"I NEVER GAVE UP"

"People always used to tell me when I was young, 'You're not going to be anything.' But I never gave up.  If you work hard, stay out of trouble, and follow your dreams, you can be anyone you want.  I promise you."

Shaquille O'Neal address LSU basketball camp in 1995
From "Getting Over the Four Hurdles" by Dale Brown

A WINNER IS....

"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals."

-Larry Bird

WANTING TO WIN IS NOT ENOUGH

“Wanting to win is not enough.

You have to go through a process to

improve. That takes patience,

perseverance and intentionality.”

-John Maxwell

TOP COP

A special thanks to Joey Burton for bringing this article to my attention.  This a just a small portion of the article written on Kevin Garnett by Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.

Whomever Kevin Garnett eventually chooses as the presenter for his Hall of Fame induction, there will be a can’t-miss talking point.

He or she or maybe they will be introducing one of the most unselfish stars in the history of the game. Those words are plaque-ready. In the past, those words have also been a problem for a Celtics team with an occasional thirst for more offense.

But that’s the tradeoff. The voice, if not always the scoring, never is absent in its own comically profane way.

“Not only does he have a loud voice — and it can be really loud — but his example speaks even louder,” Ainge said. “I’ve just been so impressed by his consistency. I’ve never been more impressed with Kevin. Just his focus and leadership has been so important to this team. He has sort of willed the team to play the way they’re playing now, and his defense has carried us through the season.

“Kevin leads as well as anyone I’ve been around. His approach to his teammates isn’t always the best, because he sets such high expectations, and it can be loud. But he only wants to win. Just by the example of his own commitment, he brings more out of these guys.

“He’s getting up there in age, and when he goes out there with that energy and passion every night, how can you not do the same thing when you see what he’s doing?”

Ultimately, it’s the qualities unseen by all but Garnett’s teammates that count the most.

“I don’t know how other teams see us. As far as morale and confidence, we don’t lack too much of that around here,” Garnett said. “We’re a great team. Our positions and personnel are all about the system and knowing your role in the system. You carry your role 100 percent whole-heartedly, and that’s your contribution to the team.

“If you’re a big guy, you get the scorers and the guards open. We’re still trying to figure out this rebound thing, but for the most part defensively we’re helping each other. Doc’s system is not very complicated, but it does call for you to give everything you have. From that standpoint, if you’re a player who loves to play hard and work hard, then you can fit into this system. Otherwise you won’t make it.”

The Celtics’ top cop always will see to that.

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/IT2Cbk

DREAM BIG...WORK HARD!

GREATNESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

MO ISOM'S MANTRA:
"The only thing more dangerous than allowing others to put limitations on what you can achieve, is allowing yourself to believe them."

MO ISOM'S STORY (ON ELLEN):

MJ ON LEADING BY EXAMPLE

It comes down to a very simple saying: There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. You can practice shooting eight hours a day, but if your technique is wrong, then all you become is very good at shooting the wrong way.

If you don’t back it up with performance and hard work, talking doesn’t mean a thing.

I’ve always tried to lead by example. That is just my personality. I never led vocally. I never really tried to motivate by talking because I don’t think words ever mean as much action.

They always say a picture carries a thousand words. So I tried to paint a picture of hard work and discipline.

But a leader has to earn that title. You aren’t the leader just because you’re the best player on the team, the smartest person in the class, or the most popular. No one can give you that title either. You have to gain the respect of those around you by your actions. You have to be consistent in your approach whether it’s basketball practice, a sales meeting, or dealing with your family.

A leader can’t make any excuses. there has to be quality in everything you do. Off the court, on the court, in the classroom, on the playground, inside the meeting room, outside of work. You have to transfer those skills, that drive, to whatever environment you’re in.

And you have to be willing to sacrifice certain individual goals, if necessary, for the good of the team.

From "I Can't Accept Not Trying" by Michael Jordan

WORDS OF WISDOM

The following comes from author and motivational speaker Don Yaeger:

LOVED THIS! So as we were wrapping up the National Player of The Year presentation to Anthony Davis, a father and son approached Davis's parents and the father asked Mr. Davis if he could offer any advice that might help his 11 year old become as special as Anthony. Mr. Davis said: "Listen to you father...and appreciate that he's part of your life. Not enough young men like you have that. Let that give you an advantage." As they walked away, the father had a tear in his eye. Nothing better than those unscripted moments.


Wised words indeed!!!

WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT ATTITUDE?

So, what’s so important about attitude? Having a great attitude or the right attitude means understanding the big picture, realizing and having a special sense about winning and losing games and playing games and how you act and how hard you work and how you relate with teammates and how you respond to the coach and how you react to negative events. It’s all there.

From "Think Like a Champion" by Dick Devenzio

NOTHING GREATER

“There’s nothing greater in the world than when somebody on the team does something good and everybody gathers around to pat him on the back.”

–Billy Martin

THE POWER OF COMING TOGETHER

“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can co when they stick together.”

-Vesta M. Kelly

#determination

I absolutely loved this quote by Mo Ishom, the LSU female soccer player who tried out as a kicker for the Tigers' football team.  She ended up not making the final cut (http://bit.ly/zdQpoP) but with her attitude great things await her.  Here is what she tweeted after being cut:

"I would rather devote 150% of my heart, energy & focus to a goal, & ulimately [sic] fail, then [sic] to quit early or never try. #determination."

SUCCESS (AND FAILURE) IS NOT AN ACCIDENT

Success is not an accident.  Sadly, failure is not an accident either.  You succeed when you do what other successful people do, over and over, until these behaviors become a habit.  Likewise, you fail if you don't do what successful people do.  In either case, nature is neutral.  Nature does not take sides.  Nature doesn't care.  What happens to you is simply a matter of law -- the law of cause and effect.

When you are not working deliberately, consciously, and continuously to do, be and have those things that constitute success for you, your default mechanism is at work.

From "No Excuses" by Brian Tracy

NICK SABAN: TO BE A GOOD PLAYER

"To be a good player on your team, you have to affect someone else on the team. You have to cause them to play better by the way you play. You affect other players with the character and attitude. To be a great player, you have to affect your entire unit. If you are a great player, every player on that unit plays better when you are on the field. The number one thing on any team that will keep your players from being selfish is respect for the other players. Having respect leads to trust and from that they begin to believe in each other. That is the way it works and that is the way it has to be."

-Nick Saban

DERRICK ROSE: WHY NOT BE THE BEST?!