain calm as well.

A simple saying, a simple thought, but often times the most simple things can have the biggest impact when you can do them. 

Don’t make life more difficult than it needs to be.  Keep it simple.  Master the simple.

I’m cheering for you.

#leadership #motivation #coaching
#bebetter #beblessed