I AM HABIT

I am your constant companion.  I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.  I will push you upward or drag you down to failure.  I am completely at your command.  Half of the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.  I am easily managed -- you must merely be firm with me.  Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men, and alas, of all failures as well.  Those who are great, I have made great.  Those who are failures, I have made failures.  I am not a machine, although I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of man.  You may run me for profit or run me for ruin -- it makes no difference to me.  Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet.  Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am HABIT


From "Thinking for a Change" by John Maxwell

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

"If I had to choose one thing that caused me to break Lou Gehrig's record, it was the simple fact that I loved playing baseball.  It's easy to go to work day after day, month after month, year after year, when you really love what you do.  Every day is fun.  Every series is an adventure. Every game is important."

-Cal Ripken

PERFORM IN THE MOMENT

Game performances occur in the present, not in the past or future.

Although recalling positive memories of past performances and visualizing future ones can be useful, the best state of mind to be in is in the present.

George Mumford, who also work with the L.A. Lakers when Phil Jackson was coach, currently works with sports teams at Boston College. He still remembers his best student on the Bulls, none other than Michael Jordan "Michael made no distinction between practice and a game in terms of the effort he puts in," Mumford recalled. "He was the first one running sprints and doing all the other drills. He didn't have to prove anything, and yet he was always pushing himself. Not in an abusive way, but because he was truly in the moment and enjoying what he was doing."

Before, during and after practice and competition, constantly remind yourself, "Right here is the best place, and right now is the only time."


From "The Winning Spirit" by Joe Montana and Tom Mitchell

WHAT'S YOUR "WHY"

Big thanks to my friend Coach Brian Hargroder for passing this on to me.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

“Some people say I have attitude - maybe I do.

But I think you have to. You have to believe in

yourself when no one else does -

that makes you a winner right there.”

 -Venus Williams-