Holding the line against compromise is difficult. Sometimes it’s a battle of wills between the coach and team. Sometimes it’s a parent who is trying to do the right thing by saying “no” to their wonderful whining child. The temptation to give in is real. Especially when you know you have the power to make the whiner
Best is often talked about but rarely chosen. This is because best is often seen as a destination and not a process. People like the idea of the destination. The obstacle is what it takes to reach that destination. The path to best is what is unpopular to the ordinary people who settle for less-than-best so often.
Almost is often a choice. I find that falling just short is less often about giving it our all and just not making it. I think it’s the decision somewhere in the journey to compromise our best effort. It can be as small as going to bed with dishes in the sink. It’s that choice that says
When we are faced with hard and are tempted to quit, we can choose to endure. The stigma of quitting is often enough to consider this, but other motivations can help us choose endurance when we begin to negotiate with ourselves. This negotiation is tough and it often depends on which version of ourselves will win for
We have all quit something. I bet that most of us have rarely quit based on a spontaneous thought that caused us to walk out on a commitment. This is because, in our culture, there is a stigma for quitters. Most of us don’t want to endure the reputation of being a quitter. This causes a dilemma
One of the more unfortunate “hang-ups” that I notice in the general population is the either/or/all-or-nothing mindset. If I broaden my view of fun, then I must embrace a life of debauchery and reckless decision making. Of course, this is nothing but a fearful mindset that sees life as a range of slippery slopes. Everything may be
Every great team stays great through the anticipation of required growth and adjustment. Even a perfect season warrants a look at what it will take to continue on a successful path. Complacency is the state of mind that if it isn’t broke (or broke enough), why fix it? This state of mind can also be described as
When the goal for our day is to get the most benefit for the least amount of effort, we set a low bar for what can be considered a good day. I think this attitude is what holds people back from the success they desire. What successful people see as good is often different from the less
Circumstances can have a way of creating opportunities for leaders to compromise direction. Challenges will always come along the path worth taking. Those that don’t lead can often form opinions about a direction based on the challenges inherent in the chosen path. Perhaps the direction isn’t popular and a particular challenge is all the the proof someone
It sounds like wisdom to accept a limit. This is absolutely true when a true limit of ability is reached. People that settle for less often confuse an ability limit with an effort limit. Settling for less seems like the best possible result with the level of effort that I am willing to commit to. That’s not