Category: Passion - Coach to Expect Success

Statement vs. Question

7/26/2020

Got all fired up from a conversation with the one and only Dr. Jeff Lip. We were talking about a book that we both recent read, "The Final Summit" by Andy Andrews. It was an eye, mind & heart opening book and Jeff brought up some great points that we talked about on his show. Check out his show HERE to hear our conversation and to find his other podcasts to listen to it. One thing I wanted to bring up was this idea of our lives being a mindset of a "! vs. ?". Our lives can be either a question mark (full of doubt, fear, lack of passion, etc.) or it can be an exclamation point (confidence, encouragement, passion, great relationships, etc.).

There are so many things that we can do to get through the "stormy seas" that we all have going on in our lives and how we don't have to be scared along with realizing that we ourselves, can be the "calm" of our own storms. This came from this quote out of the book that Jeff shared with me in our discussion:

"My life which was a question mark is now a statement. Stormy seas do not scare me for I am the calm in the storm. My past is behind me and my future is bright because I now know the secret of the present. I will do something and I will do it now."

Part of this solution to have a life more of a "!" is by having great people in your life that you can talk with, bounce ideas off of, to have in your corner for encouragement and to learn from them too. Another thought is who's "storm" do you want to be driving your ship through? Your own "stormy seas" or someone else's where you are not the one in control. Same thought - do you want someone else driving your ship? I know I don't want that.

Check out my podcast HERE where I share some thoughts & ideas. This is something that will help me to get my day & week started in a great direction. Hope it does the same for you.

Purpose, Passion & Education

6/20/2019

I was listening to a couple of great podcasts today - I find so much value from Sam Crowley and John O'Leary. These are just two of the podcasts that I listen to out of maybe 12 -15 that I find so much key & valuable information.

Sam always hammers home the points about Purpose & Passion. He's got it right in understanding that we don't have a ton of time here on earth, and we shouldn't spend it chasing after the wrong things. Sure we need to have money, but it should not mean that we have to settle for things throughout life. I think all of us at one point or time in our lives think about things that could be if we every chose to go after things that fire us up. Most of those dreas and goals start disappearing as we get older. We get comfortable & content with things the way they are. We get tired as we get older. Life starts happening to us and things get in the way. It sure is easy to kind of let go of those dreams or at least put them on the back burner. Amazing things start happening when we move them to the front burner and start believing that we can actually start doing some things that may make them happen.

Now, John O'Leary also speaks about finding our Passion & Purpose in our lives and all of his guests will back that up. Heck, even his best selling book, "On Fire" is all about people with passion & purpose in their lives. But today's guest was Hill Harper a famous actor who brought up how important education is in our lives. Not just a degree or diploma, but true education that makes us a better human being. Finding the connection to what we are meant to do alon with investing in ourselves so that our lives deal with making a difference with others.

Like I said, these two podcasts really connected with me and I think they will connect with you too. They inspire me to think harder about what I want to do in my life and they remind me not only the importance of making choices that match with my purpose & passions in my life along with looking to make a difference with others.

Checeverydayissaturday.com/podcasts/k out Sam Crowley's site & his podcasts here (http://everydayissaturday.com/)

Check out John O'Leary's site & his Podcasts here (http://johnolearyinspires.com )

Staying Positive When Life Gets Hard

2/7/2019

This article that I had my students look at for one of their recent weekly blog assignments had a great title: "How To Stay Positive When Life Gets Hard." It was a very short article that really focused in on 3 people and their thoughts about staying positive.

"Nothing is ever achieved without some trials and tribulations. The first step in moving beyond those circumstances is to remain positive. Without that, you’ll be perpetually stuck in the situation. No good has ever come from negativity."

— Mark Lee, founder and CEO of MDMartin, LLC

It's a good reminder for all of to remember that our lives do have a lot of ups and downs throughout our time of being on this earth. Remaining positive throughout life is a better way to take on these challenges compared to having a negative one. For some people this is difficult and it helps for anyone to have other positive people around them, reading good information, listening to good information, having things to do in life that are connected to their passions and to taking good care of themselves too. It's totally possible to more possible and again, it will help you figure things out a better than a negative attitude will.

"Stay positive, focus on being mindful and keep a clear head. When problem solving, don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t all go according to plan. You can’t control everything in life or business, so embrace the adversity and dig in even further to drive a positive outcome. The harder you work for something, the more rewarding it is in the end."

— Amanda Ruisi, founder and president of AKR Public Relations

Amanda brings up a fantastic idea here - it has so much to do with our current mindset that we choose to have. Remember, we can't choose what happens to us most of the time, but we certainl can choose how we will react. The old saying about life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we respond. It is worth the hard work. At least if things don't work out, you have practiced by giving great effort so the next thing you need to work on, you already have some good habits going.

"I was diagnosed and treated for cancer when I was 19, and I have a uniquely optimistic and positive outlook as a result. But maintaining that positivity still takes constant effort. When I’m feeling down or overwhelmed, one of the best ways to change my mindset is to focus on gratitude and finding awe in the everyday. For example, when I got burned out from business travel last year, I took time on every flight to focus on what I’m grateful for and to think about how unbelievably awesome it is to be in the air flying."
--Jennifer Benz, founder and CEO of Benz Communications

Even if we are blessed to never have had cancer to deal with personally, my bet is that we all know someone who has had to fight that battle. So this example is an extreme one of course, but it does allow us to see someone who is fighting a HUGE battle and the lessons we can learn from them and their fight that they have on their hands. Learning lessons from others and their stories is something we should always look to do.

Remember that there are plenty of examples out there; articles, books, podcasts, videos, seminars, shows, etc., where we can get some good information in order to create some good habits. Remember what Zig Ziglar's son Tom said "The fastest way to success is to replace a bad habit with a good one." This post hopefully helps you do that.

March 21st, 2017

3/21/2017

"Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again." — Richard Branson

One of the many points that I am seeing over and over again recently is this one about how failure is directly tied into success. It’s a lesson that successful people have been sharing for so many years and it’s also the message that many of us are slow to grasp onto.

It doesn’t matter where you look in life as to who has had success – it can be in athletics, business, medicine, law, education, etc., the message is loud and clear: Failure is part of success!
Most of us look at failure as something to stay away from. Something to avoid at all cost like it is a bad thing that won’t help us out. Now, don’t get me wrong – we don’t need to go out looking to fail over and over again without learning the valuable lessons that are there within the failure event. Yes, sometimes the failures will indeed hurt and cause us problems that if given the choice, we would much rather not have to deal with. But if we can see the value of the lessons within failing, we can use that to propel us to getting things done that will lead to the outcomes that we want to have.

Another key in this – it’s a good idea to know what we want to have in life. We need the goals and dreams to go after every day. If we have those things that are burning inside of us, things we want to accomplish and spend our time doing; that is a tremendous factor that is needed to view failures as necessary to accomplish those things.

I heard a great podcast this morning on my way into work from John Maxwell. He said there is a distinct difference with those people that are working in a career and making a living, compared to those that are chasing after things tied into their passion and purpose in life. I agree. When failures and tough times hit someone who is just making a living, it’s very easy to see why people give up in life. On the flip side, when people hit failures, challenges, and difficulties in life while chasing their passions, dreams and purposes in life; that’s a whole different ball game! Many times the failures, challenges and difficulties are fuel for the fire for building a life of significance and not just making a living.

Which side do you want to be on? What are the failures, challenges and difficulties in your life? Are they leading you to lessons that you can learn and get better from? Are they helping you to get inspired to continue to chase after those things that are in your heart and keep you up at night with excitement? Or are just like the many of people that are ticked off at life, blaming others for your circumstances and you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel that at least is not an oncoming train? With hearing this message about failures so often recently, I know I need to ramp up my learning that’s for sure. How about you?

Action Is Key!

11/27/2016

“Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.” – Teddy Roosevelt

This statement stuck out to me for 2 reasons. First our basketball team’s motto this year is “Carpe Diem” – Seize the day! I remind them every day that today is all we have and that we have to make the most of it in practice along with everything else that we do throughout the day. It is a great reminder for me to do the same thing. Seize the moment of every day is something that I have not always done.

The second reason is that the quote is from Teddy Roosevelt, one of my favorite historical figures and he is also mentioned a lot in my favorite TV show, Blue Bloods. His picture as the police commissioner of the New York City police department is up in Frank Reagan’s office in the show.
If you think about what an oyster does – sitting there for so many years and years, just so a pearl can be created – we are not meant to just sit around doing just one thing only throughout our lives. There has to be action throughout our lives along with every day too! Even the event of getting up out of bed in the morning is a form of action that we must take to get our day started.
I am blessed many times over to have a job to go to every day that is easy to get up early every morning. Many days I wake up before my alarm goes off as I look forward to going into school. Now that it’s basketball season, I have the same excitement towards the end of each school day as I get to go to practice to hang out with a couple of great coaches that I work with along with a great group of young ladies that work so hard every day. They are really seizing the day ever chance they can.

Action has been a problem for me at times in my life. Having a job to go to everyday that I enjoy and then continuing to get the chance to work with great student-athletes is something that helps me in the action department. I think that is a major part of getting into action for anyone – have something that you are passionate for in your life. Things that have a distinct purpose are key to seizing the moments in our lives.

Do you have things going on around you that connect to your purpose? Are there things happening every day that you have a passion for? If so – FANTASTIC! Keep after them and look to create new things that connect to those. If not? Ask yourself why not? What can you start to do to connect with things in your life that connect to your heart? Things that connect to dreams and goals that you have had for short time or those that you have had since you were younger. Start to look for things and people that connect to you in a meaningful way. Look for those things today – seize the moment. Right now and start looking to seize the next moment, and the next, and so on. Looking for help? Let me know how I can try and help.

Work Towards What Really Matters

9/19/2016

"If what you're working for really matters, you'll give it all you've got." — Nido Qubein

One of the most important things we can do during our lifetime is to find out what really matters to ourselves in life. I hear it like a broken record, over and over again- find your passion in life, find out your reason why you do what you do! I know the earlier we find out the answer, the better our lives will be. Also remember, it's not just about us finding this out to make our own lives better. Everyone we meet and get connected with, throughout our lifetime, will benefit too.

Since you have started your journey (the day you were born), and you are now thinking about your future a little bit more (especially seniors), you have the fantastic opportunity to start figuring out what your why is all about. It's really a powerful concept that many people never really figure out during their lifetime. As we go through life there comes opportunity after opportunity after opportunity to find out things about ourselves. This all works in helping us to figure out our direction of our life along with answering that all important question, why am I here?

I have been telling people that I have a new mantra in life - I don't give a rip! You can substitute something else for rip, but be careful. ;-) It's not meant to be a negative about not caring. To me it's about me focusing on those things that are important in life to me (my faith, my family, my students, my basketball players, my friends, my future, my dreams and goals, etc.). I don't want to waste time on things that don't really matter. Things that won't make a real difference in life. When I'm on my death bed, I want to look back and see that I spent time on things that mattered in life.

I've spent a lot of my 50 years or so doing that. But I've also spent too much time on things that don't matter at all. I think I'm old enough to know better and more importantly to do something about it. The thing is, I've always been old enough to do something about it. That's what I want to help you see that you too can do something about it at any time. As with many success principles, it helps to get going on this sooner rather than later. How are you on identifying your WHY in your life? Get going today! Let me know how's it going and / or if you need help figuring things out.

We Have Greatness Inside Of Ourselves - It's About Time We Recognize That!

2/21/2016

"Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement. That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you." — James A. Ray

Getting caught up here after many distractions (some of them good ones) have gotten in the way.

This statement by James A. Ray is probably easier to see for some of us as we get older. For others it is probably more difficult. One of the keys I try and get my students to see that whatever the thoughts that are like this one, it's better to have them earlier in life than later. The earlier people can get started on getting this spark to light up and catch fire inside of themselves, the better their lives will be. Not only their lives, but those that they come in contact with too.

This is a constant item to focus on in our lives. We need to first connect with these seeds of greatness inside of us. Of course that is far more difficult to do as there are so many battles to be fought throughout life with things that will tell us the opposite - that we don't have any greatness inside of ourselves. The battles will be fought against other people, the world view of things, social media, etc., but mainly it will be fought with ourselves. I've always told my students, my basketball players, heck... anyone that will listen that we can do far more damage to ourselves with our self-talk than any other person can do due to us. It is a battle worth fighting though, that's for sure.

We also need to focus in and find those things that are inside of us that we need to and want to do in our lives. Finding those things we have passion for can help lead us to what our true purpose is here in our lives. Focusing on the things that can help us is one of the many things we need to get going on. One of the other things, is to get rid of those things that get in the way of finding out what the greatness is inside of ourselves.

It can start today for you and me. What are some of the things in our lives that we are spending our precious time on? Are they things that are important to us? Are they things that are helping us go in a positive direction in our lives? Are they things that help us connect with great people that will add positive value to our lives? Or, are they things that go against those things? So, get started today. Read more things that get you thinking in a more positive direction of your life and what are you doing with it. Find the people that have what you want in life. Learn from those people that can add value to your life instead of taking value away from you and what you want to do. One other key - is to be that person for others too. Always look to add value to others and watch the great things that can happen to you in your life.

As always, share with me some ideas that are working for you. I'm always looking for ways to improve and get better along with helping others to do the same too.

Feels good to be back... I need to keep on this trail for sure. :-)

Our Biggest Obstacle Is Ourselves

10/31/2015

“No one limits your growth but you. If you want to earn more, learn more.” -- Tom Hopkins

Today, there is so much information out there to learn about, that it’s really overwhelming. But the truth is that there is more ways of learning new ideas and skills today than ever before. It really comes down to us and whether we want to learn new things in order to become more valuable.

We are usually the ones that get in our own way in life more than others. No one limits our own growth but us. I just saw the quote about the biggest obstacle we have to overcome is the six inches between our ears, which rings with more truth every time I see it. That’s one for the ages for sure, meaning the younger we realize this is truth, the better our lives will be.

I am constantly sharing with my students and my own kids, to become a person of value throughout life. Become valuable to others and you will always have opportunities for things that will help you make a living and to build a life. Remember, do you want to just make a living? Or do you want to build a life of significance and meaning?

In today’s world there seems to be much more of the blame game going on when it comes time to point out who’s at fault for the problems and difficulties in our lives. There is some truth of course that some people’s choices and decisions, do indeed affect us. A very important thought though is that we do not have to continue to let that happen. We do have the power and ability to learn new things and skills that can make us not have to just accept what those other people do and let it affect us and our futures.

This goes a long as a big connector piece to another (of many) big themes of mine. Find things in life that you have passion for and follow them. Whatever we choose to make a living at, make sure your heart is part of the equation as to why you are doing it. This will give a lot more ways of learning more when it comes to making yourself more valuable. Always remember that creating a life of significance is something that may not be easy, but worthwhile things throughout life seldom are easy. If they were easy, everyone would be doing them.

So, as we find ourselves at the end of October, 2015; what are some ways that you can expand your ability to grow and become more valuable? Don’t wait until New Years to make some changes, find some things now.

Life’s Too Short To Be Bored and Unfulfilled

10/24/2015

"Life’s too short to be bored and unfulfilled. Find your passion and use it to light up your life." — John C. Maxwell

Time and time again – there have been way too many examples about life being too short. John Maxwell is right, there is not any room for living a bored and unfulfilled life during the short time that we have. All too often most people don’t find their passions in life. Maybe even worse, they do find their passions but don’t do anything to go after them.

Les Brown tells the story about a man on his death bed and all of a sudden there are all these figures standing around his bed. He asked one, what are you all doing here? The mystical figure said that they represented all the dreams and ideas that he never did anything about. That because of him not doing anything about making them real, they are going to die with him. All the people that could have had their lives changed due to his ideas and dreams, will never have it happen. Of course he felt horrible at that moment. I’ve always pictured that story with me – and it is indeed very scary and sad to me. I guess that is one thing I’m trying harder to avoid in my life.

It’s one of my many issues that I try and get my students to think about as they go through high school and the fact that they are setting the table so to speak for the their journey through life. It’s become one of my many callings to bring this out so that students can start on this journey of going after a life of making a difference and one of fulfillment with their dreams and goals.
The same goes for adults too as we need to figure out our lives, no matter what age we are. It’s a lot more difficult for adults to make changes, to step out of our comfort zones and to find the time and courage necessary to do those things. One thing for sure is that we need to do it as we don’t want to end up at the end our lives, looking at all those faces of our dreams and ideas looking back at us with tears in their eyes, wondering why we didn’t choose to make things happen.

We also need to remember the faces staring at every day in our lives, our loved ones and friends. When we don’t go after our goals and dreams, we are making it much more difficult for them to go after theirs. It’s one of my many personal battles I need to take on because I know I have many people in my life that need me to step up and show them how to do things like this along with helping them to see the importance of the opportunities in their lives to make it happen for themselves. They too have others that they can influence and help, and so on and so on. A very familiar question should be asked by all of us. If not me, then who will step up and make a difference? Do you want to face all those figures at the end of your life??

Find Things In Life To Be Passionate About - And Stay Connected To Them!

7/21/2015

"Find something you're passionate about and stay tremendously interested in it." – Julia Child

This has always been one of my many messages to my students throughout the years and for them to combine those things that they are passionate about into a career if they can. I have reminded myself and others about this thought, as it’s also good for us adults too. If it can work out to be our career too, that’s a bonus for sure.

There have been plenty of examples, heck everyday there are plenty of reminders about how short life really is. In fact today I found out about two example from a friend who has a family member battling a serious medical condition and another friend telling me about someone that we both know being in a horrible car accident. This is just another example on how we need to spend our time here on earth doing things that mean something to us and to others. To remember to do those things that has a positive impact on us and others. We need to follow our heart and has Scott Smith says, we need to do what makes our heart sing!

Now for adults who are working in a career that maybe they don’t hate but they would be the first to say it certainly doesn’t make their heart sing, they need to remember whatever you are passionate about doesn’t necessarily have to be connected to your career. It can be a hobby for sure, but anything that you are passionate about should be a little bit of a priority to spend some time with. Many times it can be done here and there and it doesn’t have to have a set schedule to do either. One of my few things that I have a lot of passion about is coaching basketball. Heck, just being around the game has been important to me since 1977 when I was 11 years old. Started playing the game and then my dad got me into coaching around 1982 helping him with his CYO girl’s team.

This conversation came up with my good friend Don, who I’m blessed to be coaching with now again as we are both assistants on our local high school’s girls varsity team. He told me just the other day on how much coaching means to him and how his heart is connected with it and how it helps him focus and have energy for other areas of his life. This can happen in many ways other than basketball and the key is it can happen with anyone who looks to make that connection with things they are passionate about.

So what is it for you? What are some things that make your heart sing? Have you been thinking about trying to do more of those things? Maybe you are trying to find a little bit of time to do some of those things? Or maybe it’s something that you want to make a bigger change with as it might affect or even change your current career?? I was just talking with my sister-in-law today and my wife and I have spoken about this too – how difficult it is to get out of our comfort zones. I need to do that even more now. Is this idea or thing that you have a passion for involve getting out of your comfort zone?? Try it. I know I need to do just that.