Greg Maddux On Staying In The Present

Greg Maddux--Making Each Day A Masterpiece

Greg Maddux is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to win at least fifteen games for seventeen consecutive seasons. Re recalls some advice he once received from then-Cubs manager Tom Trebelhorn. "You know what the problem with players these days? Trebelhorn said. "They are always looking forward to something. They're never trying to do something today. They're always looking forward to the next off-day, the All-Star Break, the end of the season. They never stop and enjoy the day that's here."

Maddux says that he thought about that and saw that Trebelhorn had a point. In fact, Maddux realized that he had the same mind-set of looking only to the future and never enjoying the present moment. From that day forward, Maddux concluded, "I started enjoying each day...and really started loving the games from that day on."

The 33% Rule

33% Rule
You can divide the population into three categories:
1. The bottom third of people are whiners & complainers who suck the life out of you.
2. The middle third are people who suck the life out of you. The middle third are people who fluctuates from positive to negative depending on circumstances.
3. The Top third maintain a positive attitude even in adversity. These positive people in the top third are the leaders, the achievers, the game changers.

--Sue Enquist, UCLA Gymnastics Coach

What Gives The Person The Right To Lead

WHAT GIVES A MAN OR WOMAN THE RIGHT TO LEAD?

It certainly isn't gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank, or degrees doesn't qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn't come automatically from age or experience either. No, it would be accurate to say that no one can be given the right to lead. The right to lead can only be earned. And that takes time.
You can pick captains but you can’t pick leaders.
Leadership emerges.

Buster Olney on C.C. Sabathia's Attitude

Some thoughts passed along by Buster Olney on the Attitude of C.C. Sabathia:

C.C. Sabathia would breakdown & cry on the mound in grade school. His mom would stand outside the dugout & point whenever he would do that, & tell him to go home.

He was a sophomore in H.S. 6’8 250 lbs. The best at every sport. His mother keeps him out of basketball because he got a C in Spanish.

He gets traded to play for the Brewers & he wants to pitch on 3 days rest, because his team is in the playoff hunt. His agent calls Management & pleads for him not to pitch. C.C. calls agent & says “NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. Now let me take you to dinner.”

Titles don't leave the legacy. People do.

Titles don't leave the legacy. People do.

And since "legacy" is a pretty heavy word, how about this: Trail of Impact. Each of us, every day, has a chance to impact others through our words and our actions. Just in the past few days, I've had these random opportunities to leave a positive trail as I interacted with:

The Lowe's Home Improvement guy, working hard on Saturday to install our new dishwasher.
A confused caller who mistakenly dialed our land line twice looking to buy a car we didn't have for sale.
My wife, Karen, asking for help on a home project that I didn't know was on our agenda that day!
The flight attendant roaming the aisle during a five hour flight, inquiring, "Coffee, anyone?" as most passengers failed to acknowledge her at all.
The hotel trainee who took almost 20 minutes to check me in after that tiring five hour cross-country trip!
--Taken from John Miller

George Brett's Last Out

How George Brett Wanted To Be Remembered:

As he neared retirement, Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett said, “In my last at bat, I would like to hit a ground ball to the second baseman and run it out as hard as I can, because that is the way I have played the game; that is who I am. That is what I want people to remember.”

Results or Excuses

Many years ago, I met a person who gave me a word of advice that I'll never forget. He said, "In life, you either have results or excuses."

I think he was right. But these days ... his advice would not be considered "politically correct." After all, almost everyone these days seems to have a "justifiable" excuse for his/her own lack of results.

Nonetheless, I still think his comment is worthy of consideration ... that "In life, you either have results or excuses."

Think about his comment, and then think about all the people you know. How many of them get all the results they'd like? I'd venture to say ... not very many of them. And I'd also venture to say that one of the main reasons they don't get all the results they'd like is poor time management.

As a consultant and speaker to many, many organizations, I see it all the time. I see lots of activity ... with paltry results. I see people racing to meetings, and I see projects spinning out of control. I see people feeling overwhelmed, living in crisis mode, thinking that every task that crosses their path is somehow "important."
--Dr. Allan Zimmeran

Leadership Refinements

Some Thoughts on Leadership Refinements:

Don’t deal in “shoulds and shouldn’ts”
Be kind bur not weak.
Don't deal in delusions.
Be bold without bullying
High life isn't timid and shy
Be humble but not timid
Be thoughtful but not lazy
Be proud but not arrogant
Arrogance from ignorance us the worst
Life is unique not tragic.
Turn frustration into fascination
80/20 Rule. Spend 80% of time with 20%
The 80% want the most of your individual time.
Deal with 80 in groups
Law of averages. Do something often enough you get a ratio of results.
You don't solve the seasons you work with it.
Understand diplomacy and strategy.

Coaches Should Create Environments Where Learning Is Valued

Coaches Should Create Environments Where Learning Is Valued Coaching isn’t just technique or strategy. Coaches should acquaint themselves with the kinds of thinking patterns that help athletes perform more effectively; understand obstacles that inhibit performance; determine which practice patterns work best—for the individual and the team. In other words, he should learn about the mental and physical aspects of the sport and the athlete—and create an atmosphere in which the athlete is encouraged to learn as well. --H.A. Dorfman, “Coaching The Mental Game”

Developing Vision

Developing Vision The first step in creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it (See the picture)

1. Vision will ignite the fire of passion, which fuels our commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve excellence.
2. Vision allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human action.
3. Vision has no boundaries and knows no limits. Our vision is what we become in life.

We have to have a clear view of what success is, what it isn’t and what it will take to achieve it.

Questions To Aid Defining Your Purpose

Defining Your Purpose Teams must define their purpose. To do so, ask them 2 questions to keep them focused: What are you trying to accomplish? What have you done today to bring you closer to reaching your goals? The moment we lose sight of our objectives, we stumble and move backwards.

Servanthood of Bob Starkey

I just wanted send a Thank You to Bob Starkey. Coach Starkey has been a mentor of mine. We've shared many Coach Meyer stories and share a bond because of Coach Meyer and our West Virginia background. Today, as I was working on some things for our Spring Team Notebook, I came across some notes that Coach Starkey had sent me. He has helped push me to improve in an effort to grow and share as he has done, through his blog and books. I'm trying to keep pace. He has certainly set the pace. One of Dick Bennett's 5 Biblical Principles is the concept of Servanthood--Bennett simply defines as making your teammates better. No doubt that Coach Starkey makes his teammates, coaches and players better. Thanks.