These articles were written and contributed by Scott Rosberg
If you missed the first part of this series, click here: Team Themes for Life #1 and #2
Theme # 3 – Toughness
This post is the third in a series of short posts based on the Team Themes & Quotes in my gift booklet “Senior Salute.” Today’s post is on the theme of “Toughness.” The kind of toughness we are focused on is a mental toughness, one that helps people persevere through tough times and stay positive and focused through all that life throws at them. For more information on the concepts of perseverance, mental toughness, & rituals mentioned in this post, I highly recommend you check out the book 1001 Motivational Messages & Quotes and the booklet “Life Lessons for Athletes” by Bruce Brown of Proactive Coaching.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison
One of the great things that athletics teaches us is to not be deterred by the “bumps in the road.” People with a toughness about them keep their eyes up and stay focused on visualizing the finished product. They are committed to continuous improvement, and they stay focused on it through any and all adversity that comes their way. As athletes and teams understand, practices and competitions are fraught with difficulties that they must work persevere through to stay focused on victory.
The same perseverance and mental toughness that is required for athletes to handle their competition will help them in other areas of life. All of us will be faced with all kinds of issues, dilemmas, and problems. Our ability to handle all that life throws at us will be affected by how “tough” we are. This mental toughness allows us to stay positive and productive in the face of difficult odds. A truly mentally tough person has a spirit that cannot be broken. No matter how many problems, roadblocks, or setbacks they face, mentally tough people stay the course and fight to the end.
Every day we are tested in various ways. How we handle each test determines our success or failure. But how we handle our failures is directly affected by our mental toughness. Those who are mentally tough bounce back quickly from mistakes and failures. They have created habits and rituals that help them move on from the failure and re-focus on the task at hand. From physical gestures to saying certain words, phrases, or acronyms to oneself, these rituals help bring the people back into a state that allows them to work to achieve their goals.
As we make our way through life, there will be bumps in the road. By preparing for and persevering through those moments, mentally tough people give themselves a greater chance of overcoming the obstacles they face and coming out on top. Their “toughness” helps them to become all that they are capable of becoming.
Theme # 4 – Passion
This post is the fourth in a series of short posts based on the Team Themes & Quotes in my gift booklet “Senior Salute.” Today’s post is on the theme of “Passion.” Of course, passion has all kinds of meanings and connotations, but we are focused here on a passion for whatever you endeavor to do.
“There is no passion to be found playing small—
in settling for a life that is less than the one
you are capable of living.”
— Nelson Mandela
Passion is a key ingredient of anyone’s ultimate success. You can have success in some things without passion, but success without passion won’t last for long. The reason is that in order to compete or perform at the highest levels for any length of time, you have to love what you are doing. You also have to love the process and the grind because the process and the grind are necessary for you to continue your success. No matter what you do in life, do it with passion.
Passion fires us up to go out, compete, perform, and give everything we have to whatever we seek to succeed in. That can be a sport, a class, a job, a family, or any other part of our life that is important to us. People with passion bring so much more to everything they do and everyone with whom they come in contact. When others see their passion, they often pick up on it and start displaying their own passion as well.
Passion is a key ingredient for anyone who has excelled and had success in some endeavor, especially for those whose success has been sustained over a period of time. Where would Bill Gates, Phil Knight, Steve Jobs, or any other successful entrepreneur have gotten to without passion? While they may have all had great ideas, passion drove them to heights they could have only imagined without it.
Life is so much more exciting for people with passion. Put your heart and soul into all you do and let it show to the world around you. You and the people who you touch in your life will be glad you did.
“Senior Salute” is a gift booklet for coaches, parents, or anyone else to give to senior athletes at the end of their season. It covers 7 different team themes that have played and will continue to play a role in athletes’ lives – Character/Integrity, Trust, Toughness, Passion, Accountability, Teamwork, & Success. There are quotes from famous (and not-so-famous) people in support of each theme. Finally, the inside front cover is set up for people to write a personal note to their senior. Individual copies of “Senior Salute” cost $6.00, but a 10-pack is only $50.00. You can also purchase gift envelopes to put them in. To purchase “Senior Salute” or to download the “Introduction and First Chapter Theme & Quotes” for Free, go to the Coach with Character website.