Sports for the Soul

“Having faith means placing your trust in something much bigger than yourself. Faith is the bedrock of a winner.”
– Jim Tressel, 5-Time National Champion Football Coach

High achievers often talk about the importance of having faith, but what does it really mean to “have faith?”

I’ve heard it said that the words faith and trust can usually be used interchangeably.

While that might sound like a minor linguistic clarification to some, to me it illuminates what it means to have faith.

Having faith can sound passive, like you’re waiting on something to be given to you.

On the other hand, choosing to trust requires taking an active role. It means you must make the decision to believe.

When you trust someone, you’ve determined they are reliable. You choose to believe you can rely on their help, support, and guidance. You believe they will follow through on what they say.

Trust is almost always a two-way street. You trust that if you do your part, you can count on them to do theirs; and they expect the same from you.

Trust is the crucial component of any healthy relationship. It applies to family, friends, businesses, teams, and your relationship with God.

There are times when it’s hard to have faith. [continue reading…]

“If you are determined enough and willing to pay the price, you can get it done.”
– Mike Ditka, Super Bowl Champion Coach and Player

There is a price that must be paid for any worthwhile goal.

Achieving anything difficult requires sacrifice, discipline, and determination. On the road to success, a strong work ethic is not optional. Everyone knows this.

But I believe the biggest single obstacle to succeeding at a high level—that is, the biggest price that must be paid—is the willingness to persevere through the ups and downs of life.

Whatever it is you’re striving to achieve, your mental toughness will be tested along the way.

There will be times when you wonder if it’s worth the effort.

There will be times when the grass looks greener chasing some other goal.

There will be times when it feels like you’ve lost your momentum and you wonder if you can ever get it back. [continue reading…]

“When you don’t fulfill your highest potential, everyone who might have benefited from your gifts loses too.”
– Emmitt Smith, NFL’s All-Time Leading Rusher and 3-Time Super Bowl Champion

You were made to dream big and achieve greatness in life.

Striving to fulfill your highest potential and follow the dreams in your heart is essential to your happiness. But it is also essential to the success and happiness of others.

Anyone who has played a team sport knows their performance affects not just themselves, but the entire team. When you fail to give your best effort or keep a winning attitude, you’re not only letting yourself down, you’re letting your teammates down as well.

At work, your performance affects your entire organization, your customers, and anyone you’ve been hired to serve. The same concept applies to your family at home.

Giving your best affects a lot more than just you.

But even outside of obvious team settings, striving to be your best affects others. [continue reading…]

“I don’t think there’s anything better a man could say about his life than that there’s nothing else he would rather be than what he is. If you can say that and mean it, you’ve got it made.”
– Yogi Berra, 18-Time MLB All-Star and 13-Time World Series Champion

Psychologists and coaches often remind us, “You become what you think about most.”

The vision we hold of ourselves—our self-image—eventually comes to fruition.

That’s why it is so important to have a clear vision of the type of person you want to be.

And like most everything else in life, becoming the person you want to be is a choice you get to make.

Are you living the life you want to be living?

I’m not talking about whether you’ve accomplished all your goals, moved into your dream house, or made all the money you want to make. Those are dreams you may be striving towards, but they don’t make you who you are.

True joy comes from living each day as the person you want to be.

Who do you want to be? [continue reading…]

“When it comes to taking chances and sizing up risk, there are certainly some wrong decisions that get made, but they happen less often than you’d think. What affects an outcome more than anything else is effort and attitude.”
– Mike Leach, 2-Time College Football National Coach of the Year

You can drive yourself crazy overanalyzing an important decision.

While it’s wise to adequately prepare for a situation and weigh the pros and cons of whatever it is you’re contemplating, there are going to be risks involved with any big decision.

No matter how much time you spend planning and analyzing, you can never be completely certain of the results before taking the leap and moving forward on something.

In these situations, remember it’s usually your effort and your attitude after making the decision that are going to affect the outcome more than the decision itself.

Similarly, you can also agonize over past decisions you wish you had made differently. [continue reading…]