Thursday, September 13, 2012

KEVIN EASTMAN ON PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY

During his tenure as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, Kevin Eastman has had first hand experience with "special players" -- both on his team and those he competed against.  The list below is one to be shared with your best players.  You could even change the name form "special players" to "special teams."

Special players who themselves accountable...

...don't blame others first; instead, they look first for what they contributed (or did not contribute) to the situation.

...don't complain; instead they look for ways to correct things that aren't working.

...don't procrastinate; get things done now.

...always give more than they ask of others.

...always look to take on as much as they can handle, rather than look to pass things on to others all the time.

...are constantly trying to improve their game as they can bring more to the team and constantly fulfill their role.

...are self starters and study the game (and themselves) enough to know what needs to be done; then do about doing it.

...do the un-required work, knowing that it simply needs to be done -- extra shots, extra weights, extra film watching, etc. without constantly needing to be told by a coach.

...hold others accountable for their jobs and roles because they know the importance of accountability as it relates to winning; this creates a collective responsibility.

...always be among the most trusted players on the team -- by coaches and players.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

8 PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL LIVING

The following comes the LLABB blog written by my friend Sefu Benard.  Sefu's blog is incredible and one of my "must reads."  I especially like the following post he placed a few years ago but brought it back to life on his facebook page:

To achieve success and fulfillment in virtually any endeavour one wishes to undertake, there is a common set of conditions that must be met. Every great man and woman throughout the pages of history has been a living testament to the prerequisites of achievement, which I call the “Eight Principles of Successful Living.”

PRINCIPLE #1: A White Hot Desire
Nothing of any real consequence happens until a person becomes passionate about achieving a specific outcome or objective.

Lukewarm desire does not work! Passion stimulates power!

Tentative actions stem from tentative thoughts. Both lack the power to self motivate or influence others. Tentative thoughts produce weak emotions, which create a disappointing outcome or circumstance. People who ultimately achieve their dreams start with and sustain a powerful passion for doing so, regardless of the circumstances they meet along the way.

A white hot desire to have the things you want must be matched with an equal desire to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to justify having them. Understanding this premise is essential to all achievement. The lack of this understanding is the primary reason for most of our failures.

Remember: Desire breeds Determination, which is expressed in Dedication!

PRINCIPLE #2: Never Wait To “Feel” Motivated
One of the greatest misconceptions about becoming successful is the idea that you should “feel good” or “motivated” before you act. Motivation almost always follows action, but seldom precedes it. As Emerson said: “Do the thing and you shall have the power.” Champions commit to disciplined actions and pay very little attention to how they feel.

Remember: Champions don’t prime to perform they perform to prime

PRINCIPLE #3: Goals Are Essential To Success
A person’s power resources are largely invisible. They are housed in the mind and spirit of man. The door to release this power resides in the unconscious mind, but the key to that door is the conscious mind declaring with conviction and accuracy what I t wants.
Goals are absolutely indispensable to success. The unconscious mind demands specific intent, or a goal, in order to function as an optimum achievement mechanism. A conquering current always flows with a powerfully declared specific goal.

Remember: When setting goals, “what I want” will always be equal to “what I don’t want to do, struggle with or overcome to get it”!

PRINCIPLE #4: Total Commitment Is Paramount To Success
The dynamic expression and ultimate evidence of a person’s level of commitment is seen in a constant striving to become exceptional in performance. Thus, actions, not words, are the barometer with which you measure the level of one’s commitment. Total commitment also means that you must be able to accept or include whatever obstacles or roadblocks you might encounter along your road to eventual success.

Success, in reality, is seldom a sprint; most often it is a marathon. To finish, you cannot be content with mediocrity; true commitment won’t allow it.

Laziness and despondency are the saboteurs of commitment, but the ultimate slayers of your commitment will be the critics you listen to from within (“self talk”) or from without when the going gets tough. Self doubt, however imposed or accepted, will sap the strength of your commitment. When doubt comes, and it will, you need to abandon your emotions and rely almost entirely on your faith to be greater than your doubt.

Remember: What one actually does indicates with absolute clarity what one is committed to!

PRINCIPLE #5: Persistence
A determined human spirit is indomitable. Winning in life depends almost entirely on your ability to work hard and persevere. Excitement wears off, but persistence wears down the obstacles between you and success. The price of success is dedication, deprivation, lots of sustained effort and plenty of doubt and loneliness mixed in to test your resolve. Long hours of preparation are often required to hone the skills and develop the knowledge and techniques that will lead to efficiency and performance and ultimate victory.

To succeed greatly, you must sacrifice greatly. The best way to prepare for the sacrifice is to mentally include it as part of the price. “Surrender to purpose” creates an emotional cushion which softens the blow of negative emotions associated with disappointments that accompany striving for greatness.

Persistence is “falling in love” with the tedium of constant practice to become better. You have to be willing to do things over and over again. Consistency is the hallmark of all teachers. It is a quality which allows a person of average ability to be come a huge success. It is a concentrated patience. It deprives failure of the opportunity to become a permanent condition, but most of all, it is the one quality of spirit that transforms a person’s dreams into a loving, dynamic reality. To become a success at something, you must become a master at it. That takes practice and perseverance.

Remember: The house of Mastery sits at the end of Persistence Street!

PRINCIPLE #6: Set Your Mind To Station ‘Win’
It is absolutely amazing to see how many people today are still not aware of the interwoven relationship between the nature of their thoughts and the conditions in their lives. In spite of the fact that every great spiritual teacher, philosopher, poet an d psychologist has taught us about that exact relationship and its significance, most people are still in the dark on this pivotal truth. It is our thoughts that create our motivation to act or not act in any given situation. It is our thoughts about ourselves that determine our capabilities, limitations, “okayness” or “not okayness,” worthiness or unworthiness, lovability or unlovability.

Thus, we think our personal reality into existence. No one else thinks your thoughts but you. No one else is creating your life as it is perceived by you except you. Your thoughts are actually creating your experience of life.

It is your thoughts that trigger your emotions of love or hate, happiness or depression, guilt or serenity, and so it goes, on and on. The relationship between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours is reciprocal. You define yourself and your life by the thoughts you think. Everything you experience in your life is experienced in your mind. We are all trapped by our thoughts, our judgments and interpretations of the events in our lives. It is, therefore, essential that we take control of our thoughts.

Success begins in the mind and it is impossible to achieve while your private beliefs and thoughts are hostile to it. Be aware that any thought that serves to diminish you, your strength, your confidence, your intelligence or your security will produce anxiety and stress. You will deal with that stress and anxiety as your thoughts about them dictate. You will either choose to use the stress and anxiety to perform, or you will retreat into resignation which, in turn, must create more thoughts to perpetrate your misfortune. Thus, we become what we think about! “We reap what we sow” is never truer than in the domain of thought.

To change the conditions of your life you must be willing to correct the thinking that created those conditions. This is what Disraeli meant when he said, “Man is not the creature of circumstances. Circumstances are the creatures of man.” Thoughts, themselves unseen, nonetheless work their effects unerringly. Consequently, you receive what you think about most of the time.

Reveal your dominant thoughts and a person who understands this concept can write an accurate description of your life. Our lives as they are, therefore, are a perfect advertisement of our dominant thoughts. There is a constant creating dialogue between our thoughts and our conditions in life. Change the thoughts, and you eventually change the conditions.

This truth must be too simple to grasp, for too many people never catch on. The works of Dr. William James say it best: “You can alter the conditions of your life by altering your attitudes of mind!”

Remember: You may not always control what happens in your life, but you have absolute control over what you decide to think about what happens. Take control of your thoughts and you take control of your life!

PRINCIPLE #7: Have An Upbeat Vibration As You Work & Live
Enthusiasm is the least expensive yet most effective cosmetic in the world. It is beauty dancing for its own enjoyment. It is the fuel that propels great actions. It is an unequalled attention getter. It is life’s primary expression of appreciation of itself. When combined with sincerity, it is the most enduring of all positive personality traits. It compels us to look for the best in all situations. It makes you a human magnet, pulling close the people and circumstances you need to be involved with to reach your goals. It will transform a sincere wish into a vivid reality. You discover your real self and your talents when you are enthusiastic. As an added bonus, you feel truly alive.

Being “laid back” may be considered a cool attitude in some circles, but the people who get what they want in life are expressive and alive in their actions. They abandon pretense and get flat out excited about what they are doing.

True self expression flows from an enthusiastic spirit. When you are really fired up for the task at hand, you discover who you really are and what your powers to create can actually achieve. In the final analysis, there are only two types of people on the planet: Those who are inspired and those who are not! Uninspired people get what is easily available and not very satisfying.

Remember: Enthusiasm is an art. It must become a learned attitude, totally independent of favourable or unfavourable stimuli.

PRINCIPLE #8: Live Life Now
The achievement resources we have as humans are awesome powers when developed and directed toward specific objectives. The weaving, connecting and maturing influence is TIME. When understood as a limited resource wherein the virtually unlimited resources of our minds express themselves, it becomes crucial to develop a healthy relationship with time. Most people, since they are not specific with their intent, have a neurotic preoccupation with time and its apparent limitations. They are likely to squander it or struggle with not having enough of the stuff to accomplish what needs doing.

The crucial element of time is clearly its use. This is one area where we all unquestionably are created equal. We all get the same amount for doing the deeds of a day. How does one allocate time and on what activities does one spend or invest it? Time in this context becomes a critical factor in achievement. Choice becomes of critical import, as well.

When one chooses to do a particular thing, it requires time. That single choice eliminates all other choices for a specified number of minutes, hours, or days. Now it becomes clear that time is a limited and therefore precious resource which should be invested very wisely.

Would I put my money (resource) in a bank that paid no interest, or in a bond that had no history of positive performance? No! Why? Because it would be an unwise investment. Yet I will seldom audit my use of time, my most precious commodity my life expressing itself in the context of a limitation. Wow! I need to wake up!

Life is NOW experience and if I am to be blessed to be here tomorrow, all I’ll have is another NOW to make it happen.

In conclusion, life is about growth, about “become,” within a limited period of linear time called Earth life. If life is to have meaning, it must have purpose. Purpose on this planet is manifest in the context of time. Becoming all you can be, given y our unusual self, is the ultimate joy life offers. The journey is recorded in time. Its wise use is all you and I have with which to “become” our purpose.

This is a universe of laws and operating principles. Learning comes through concentrated study. Mastery, however, comes through tedious repetition of the principles and rules of the game you are playing. The game you’re playing is LIFE, and every day I s Super Bowl Sunday!

Remember: Life is the ride and Time is the train. Make the most of your trip and become all you can possibly become on your journey.



WHAT'S THE TAKE AWAY?

My friend Clarence Gaines passed this along to me -- it's a great read with a great message.  It was written by Patrick McHugh, the school's athletic director.  It was posted on the North Shore Country Day High School Athletics Blog:

A colleague at school loves to ask me the question, "what's the takeaway?" I think it is a fair question because we have limited time and a lot to accomplish. So there had better be a takeaway when we are asking students, faculty, and coaches to invest their time in a program, class or activity. But sometimes the outcomes we are looking for cannot be measured on a test or during one season. They blossom over many years in the future.

And so that brings me to our Junior Varsity Field Hockey Game last Friday, August 24th. North Shore Country Day played Highland Park High School and the game started just before 6 pm. It was a beautiful evening, and I was watching from the Forest St. side of the field. This game was my first introduction to a lot of these athletes as a good portion of the team was new to North Shore. Like all JV teams at North Shore there was frequent subbing, and it was noticeable who had played some Field Hockey before and who was playing their first Field Hockey game ever.

Remember this was the day after Lance Armstrong had issued his press release calling the US Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) efforts to strip him of his seven Tour De France Titles "a pitiful charade."

I was enjoying watching the sincerity of this Junior Varsity Girls Field Hockey team completely invest themselves in the task of learning to be a team, of giving one's best effort, of being accountable to each other, of learning that winning is an important outcome but it is the result of doing a lot of other things right, and of learning to enjoy the success that comes from authentic and complete commitment to the play at hand.

And the thought went through my head, this is great because the takeaways here are huge.

We are a college prep school and at times it seems we obsess about preparing our high school students for the next step. But I think we do even better work when we are preparing not just for what's going to happen when are students are 18, 19, 20, and 21 but when they are 30, 40, and 50.

Despite whether you believe Lance Armstrong is a doper or the victim of a vindictive "charade", it struck me that on our field on Friday there was no charade going on.

North Shore requires all our students to participate in athletics in the fall of their freshmen year. And in the forty plus years since Title IX passed there has been a lot of research done on the effects of sports participation on girls lives. Here are some of those takeaways that researchers know will happen after a girl participates in sports: higher self esteem, lower teen pregnancy rates, longer life expectancy, better grades, lower risk of obesity, higher rate of educational achievement, and improved employment opportunities.

So despite the fact that the crowd was sparse, the outcome of the game was really only important to the teams involved, and it's unclear whether anyone from either team will ever be much of a star, the takeaways for each girl involved were life changing.

I saw considerable irony that at the same time this ostensibly meaningless game was going on, Lance Armstrong and his team were in damage control to maintain his public image. Friday afternoon I had seen messages from his team that giving was up for the Live Strong Foundation and that Nike was continuing to support him. But these messages rang a little hollow compared to the game in front of me.

Highland Park Junior Varsity got up to a 1-0 early advantage, but North Shore kept the pressure on and soon tied and eventually went ahead to win 2-1. The ultimate takeaways from this game and this season will not be seen for most of these athletes until a decade or more in the future -- likely after we have all forgotten about what happened -- when these then women are long out of school and possibly balancing more complicated challenges of family and career.

This is the type of impressive work that schools should all do, when they have a perspective on takeaways that stretches far into the future. Sadly, the takeaways from the Lance Armstrong debacle are not nearly as positive nor as worthy of emulation.

KINGWOOD PARK COACHES CLINIC

For anyone in the Houston area, I hope you will come spend the day with us at the Kingwood Park Coaches Clinic. The clinic is ran by my friend Justin Burleson does a great job of running the clinic and told me that they will accepting walk-ups the day of the clinic.  Hope to see you there!

KINGWOOD PARK COACHES CLINIC
September 15, 2012

Speakers: Brendan Suhr, Kevin McHale, Dominic Amorosa and Bob Starkey

Besides being able to speak in the Houston area on this weekend, I look forward to spending some time with my friend Brendan Suhr. Brendan was a long-time assistant coach under Chuck Daly during the dynasty years with the Detroit Pistons. If you are looking to add or improve upon the pick and roll in your offense -- no one is better than Brendan. Of course, Brendan also teams up with Kevin Eastman to put on Coaching U Live each summer -- so he certainly knows what goes into a great clinic. As a life-long Celtic fan, I will also look forward to hearing Kevin McHale. My friend Justin Burleson puts the clinic on each year and does an incredible job.

Here is a link for more information:
http://www.humbleisd.net/Page/24600




Tuesday, September 11, 2012

WHAT THE BEAR WANTED TO TEACH HIS PLAYERS

"We are going to learn to play football, and we are going to get up and go to class like our mamas and papas expect us to.  And we are going to win.  Ten years from now, you are going to be married with a family, your wife might be sick, your kids might be sick, you might be sick, but you will get your butt up and go to work.  That's what I'm going to do for you.  I'm going to teach you how to do things you don't feel like doing."

Bear Bryant on January 10, 1958 at his first team meeting after being named head coach at the University of Alabama -- from "The Last Coach" by Allen Barra

LET US NEVER FORGET

This story is actually one-year old today.  It was written last year by Christopher Ruddy of Newsmax.  I stumbled across it today and thought it was so well written that I would share it.  It is not doubt an article that can be shared each year at this time -- it is that well written.  Let us never forget.

On this anniversary, we cannot help but relive the pain we experienced as a nation when nearly 3,000 innocent Americans were murdered in cold blood.   It isn’t pleasant remembering that day, but we would be remiss if we did not honor them.   We owe it to the dead to never forget because they died for us. As Abraham Lincoln said of those who fought and died at Gettysburg, it is “altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” We owe it to the living because there is (strange as it may sound) a silver lining in the dark cloud that cast its dreadful shadow that day.   I’m talking about the shining light of incredible courage that was demonstrated by hundreds of ordinary Americans. On that day we discovered unknown heroes hidden in our midst.
Who could forget Todd Beamer, a businessman on United Airlines Flight 93, who shouted “Let’s roll!” as he and his fellow passengers rushed the cockpit to subdue a group of hijackers. Their jet crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pa., saving an indeterminable number of Americans.

Hundreds of miles away at the site of the burning World Trade Center, more heroes emerged. There was Father Mychal Judge, a Catholic priest who, upon hearing the news of the attack, hurried to the burning towers to administer the last rites of his faith to the dying. Tragically, he soon found himself among them.

When I remember the heroic Americans of 9/11, I see them not as civilians but as citizen soldiers who were thrust unexpectedly into a war they never saw coming. They remind me of the brave soldiers who stormed the Normandy beaches on D-Day in World War II.

The opening of the film "Saving Private Ryan" depicts these intrepid men — their average age was just 19 — being cut to pieces by enemy gunfire as Eisenhower’s “Great Crusade” began the liberation of Europe.

Standing next to these remarkably brave D-Day soldiers are the equally sturdy, unwavering New York City firefighters of 9/11, who likewise stared into the face of death and deliberately put themselves in harm’s way.

Ernest Hemingway famously defined courage as “grace under pressure,” and those words certainly apply to the 343 firefighters and paramedics who made the ultimate sacrifice for you and me that day. From my perspective, we have never sufficiently honored these fallen firefighters — and rescue workers, police officers and the many other first responders of 9/11 — who voluntarily gave their lives to save others.

I believe such deserving heroes should be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor so that we might officially recognize their unsurpassed courage.

While we are paying tribute, we must not forget those who followed them — the over 6,100 soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan to protect us, not to mention the thousands more who have been seriously wounded.

We can never forget the immense cost that others have paid so that we might go about our lives in peace and prosperity.

Like the Americans who fought and died at Valley Forge, Antietam, and Iwo Jima and hundreds of other bloody battlefields since the first shot of the Revolutionary War was fired at Lexington in 1775, the heroes of 9/11 should never be forgotten.

They represent what is best about our country — the willingness among our people to make immense sacrifices to defend our national ideals of liberty and justice.

Beyond this, the heroes of 9/11 are exemplars of an even greater ideal, one which even if we fail to reach, all of us should at least strive to attain.

It is an ideal succinctly stated by Jesus in the Gospel of St. John: “Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends” — a fitting epitaph for Todd Beamer, Father Judge, the New York City firefighters, and all the rest who fell that day to save their distant neighbors, many people they did not know but loved nonetheless.

Monday, September 10, 2012

ANNOUNCING A NEW BLOG -- QUOTATION RESOURCE

We are very excited to announce a new blog that we believe will be a tremendous resource to coaches as well as many others.  Over the past few years, I have often been asked where I get my motivational quotes from and the simple answer is by reading and listening.  What I did do nearly 20 years ago is starting a "quote bank" -- an idea I got from my friend and mentor Dale Brown -- so these have compiled over time. Any time I read or heard a good quote, I simply jotted it down (at first) and then later started adding them into my computer jump drive.

"Leading Words" is a blog that is dedicated to providing you with quotations that will fit any circumstance in case you are...

...looking for a quote to motivate a player
...looking for a quote to motivate a team
...looking for a few quotes for a speech you need to make
...looking for a few words to inspire yourself

There are over 125 categories with over 1,800 quotes.

Let me state that this is still a work in project.  I have nearly 500 more quotes to add as time permits.  Also, we will of course add new ones as we discover them.

As I mentioned, they are placed in various categories.  You can scroll to the bottom of the front page and see all the categories listed in alphabetical order.  Click on one and it will take you to a page with quotes on that topic only.

Here you go! http://leadingwords.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 7, 2012

LESSON FROM THE OLYMPICS

The following was written by Harvey Mackay on his wonderful website: http://www.harveymackay.com/

There are few things left to be said about the spectacular Olympics we just witnessed in London.

The 10,000 athletes all had Olympic dreams. Some were realized, while others had their hopes dashed as they fell short of their goals.

As Americans, we had overwhelming reasons to be proud of our top-flight athletes, even when they didn’t bring home medals. Anyone who viewed the events, either at home or in person, couldn’t help but be impressed.

As a delighted spectator, I can say that I also had Olympic dreams. And mine came true. Again.
  I have been attending every summer Olympics for 40 years. And I think the 17 days my wife and I spent in London were probably the most electrifying of all. I have watched athletes young and old exhibit a level of concentration and dedication that astonishes me. And I always learn a thing or two, frequently not related to sports.
For me, the Olympics are a metaphor for how to succeed in life and business. Of the 40 events we attended, these were my favorites:

1.Persistence will win the day. When 15-year-old Katie Ledecky dove in for the 800-meter freestyle race, she was hardly the favorite. Commentators feared she had too fast a start and wouldn’t be able to sustain her lead. All she knew was that she was swimming the race of her young life. The youngest member of the American Olympic delegation had to swim for a half-mile and maintain an exhausting pace to beat the crowd favorite, Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington. And she looked fabulous with a gold medal draped around her neck.

2.Teamwork is essential for success. The USA men’s basketball team of elite all-stars are accustomed to being the center of attention on their NBA teams. They spend their regular seasons trying to beat each other on their opposing teams. In order to defeat Spain for the gold, they had to contain their egos and deliver their best efforts – together. As they mounted the awards platform with arms linked, they demonstrated their commitment to teamwork and to their country.

3.Follow your passion. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings had already won gold at the last two Olympics in beach volleyball, and contemplated whether the London games were in their future. But despite the other plans each pursued, the Olympics were never far away from their thoughts.

4.Work as hard as you can, then work harder. The games are full of stories of athletes who defied all odds to be able to compete. What could be more inspiring than watching South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated before his first birthday? To me, this was without question the most amazing event to watch.

5.You are the only one who can limit your potential. Michael Phelps got off to a disappointing start, finishing fourth in an event that he should have dominated. Was that a wakeup call for the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time? He came shining through, medaling in the rest of his events. He is the proud owner of a record 22 Olympic medals, 18 of them gold.

6.Set goals. Usain Bolt was defeated in Jamaica’s Olympic finals in June, so he rededicated himself and became the greatest sprinter in Olympic history. He won the 100 meter and 200 meter races and anchored the men’s 4 x 100 meter relay, which set a world record.

7.Visualize your dreams. The Fab Five of women’s gymnastics had a huge challenge against the Russian team. They knew that a single misstep could end their dreams. These athletes are too young to remember when the USA last won women’s gymnastics gold in 1996. But they all spoke of being inspired by the 2004 games – when they were about 8 years old – and their dreams of Olympic gymnastic success.

8.You’ve gotta have a little fun. The pageantry of the opening and closing ceremonies was magnificent, but is it really necessary? Absolutely! These celebrations are gigantic, larger-than-life events that are meticulously choreographed and executed to make sure everyone is having a great time. As much as I love the athletic competitions, I wouldn’t miss these two extravaganzas.

Mackay’s Moral: Maybe you can’t win a gold medal for your job, but you can still be a champion.



Thursday, September 6, 2012

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORDS

"I believe that my work is as much about words as basketball.  Choosing the right words to say to players is no less important than picking the starting line-up or court strategies.”

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

"BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS"

When Vince Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers, he was asked if he was going to change the players, the plays, the training, or other key aspects of the team.  He replied, "I'm not going to change anything; we are simply going to become brilliant on the basics."

From "How The Best Leaders Lead" by Brian Tracy