I have set the course of the progra I am currently working with to be the TEAM! In order to be the TEAM, we will need to beat the team(s) currently at the top of our conference. This will be no easy task. In fact, I have been told by a parent, it will never come to pass. Challenge made ... and ACCEPTED!!
The first step is to get everyone in the program working together toward that common goal. Obviously we are not there yet. We will reach that goal. It's simply a matter of time until the excellence I am striving to establish in our program becomes tradition and when that happens our greatness will know no boundaries.
The Native American tale about the battle raging inside each of us between two wolves also came to mind. It is a very short tale and it;s simplicity is exquisite.
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Both negativity and positivity are contagious. Both are naturally occurring within us. The one we feed the most will win. Our negative energy manifests itself in the form of anger, anxiety, complaining, excuses, jealousy, panic, resentment, selfishness, whining - all of which are energy drains to ourselves, our team and our program. These negative emotions drain us of confidence and leave us angry, belligerent and unsatisfied.
Our thoughts truly can be our worst enemy. We hear this expressed in athletics as our greatest adversary being the one we see in the mirror each morning. Or it is sometimes expressed as our own worst enemy being the one that resides between our own two ears.
Coaches also like to talk about controlables. I suggest the type of negativity being discussed here is most definitely controlable. I spoke at length with last years team about positive self-talk. This is a skill that can be developed. And if we look to those who are most successful in our sport we do indeed find these individuals to be extremely positive people. They will themselves and their teammates to greatness through their positive thinking.
The old Cherokee understood a simple truth. What goes into our thinking comes out in our actions.
GIGO
Goes In Goes Out is as simple as it gets.
So, the most important question our program must ask and answer this off season is, which energy source are we going to feed, nurture and grow? The negativity that has in one form or another permeated the program for far too long OR the positive energy flow that will propel the program to the heights its potential says it can reach?
When we feed ourselves a steady diet of hope, joy, humility, enthusiasm and love we will find ourselves competing with and defeating the team on our way to becoming the TEAM!
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