Soccer World 101: David Beckham Teaches Transferable Skills

Soccer World 101: David Beckham Teaches Transferable Skills: "For those that do not know, David Beckham is one of the biggest soccer stars in the world. He has played at every level, come through the ra..."

Think Big...Dream Big

Think big.... Dream Big

I have this quote hanging in my office and it reminds me to move forward in big ways to see beyond my potential and do big things for myself and other people. It also reminds me that whatever problems or setbacks I may come across I can still come back stronger and better than before.

  Big thoughts many times start with big dreams.  Success and greatness starts with BIG DREAMS.  Success and greatness are accomplished by taking action on those dreams.  Don't fear your dreams, embrace them.  Don't let other people talk you out of your dreams. 

  One of my favorite big dreamer's was Thomas Edison, he not only dreamed he could invent the light bulb, and did after failing thousands of times, he dreamed bigger than that.  He had big thoughts of building power plants to to generate the electricity to capitalize on the invention of the light bulb as well as many other "modern" devices to improve lives and increase the consumption of the energy his power plants were producing.

  Actors are another type of big dreamers I admire. These are folks who generally start with their dream at a young age of being in the movies or tv, "being famous" or winning an Oscar.  They work hard at their craft, suffer setback after setback, ridicule, lack of support and work sometimes 10 to 20 years to be an overnight success.  But the successful actors believe in their dream, believe in themselves and aren't willing to give up.  Coaches, musicians, athletes, and entrepreneurs often fall in this category as well. 

  So we now have this big dream.  How do we manage it?  First, is to clearly visualize it and see yourself "living this dream."  Write it down, then write it down even bigger!  Bigger dreams bring us bigger challenges and even larger rewards.  If your dream is to make $100,000 in commissions by the end of the year then make that $200,000.  This will help you stay energized and focused even if things get a little harder then you thought they would be.  Next put together a clear plan and set goals.  They need to be to goals you must reach for, remember you are going after big things.  As John Wooden said, "Goals achieved with little effort are seldom worthwhile or lasting."  Make sure the goals are in writing.  Now break those goals down into steps and the steps into tasks.  Put a target date or deadlines on these tasks, steps and goals.

  Discuss your dreams and get other like-minded people excited with your vision.  Find partners and mentors to help you along the way.  Help other people along the way. The more you are able to help other people get what they need, the more they will help you get what you need and help you fulfill your dreams.

Think Big

Dream Big

Dream Bigger

Have a plan 

Write down your goals, steps and tasks (with deadlines) to achieve your bigger dreams

Stay Focused on the "Prize"

Use coaches, mentors and find partners to keep you on the path to success

Coach John Wooden on Achievement

     "Don't mistake activity for achievement"

-- Coach John Wooden
October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010


  For me personally these five words from John Wooden may have been the most powerful keys to my success as a salesman and a coach.  I had just started coaching soccer and knew little or nothing about the game.  There wasn't much available in the U.S. on soccer coaching, plus I had never coached before, even if the were just 7 year olds at the time.  So I run across this quote by Coach Wooden, and it prompts me to purchase the book "They Call Me Coach".  Wow, not only was this quote and it's meaning a prescription for how to plan and run a practice effectively to achieve the maximum results, but it related to how I should plan a successful sales day, week, month etc..  The consistent practice of planning my days took my already solid sales career and fast forwarded it.  The book itself is not just about basketball, UCLA and sports but about success in life as well.  A must read for leaders and coaches.
  As a coach the practice of planning every practice kept the players engaged and moving from activity to activity growing their skills, conditioning, knowledge of the game and ultimately the opportunity to compete and win.  I always tried to make it fun, and end every practice with a game based on the strategy we had worked on during practice.
  When I began to consistently plan every day and week (as well as write down my goals) it was amazing how much more time I had for my family, was able to achieve more and be involved in the community.  It also turbocharged my income.
  Too many times over the years I have seen salespeople and coaches going through day after day "winging it".   They can usually be mildly successful winging it either because of good economic conditions or superior players.  This does eventually catch up to them resulting in unnecessary struggles.  I sometimes run into competitors I know aren't doing well and ask them how they're doing.  It blows me away how often I hear "I'm kicking "butt" and taking names," I think to myself "but are you making any money?"  I can tell this may usually be an enthusiastic salesperson, but is someone who isn't planning what they are doing day to day, their just out there taking names.  You still have to "achieve" appointments and get sales.  If taking names was going to get me stellar commissions I'd pick up the phone book and poof, I'd be rich.  


  "Plan your work and work your plan. Decide in advance exactly how you are going to get from where you are to where you want to go." -- Brian Tracy


Don't Wing It
Have a Plan
Plan BIG things
Write down your plan!  Find a system that works best for you.  Even if it's just a piece of paper or notebook.  Write it down!
Write down your goals
Encourage others to make BIG plans and to write it down.

Vince Lombardi on Victory

     "I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle..VICTORIOUS."

-- Coach Vince Lombardi

June 11, 1913 - September 3, 1970

   While I was sitting around with friends watching the end of the Super Bowl, with the Green Bay Packers finishing off my favorite team the Pittsburgh Steelers,  I was reminded of this quote.  It has been one of my favorites for a very long time and I shared it with my friends.  Then as we were driving home listening to all the post-game hoopla on the Sirius XM NFL Radio station, Boomer Esiason (I'm pretty sure it was Boomer) whipped out this quote to end his show.  Man, it gave me chills.

    As coaches, business people and entrepreneurs we go out into the "field of battle" every day.  While that may seem a bit dramatic, it is what we do.  We plan, set goals, evaluate the competition and strategize. With our resolution to SUCCEED we then put our hearts and energy into our projects and businesses, enlisting team members, friends, family members and energizing them with our dreams and visions.  With their help and hard work we set out to battle and claim our victory.

    Whether your starting a new business, have an existing business, a team or working on an important marketing campaign this all applies.  Just think what it feels like, you've quit your job to start a new business that your passionate about, but unsure how it's going to go.  You maybe enlist a partner or two or find a mentor who shares your vision.  You go to work after putting your plan together, every one's working hard, you have some setbacks and some doubts, still everyone has a goal and is grinding it out.  Now your closer to launching say, your new online business or marketing campaign that you've spent countless hours working and reworking until your deadline is now approaching.  Your nervous, tired, excited and just hoping you get more than a couple dozen clicks or orders.  The work is all done...you cross your fingers...press the "Publish Now" Button (or equivalent) and with nervous enthusiasm you wait.   Suddenly the click count starts jumping up, people are tweeting, blogging and and sharing all the information, buying your products and it's blowing away even your best case scenarios!  You take a deep breath wondering if you had enough to keep it up if it didn't work, but then you jump up start hugging everyone, high fiving, do the goal dance and run outside and shout "YA BABY, WE (I) DID IT"  What an exhilarating feeling.  VICTORY!

     Whatever it is you do, always remember to achieve sustainable success it does take hard work and enthusiasm.   Always have a plan and don't be afraid to enlist people who can help you with the knowledge or expertise to do the things you don't know or have the time for.  

Recruit Like-minded partners

Share your dreams and goals with optimistic family members and friends

Find Mentors

Use Coaches to coach in the areas you or your team needs help with

Keep Grinding, Evaluating your Strategies, Make appropriate changes and always expect VICTORY!

Don't forget to reward yourself or your team.  There's nothing like sharing the thrill of victory

Coach John Wooden on Fear of Failure

Today's Coach's Quote

    "Don't permit the fear of failure to prevent effort.  We are all imperfect and will fail on occasion, but fear of failure is the greatest failure of all."

-- Coach John Wooden
October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010

Coach John Wooden

My All-Time Favorite Coach

www.coachwooden.com

 Printable and interactive versions of Coach Wooden's

"Pyramid of Success"

They Call Me Coach

Probably my most favorite coach's book...not just about basketball and sports but about success in life as well.

Wayne Gretzky on taking your shot

"You miss 100% of the shots you never take"

- Wayne Gretzky

Hockey Great and Coach

With this quote in mind and the encouragement of family and friends I am taking my shot.  Creating this blog with the ultimate goal of building a Sales and Success Coaching following while making a positive difference in people's lives and businesses.  I have been fortunate to have been able to overcome obstacles  in both my personal and professional lives creating, 10's of millions of dollars in sales of products, services and real estate over the last 40 years.  However, with all that success I am most proud of my role as husband, dad and friend.

I have been lucky to have been mentored and "coached" by many people along the way, and have found for myself some of the best motivational, inspiration and insightful information comes from the quotes and stories of successful people and coaches.   I love the sports coaches being an athlete and coach, with their motivational and sometimes quirky ways of saying things that don't just apply to sports but to real life as well.  But not all coaches are sports coaches, take for instance Abraham Lincoln, he coached the Union vs. the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War, didn't he?  Or Winston Churchill, who coached the
British vs. the  German and Axis forces in WWII.  They were incredible coaches with awesome stories and great quotes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this introduction and the blog, please leave comments, quotes or ideas to share with everyone, and forward this blog along to anyone you know who will enjoy it.
Now on with the show............

"You miss 100% of the shots you never take"

What is it that makes us not take that shot?  Whether it's in a game, at a sales meeting or when an incredible, maybe even seemingly impossible opportunity comes our way?  Well, the #1 answer to that is usually the "fear of failure"!  So what are we afraid of?  What family or friends might say?  What your teammates might think, what will the coach say?  That the buyer will say no?  The fear of rejection is the #1 reason people say they would never go into sales.   Successful people embrace failure as a step towards winning and a lesson in what didn't work.  They know that they will not make 100% of the shots they take, but know if they don't take the shot they won't make (reach) the goal.

As coaches sometimes we may put this fear into a player without realizing it.  Have you ever been in or heard the situation where a player is next to the goal or alone under the basket for an easy shot but passes instead?  And everyone is thinking or yelling out "take the shot."  Later you ask the player why they didn't take the shot, many times they say that they were afraid to miss the shot, and when asked why, the response is usually, "I didn't want you to be mad at me for missing the shot."  Encourage your players and salespeople to take the shots, even when they miss the ones the they should have made, if their not out there taking shots they will never score.  

Encourage yourself, your players, partners, friends and family to Go For It - Be Positive
Be Confident

Have a plan or strategy

Get over it (perceived failure) and move on

Failure in sports or business is not fatal, just temporary