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New England Patriots

This tag is associated with 15 posts

The Worst Hiring Decision in NFL History

The New York Giants could have had Bill Belichick as their coach. But George Young, the team general manager at the time, saw reasons not to hire the man who may be the greatest football coach in history.

The Mental Skill That Decided the Super Bowl

If you can improve at this skill, you will win in sports and in life.

The Best Story in Super Bowl History

You can stay with what’s safe or you can pursue the improbable.

Motivation by the Numbers: 199

The number 199 reminds us that it’s easier to spot someone’s faults than to spot their potential.

Impossible Finish

Malcolm Butler, unlikely hero of the Super Bowl, just kept getting better. It’s harder than it sounds. Improvement takes focus, persistence and the mental toughness to work outside your comfort zone, all without any guarantees.

How Derek Jeter Helped the Giants Win

For the second time in four years, the New York Giants have won the Super Bowl. And they couldn’t have done it without a great shortstop. Shortstop? Yes, back when Eli Manning was going through a rough stretch as a rookie quarterback with the Giants, he received a phone call from Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. […]

The Secret of Feedback

One day Hall of Fame baseball player Ted Williams watched a teammate return to the dugout after striking out. “Tell me,” Williams said. “When you swung and missed that ball, did your bat go over the ball or under it?” “What difference does it make,” the teammate wanted to know. “Either way, I struck out.” […]

Previewing Success

Lawrence Tynes did more than kick the New York Giants into the Super Bowl for the second time in his NFL career. He gave an example of a powerful mental technique that anyone can use. “I imagined this last night,” Tynes said after his 31-yard field goal 7:06 into overtime gave the Giants a 20-17 […]

Total Commitment

A chicken raced around the barnyard, spreading new good news. “Hooray!” he said. “We’re going to have bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning!” All the animals except the pig shared in the joy. The chicken approached the pig and asked him why he was so solemn when everyone else was so happy. “For you,” […]

Is Today Your Lucky Day?

A wise man once described the difference between superstition and ritual. Superstition is doing things to avoid something bad. Rituals mean doing certain things to make something good happen. Superstition involves belief in things beyond your understanding and control. Rituals are a way to organize the things that you can control. All this comes to […]