Hockey legend Mark Messier has said, “The minute you start making excuses, you’ve got one foot in the grave.” If you coach, teach or lead in any way, you’ve probably heard lots of excuses. I know I have. And you’ve probably made some. I know I have. (“We’re in a tough conference.” “Our best player […]
Any coach has two main jobs: to teach and to motivate. That process involves words, so we must be very careful about the exact words we use. Jack Perconte has offered a wonderful article on things to say and to not say. Among his points is that your tone and body language make all the […]
Today I kept alive one of my resolutions for 2012: drink freshly squeezed lemon water first thing in the morning. Supposedly it cleans out and refreshes the body after sleep. I’m not sure what the science is, but I feel good physically and feel good about doing something I’ve promised myself to do. One of […]
Three factors — the NHL’s recent Winter Classic, the cold wave in the Northeast, and a conversation with mental toughness guru Craig Sigl — made me think of the Canadian game of shinny. Shinny is a simple variation of ice hockey in which one player tries to keep the puck, and all the others try […]
In giving his excellent team-building sessions, my friend and fellow author Gary Pritchard always says that there are three things you can control: your effort, your attitude and your response to failure. He calls it EAR. Now billionaire sports owner Mark Cuban is echoing Pritchard. In this article from Business Insider, Cuban, owner of the […]
Victor Cruz of the New York Giants is headed for the playoffs, and he’ll get more attention from the Atlanta Falcons than he did in the 2010 draft. That’s because Cruz has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL after being passed over by every team in the league. That’s right. […]
“Only you can control your future.” — Dr. Seuss Last night we went to a Japanese restaurant, the kind where the chef puts on a show while cooking your dinner right in front of you. His showmanship was one thing, but what really impressed me was the preparation. Great care had gone into cutting the […]
Life is an never-ending series of problem-solving events. Success comes to those who can understand that difficulties are a part of life. “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere,” said Frank A. Clark. Whether you’re Katy Perry, Ryan Seacrest or quarterback Eli Manning, you’re going to have problems. […]
Lady Gaga, a huge part of the Times Square celebration ringing in the New Year, carries a message that coaches would be wise to heed throughout 2012. Gaga has said she was bullied in high school, including being placed into a trash can on a street corner. Some people dispute that she was bullied back […]