What are we willing we do to accomplish the team’s goals? What aren’t we willing to do? Anything short of sin? Hangups about certain things in peacetime tend to hinder us less in wartime. Things outside our comfort zone can become morally ambiguous when a crisis demands that we cross lines drawn in the sand by our
The Houston Astros are a great case study in the villain label. They won the championship in 2017 and could have received a villain label for outlasting everyone that year. Recently it has come to light that they may have earned a different type of villain label by cheating and compromising the integrity of the outcome of
We can either treat pain like a good teacher or an evil one to be avoided at all costs. How we respond shows us what we are able to handle. If we run from pain, we know we cannot handle much adversity. That may feel like a harsh judgement and it’s probably true of the majority of
With the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal dominating the sports headlines, it is important to understand why cheating is a big deal. Teams are expected to play by the rules. That expectation not only protects the integrity of the team, but also the integrity of the game the team plays. Competition cannot be resolved without an agreed upon
It’s all fun and games until someone holds someone accountable. I know that is not how the saying usually goes but I happen to know it’s true from so much personal experience that I wrote a book on the subject. It’s called Villain and it is meant to be an encouragement to those who have the courage
Circumstances can seem to line up against us but if we make up our mind to finish regardless of what happens, we will finish. Unfortunately, too many people get caught up in the inconvenience of the grind required to become what the team needs to succeed. When this happens, our minds create all manner of good ideas
Everyone of us has the ability to be weak-minded or strong-minded. I have noticed that I am weak-minded when I am compromised by hunger, sleep deprivation, or emotional distress. My mind has no ability to see past the surface of things or beyond what it wants to see. My opponents can use this against me at the
Fear based decisions are always weak and sad and sometimes necessary for safety’s sake. Insecurity is always a slow poison that robs the team of the confidence necessary to have healthy relationships that lead to effective teamwork. However, fear of failure or a fear of not realizing potential is a healthy fear that should not be confused
The word desire brings to mind an image that seems to be a hybrid of caring and wanting. When a team truly wants something, they will focus more on what is necessary to achieve what they want. That seems to be an obvious statement but so many people fall short because they only talk about wanting something
Distraction can become such a burden leading teams to see the draw towards distraction to be as natural as the force of gravity. Great teams see distraction as something that can be avoided and therefore unnatural. Ordinary teams treat difficulty and truth with the same hesitation as a person who stands on a ledge at a tremendous