There are a lot of definitions of mental toughness out there. The one I prefer is simple, and comes from Jack Clark, the Rugby coach at Cal-Berkeley. Mental toughness is “the ability to move on to the next most important thing.” However you define it, mental toughness is about handling everything that is happening around […]
To Lead Is To Live Dangerously
To lead is to live dangerously, because when your leadership counts, when you lead people through difficult change, you challenge what people hold dear – their daily habits, tools, loyalties and ways of thinking – with nothing more to offer perhaps than possibility. Moreover, leadership often means exceeding the authority you are given to tackle […]
The Four Emotional Markers of Mental Toughness
Sports Psychologist Jim Loehr has described “the four emotional markers of mental toughness:” Emotional Flexibility – The ability to handle different situations in a balanced or non-defensive manner. Emotional flexibility also speaks to the skill of drawing on a wide range of positive emotions–humor, fight spirit, pleasure. Emotional Responsiveness – You are emotionally engaged in […]
I Have A Dream
Have you ever watched the full speech? It’s only about 17 minutes. Incredibly powerful.
Tom Seaver’s 301st Win
I loved this paragraph from Bill Madden’s new book Tom Seaver, A Terrific Life. The first chapter is all about the day of Seaver’s 300th win, towards the end of his career, when he pitched for the White Sox at Yankee Stadium. Madden, the author, kept prodding him about what, in retrospect, stood out most […]
Deserved or Earned
“Deserve ain’t got nothing to do with it.” – Prop Joe, The Wire I’ve had a lot of conversations with players over the years about playing time. I try and be as direct, honest and open as I can about how to earn playing time with my teams. For us, it was always three things […]
Your Leadership View
On a recent podcast I heard Luke Bobilak talking about leadership, and how it’s important to change your perspective as a leader. Leaders should imagine they are at a dance, he said, and should split their time evenly between the dance floor and the balcony. It’s a perfect analogy and something leaders should think about […]
Entitled To Nothing – Book Interview
Learn more and order the book here: EntitledToNothingBook.com
Leaders Communicate Perspective
I’ve often said the one commonality amongst the best players I’ve coached, and the best coaches I’ve been around, is perspective. They have an intentional attitude towards their approach to success, and they understand the connection to the big picture. This is a terrific article from 3×5 Leadership on perspective.
Entitled To Nothing – The Book
To purchase Entitled To Nothing, click here. Entitled to Nothing is an inside look at a championship culture built with an uncommon approach to leadership. Bob Walsh joined forces with a team of tough, hungry young men to create a level of ownership that led to sustained, elite success. Together they discovered an experience inside a […]