Darrin Donnelly
Sep 26, 2016
In my last column, we talked about Pete Carroll’s “Always Compete” mindset and how the relentless pursuit of getting better at everything you do is at the core of Carroll’s coaching philosophy.
It’s this “Always Compete” mentality that has made Pete Carroll one of only three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a college football national championship.
However, it should be noted that this ultra-competitive mindset isn’t limited to football or sports. The “Always Compete” mentality can be applied to all aspects of life. Pete Carroll explains… [continue reading…]
Darrin Donnelly
Sep 19, 2016
Pete Carroll is one of the most fascinating and innovative coaches in America. His high-energy, super-positive, open-minded approach to the game of football has challenged many of the long-held beliefs about the way coaches “should” coach football.
Conventional or not, Carroll’s approach obviously works as he’s piled up victories and championships at both the pro and college levels.
The central theme to Pete Carroll’s “Win Forever” philosophy is competition. He wants his players, his coaches, and everyone involved with his program to adopt an “Always Compete” mindset. He’s convinced that an atmosphere that constantly emphasizes relentless competition is the key to success—in any field.
However, sometimes people get the wrong idea about what “competition” really means. Pete Carroll explains… [continue reading…]
Darrin Donnelly
Sep 5, 2016
Successful coaches tend to develop a life philosophy that goes well beyond the sport they coach. The great ones not only teach lessons for success in sports, but they teach lessons for success in life.
Lou Holtz has never been shy about sharing such life lessons. After a legendary coaching career, Holtz is convinced that in order to be happy in life, you need these four things… [continue reading…]
Darrin Donnelly
Aug 29, 2016
You’ve probably been told that having a big ego is a bad thing. But the truth is, to achieve big dreams, you need to have a big ego.
You have to believe in yourself more than anyone else does. You have to have a level of inner-confidence that, to the outside world, may look like an oversized ego. The world is full of pessimists and naysayers and they can’t wait to chop away at the self-assurance of those who dare to dream big.
However, there’s a thin line between having a helpful ego and having a harmful level of arrogance. Crossing that line will result in a disastrous professional and personal life.
Bill Walsh, the legendary coach of the San Francisco 49ers, explained the crucial difference this way… [continue reading…]
Darrin Donnelly
Aug 15, 2016
The more I study the world’s top achievers, the more I notice a recurring theme: big achievers aren’t afraid of big challenges. They’re not afraid to put themselves on the line. They set goals that are “unrealistically” high to most observers, but they go after them anyway.
Why are top achievers more comfortable with setting big goals than everyone else? The simple answer is that they’re not afraid to fail. They know that there is a greater risk of failing on the way towards huge goals, but they don’t care. The challenge excites them. They go after it anyway and fully believe that their dreams will eventually come true as long as they never give up.
Legendary New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter sums up this attitude perfectly… [continue reading…]
Darrin Donnelly
Jul 4, 2016
One of my favorite examples of someone who achieved the American Dream is Sylvester Stallone.
Stallone has always been a hero of mine not only for the success he achieved as an actor and all that he has done to promote physical fitness, but more so for what he accomplished as a writer.
In 1975, at the age of 29, Stallone had been chasing his dream of becoming an actor and writer for several years, but he was struggling to get by. He even spent some time homeless after being evicted from his apartment. But that March, inspiration tapped Stallone. [continue reading…]
