Bumper Sticker

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 Its ABD, It’s Not For Me.

“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:

  • Facebook, my social network was at the local park
  • Google, We spelled google L-i-b-r-a-r-y or E-n-c-y-c-l-o-p-e-d-i-a
  • Amazon, we went out to shop
  • Netflix, we picked the movie theater that was showing one move 
  • Smartphones, I know… we survived on Dumb phones.
  • Febreeze, don’t ask.
  • Fidget Spinners
  • Chipotle
  • Fitness Trackers
  • Streaming Music
  • Elf on a Shelf
  • Safe Playground Equipment

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.

Trainer

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.

Make a Connection – Don’t Forget to Practice

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.

Pill

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

Shake My Wife’s Hand

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.

Decisions

If you want to be successful, make good decisions.

If you’re going to be a better person, make good decisions.

If you’re going to make an improvement, make good decisions.

If you’re going to reach a goal, make good decisions.

Good decisions are the decisions you make to adopt good habits, consistently pursue your good habits, and rely on preparation, effort, and intelligence.

Make good decisions, and make them today.

Just Be Better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy.

Why Tom?

Why can’t people live with their decisions? Why the drama? If you are not sure you want to retire, don’t. If you are not sure you can afford to retire, don’t. But don’t lie about your intentions to draw attention to yourself and then go back on what you proclaimed to the world.

There are some who I expect to say one thing and do another. I was not surprised when Motley Crue went back on their word and their contract with each other and decided to go out on tour again. Nor was I surprised that Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner could not help breaking up and getting back together and breaking up, etc., I can understand when Kiss launches their 27th Farewell Tour (I mean, if Gene Simmons will sell booze, anything is possible in Kiss-Land). There are very few people in the public eye who expect to keep their word. Tom Brady was one of those people.

If he wasn’t sure about his future, why didn’t he tell people he was still working through the process? He had a great career. Why did he have to put the sporting world through the drama of retirement, then unretirement? When he retires again, will you believe him? 

I am not sure why he would continue to play at his age. He has nothing to prove, and he probably loses money by playing football. The sport is too brutal for him to keep playing at his age. 

I hope that people who listen to me will recognize that I do what I say. I promise you that it will be well thought out when I retire, and I will not unretire.

Just Be Better

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

Coach K

I watched the end of Coach K’s last home basketball game at Duke University last night. Afterward, he addressed the crowd. He started by stating that tonight’s loss was unacceptable. Awesome! Here is a guy at the end of his career, a most storied career, at his last home game, and he still has the fire burning inside of him. No matter how old he is, he wants more. Instead of focusing on all of the great things that happened in his career and resting on his accomplishments, he focused on his team’s need to improve.

I hope I have that same fire when I am at the end of my career. 

Actually, I hope that I have that same fire for the rest of my career.

Just Be Better

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy