JEROME BETTIS ON BECOMING A CHAMPION

"Passion, teamwork, and a belief that you can get it done -- those are the three big things for me.  First, you have to have a passion for what you do in life; that's the key to success in my eyes.  Second, you have to be a good teammate.  Working together alongside so many personalities, that's not always an easy thing.  Teamwork is totally necessary though in order for your team to be successful.  Lastly, you gotta believe.  If you believe that you can do it, whether it's in sports, business or life, that's when amazing things can happen.  You have to believe.  So, if you are able to put all of those things together, then the sky is the limit."

-Jerome Bettis
From "Raising Lombardi" by Ross Bernstein

I TOLD MYSELF I WAS UNSTOPPABLE

A sold-out crowd of more than 17,000 watched from the risers of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on March 19, 2011 at Arizona State University senior Anthony Robles emerged from the locker room on crutches.  After handing them to ASU assistant coach Brian Stith, he hopped to the corner of the mat, crouched down on one knee, and waited for the whistle that would signal the start of his final wrestling match.

"I told myself I was unstoppable," says Robles of that moment.  "I had put way too much into it to go in there and not come out with a national title."

That day, Robles, who was born without a right leg and permanently traded in a prosthetic one for crutches at the age of 3, defeated defending national champ Matt McConough 7-1 to become the first disabled wrestler in history to win a national college title.

By Alison Miller of Spirit Magazine

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?

DREAM BIG...WORK HARD!

DON'T LISTEN WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN'T DO

NO EXCUSES

...BEFORE I BECAME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

"Before I won a gold medal at the Olympics, before I became the heavyweight champion of the world, before I stoop up to the United States Government for my religious beliefs, before I was named a United Nations Ambassador of Peace, and before I became the most recognized person in the world, I was just a kid from Kentucky who had the faith to believe in himself and the courage to follow his heart."

INVISIBLE GROWTH

One of my most favorite inspirational examples about persistence is the story of an Asian Bamboo species that even after five years of watering, weeding, and fertilizing is barely visible. Then, in a span of about six weeks, it grows two and a half feet a day to 90 feet and higher. It grows so fast that you can literally “hear” it growing. The question to ask is did the bamboo grow 90 feet in six weeks or did it grow 90 feet in five years? Obviously it grew 90 feet in five years, for all the time when growth wasn’t visible it was developing a massive root system that would later support its magnificent growth.

Day by Day with James Allen by Vic Johnson

LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Be prepared and be honest."

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"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."

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"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

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"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player."

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"

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"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."

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"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

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"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team."

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"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

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Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

DREW BREES ON HIS FAITH

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM MARY LOU RETTON

Going for the Gold: Mary Lou Retton, Olympic gymnast, shares her perfect ten tips for success in Get Motivated magazine:

At age 15, I found myself standing on the Olympic platform being handed a gold medal while millions watched. I’m not sure anyone at any age is really prepared for the fame that comes with winning a gold medal. Thankfully, I had wise people around me who kept my feet on the ground. Here are some lessons I learned:

Choose to Be Hopeful: Rather than focusing on the obstacle in your path, focus on the bridge over the obstacle. When you start seeing the bridges rather than the obstacles, everyone around you will start to see the bridges too.

Draw Close to Your Family for Support: Not only was my family my own personal cheering squad, they were also my source of counsel and rest during a very turbulent time. As you embark on a new endeavor, keep your family near you so they can support you and be a voice of reason along the way.

Follow What God Wants You to Do: Faith in God is not just a very important part of my life—it is my life. Here’s how this impacts me on a practical level. When I’m anxious, nothing calms me more than prayer. It’s through prayer (and for me, also reading the Bible) that I feel like God shows me what I should do—personally and professionally. During that time of reflection, I ask myself, “Am I doing what God wants me to do or am I just blazing my own path?”

Be Disciplined: From the time I was 7 years old, I practices almost every day, often for many hours a day. There was a trade-off in that. I missed out on some childhood activities. For me, it was worth it. I realized that the end result would outweigh any sacrifices—and it did.

Nurture Your Friendships: Good friends help us stay sane by letting us vent and helping us laugh. Block out time in your schedule to spend time with your friends. And if you have any damages relationships, take a moment to reach out to the other person and start letting the wound heal.

Take Calculated Risks: There’s no arguing that it’s easier to keep on with the status quo. But how often does “easy: really result in “boring”? It’s only by breaking out of your personal comfort zone to take wise risks that you’ll move forward in life versus treading water.

Encourage Others Along the Way: It’s one thing to want to be the very best at any cost. It’s another thing to do your best and help other along the way. When I practices with other girls, we pushed each other to reach our full potential and all ended up better off.

Persevere through Adversity: Shortly before the 1984 Olympics, I was injured. No one thought I could compete, but I was determined to prove the naysayers wrong. The rest is in the record books. Adversity is only a means of testing our resolve.

Learn from Every Situation: We all hope that life will be smooth sailing, but mistakes and rejection are inevitable. Instead of dwelling on the pain, think through what you’ve learned. If you look for the lesson, even failure can become a stepping stone toward victory.

Be a “Big Picture” Person: Put every situation into perspective. I like to ask myself, “What difference does this really make in the big picture?” If it’s not a big deal, I try not to make it one.