Since it is our Spring term at school and that means I get the distinct privileged and honor to teach my Principles of Leadership course to the outgoing seniors, this is one session I always show to my students - some of the messages from the great Jim Valvano. Coach Valvano coached at Rutgers, Butler, Iona, and North Carolina State University - he was a great coach that had a message all throughout his life. But that message got amplified when he found out he had cancer.
I show my students two video clips of coach. One of them from 1987 which was about 4 years after he won the national title at NC State. The other is from the ESPY Awards in 1993 when he had cancer and would shortly pass away after that awards show. My students are then asked to write about 3 major points they got from watching the videos. Many of them go overboard writing about more than the 3 along with adding bits and pieces of their own life stories to their responses. This is where I am usually blown away and find myself in tears more often than not.
You see, this hammers home a point that I've always had as an educator. We adults learn a lot from our kids, our students. It happens to me year in and year out along with happening in basketball too for me. Teaching this course has helped me change my life for the better. It has given me strength and hope to continue on the path that I am in education to try and make a bigger difference with people.
Coach Valvano had this saying in his office. I will now be posting it in my classroom too. "You + Motivation = Success." Look at the formula pieces. You along with adding some Motivation = Success. Success in what you might ask? I think it's success in anything you are working hard at in life. I think it means going in the right direction that will open up other doors that could lead to greater successes. You know, Zig Ziglar and others have always said that Motivation is like taking a shower. We need to do it often. We need to have motivational things in our lives in order to go after things along with having some major-league growing and improvement in our lives. Me + Motivation = Success, many, little and big successes throughout my life. I don't think it happens just once! I think the formula needs to be ongoing, all the time. How do you see this equation fitting in your life?