If something does not go according to plan, take ownership.
Don’t be the person who denies everything because nothing will get better.
You must lead from the front, take responsibility, and, most importantly, fix any mistakes.
Just Be Better
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.
When someone cuts you off, do you get offended? If the answer is yes, is your emotional response the same as when you think you are a victim? If yes, is it really worth it? Don’t be a victim.
PS. I hate being cut off too. IF you are looking for a positive, use it as an opportunity to improve your mental strength.
Just Be Better
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.
I just went on a mini-vacation with my brother to visit Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana. Our objectives were to run an Obstacle Course Race and play some golf. It was a challenging race, and the golf course was more difficult than expected, and I could not ask for anything more.
There was one problem, though, the food. My meal prep was terrible. I came back with more “baggage around my midsection” than in my luggage. What excuse(s) do I have for my coach… None! The truth is I did not prepare to eat like a Champion. I foolishly thought that I would have access to the food I needed, which consisted of lots of chicken, vegetables, and salad. Being unfamiliar with South Bend and not bringing food with me as I was trying to figure out the local food stores was a recipe for disaster that could have easily been avoided with preparation.
The Scouts were right, Be Prepared. Do the work, do the preparation, and then plan some more. Your goals start with careful planning and learning from your mistakes. I learned a lot on this trip.
Just Be Better
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong
The other day, I was stopped at a stop light when a car pulled up in front of me with the following bumper sticker, “People looking for God in the 11th hour are usually dead buy 10:30.”
What an awful thing to say. Instead of inviting others to be part of your faith because of love, peace, growth, etc., the sticker’s message uses fear and bully tactics to get others to follow a set of religious beliefs.
I cannot stand when anyone, a coach, a teacher, a parent, a leader, etc., uses fear to get their tribe to follow (AKA, do what the leader wants). Doing so will impede the growth of those they lead.
I do not believe in bumper sticker religion. What you do, not what you say on the back of your car, counts.
Just Be Better
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.
“If it is ABD (Already Been Done) it is not for me!” was one of three points I made to the awardees at a recent recognition ceremony (See the excerpt below). While listening to our awardees’ great aspirations for their future, I kept hearing how they wanted to work at Tesla, Space Ex, Google, etc. They failed to realize if they were to be like their heroes, they don’t need to work for them. Instead, they need to do something their heroes have not done already.
Be different so that you can make the world a better place.
Just Be Better
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy
Excerpt from Academic Awards Speech, 5/24/2022
Point #2: Be obsessed with those things that have never been done. It is not for me if it is ABD (Already Been Done). When I was in high school, the following did not exist:
This list is not because I am old or graduated from high school in a century where you were not born yet. This list exists today because people became obsessed with something no one else was doing. This is how you make an impact. Be obsessed with something no one else has done.
Lately, I have been looking for a trainer to help me get through my current plateau in weightlifting and nutrition. I know that I have learned a lot through self-study, but there comes a time when you need additional training to get you where you need to be. I have gone through a few interviews to find the correct one for me, my lifestyle, and my goals.
I like the trainers interviewing me to find out if I am a good fit for them. I also want one who will consider my varied interests, i.e., Taekwondo and Obstacle Course Racing, and the fact that I am coming off a strained calf injury.
Getting a trainer or a coach is a commitment, and I want one that will help me reach my goals while providing me with the understanding that I need to move on without them once I bust through my plateau.
What do you want in a coach or a trainer? Which area of your life would benefit most from having a coach or a trainer?
Just Be Better
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.
Chair
Your body is a beautiful machine that is designed to move. Like most machines, it is intended to do something, and it is not designed to sit there and watch the world go by. That is what a chair is for. Don’t be a chair.
Just Be Better
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.
I was at a military ball the other night. The guest speaker gave a great speech and made many great points, but her technique was lacking. It was a shame, and I fear that some of the audience members missed these great points because of the clunkiness of the delivery.
If you want to connect with your audience, you need to have great techniques to go with your great points. Please do not forgo the former for the latter. Don’t forget to practice. Practice as much as needed to make the delivery equal to the content. Practice Makes Better
Just Be Better
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.
My wife was surfing through the movies on TV, and she stopped on one about a man who took a “pill” and felt invincible. What a terrible message; take a magic pill, and everything will be alright.
There is a more straightforward way to handle things. Sleep well, hydrate, eat vegetables, and exercise. It is simple, and you do not need a pill.
Nothing will ever replace doing things right.
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.
Just Be Better
I cannot stand it when people do not treat my wife with the respect that she deserves. Recently, my wife and I experienced this firsthand when men shook my hand and did not reach out to shake her hand. In both cases, she extended her hand, yet the other person did not return the gesture.
In the first case, the person was leaving a business meeting with my wife and me. He said goodbye to me, shook my hand, turned around, and proceeded to go. My wife was standing right beside me. We looked at each other in astonishment. She took the initiative and said goodbye. The person turned around and said goodbye to her. She extended her hand, and the person did not acknowledge the gesture. Every day is an interview, and this person failed.
A week later, a technician came to our house to do a routine checkup on some mechanical equipment. I greeted him at the door and shook his hand. My wife came to the door and greeted the technician. The technician did not shake my wife’s hand. To his credit, though, he did speak with both of us and gave both of us eye contact. I will give him a pass for now. He is scheduled to check out the systems in 6 months. We will see what happens then.
In reality, how hard is it to say hello to everyone in the room? When you go to a party, do you only speak to the person who opens the door, or do you greet everyone you see? Which person do you want to be?
If my wife and I are ever fortunate enough to meet you, please shake both of our hands. My wife deserves the same respect, if not more.
Just Be Better
Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.
Everyday is an Interview 