Sports for the Soul

In Bob Stoops’ excellent autobiography, No Excuses, passages from those who worked with or competed against Stoops are sprinkled throughout. One particular passage that stood out to me comes from Mark Mangino, the man Stoops hired as his assistant head coach and running game coordinator when he arrived at Oklahoma prior to the 1999 season…

“When I got to OU, it was in worse shape than it looked from the outside. But Bob Stoops, he doesn’t let anything beat him down. If I was having a bad day, he’d say, ‘Don’t let them get you twice.’ That was his favorite saying. In other words, deal with a problem once and then move on.”
– Mark Mangino, Former Oklahoma assistant coach and Kansas head coach

Another way Bob Stoops often puts it: “Don’t let them beat you twice.”

Life is full of setbacks and surprises. Whether it’s losing a game, losing a sale, getting bad news, or suffering any other type of setback, it’s how you deal with those setbacks that determines how quickly you’ll turn things around. [continue reading…]

“If you are afraid of confrontation, you are not going to do very well.”
– Bill Parcells, Two-Time Super Bowl-Winning Coach

Being positive does not mean being passive.

Despite what some might think, going out of your way to avoid conflict will not lead you to a more peaceful life. It will lead you to a life where you have very little control over your own destiny because you’re letting others make decisions for you. It will lead to an unfulfilling life of fear and regret.

You can’t be afraid of confrontation. You have to stand up for yourself and what you believe. [continue reading…]

One message you hear again and again from the most successful coaches and leaders is that you shouldn’t waste your time and energy worrying about the things you have no control over. Instead, you should focus on only the things you CAN control—specifically, your effort and your attitude.

Some leaders present this concept as an equation: E + R = O. That is, Event + Response = Outcome.

While you don’t always control the Event, you do always control your Response and it’s how you Respond to an Event that determines your Outcome.

Six-time National Champion college football coach Nick Saban had this to say on the topic… [continue reading…]

“Just when I think I’ve hit rock bottom, when something has happened that I’m sure is the worst thing that can possibly occur, it always leads to something good. Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of something bad.”
– Harry Caray, Legendary Sports Broadcaster

Harry Caray is one of history’s most famous sports broadcasters. While he is best known for his final 16-year stint as play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs, he also spent a year with the Oakland A’s, 11 years calling White Sox games, and 25 years as the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The one thing we all remember about Harry Caray is how much he seemed to enjoy his work. He loved life and exuded optimism. He brought humor to nearly every situation and he wasn’t afraid to laugh at himself. (Ever notice how the happiest people don’t take themselves too seriously?)

Harry Caray always seemed to be having a blast and his joy was contagious. [continue reading…]

“If you put negative thoughts into your mind, you’re going to get negative results. It’s just as true that if you put positive thoughts in your mind, you will be a recipient of positive results.”
– Lou Holtz, Two-Time National Coach of the Year and Member of the College Football Hall of Fame

When you embrace positive thinking, you must prepare yourself for the naysayers. They’ll call you naïve. They’ll call you a Pollyanna. They’ll poke fun at your optimistic outlook. They’ll tell you to be more realistic.

But the reason so many top coaches, athletes, and high achievers choose to buy into positive thinking despite what they naysayers say is simple: positive thinking works. [continue reading…]