What Is Your Water?

Kat Cole, COO, and president of FOCUS Brands told a story about how doing humanitarian work in eastern Africa helped her better understand the importance of having clear priorities.

She was working with a village in Ethiopia and her team asked the leaders in the village, "What are your priorities? How can we help you?" One of the village leaders said, "Well, our number one priority is water. We need it to get to the places it needs to go to water our farms and vegetation, and we need to sanitize it so we can drink it and have proper nutrition and hygiene."

They wrote down water, and then they asked, "What are some other things you are focused on? What's your second, third, and fourth priority?"

Kat said, "Their response needed no translation because it was laughter." They said, "Our number two priority is water. Our number three priority is water, and our number four priority is water. You can build us a school if you want, but if we're sending our children to go get water, they won't be in the classroom. And you can teach us about hygiene and nutrition if you want, but if we can't get water where it needs to go, it will be meaningless."

Kat said she had an out-of-body leadership experience. she said, "Wow, they're so clear on their priorities. If I could only be that clear. In my business, with my teams, in my personal life. If only I could be that clear!"

Kat said, "When I returned, I told this story to our teams at FOCUS Brands, and I said, "From now on I'm going to ask you this question: What is our water? What is the one thing to do right now so that everything else would get better on its own?"

What is your water? What is your top priority? What is the one thing your team needs right now so that everything else can get better?

Fighting Mental Health with Awareness, Acceptance, and Action

In the past few months, we have seen 3 of the world's best athletes have to miss some of the biggest events in their sports because of mental health issues.

Sha'carri Richardson, Naomi Osaka, and Simone Biles have all missed major events in their sports because of mental health issues. 

Sha'carri Richardson used marijuana to deal with the pain of losing her mother during the Olympic trials. Richardson said that she smoked marijuana as a coping mechanism after a reporter - who she described as a complete stranger - told her that her biological mother had died.

Naomi Osaka said that she needed to miss French Open press conferences to take care of herself mentally and to exercise self-care and preservation of her mental health. She received a world of backlash, and support, for her decision.

Simone Biles is considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time, and she made the stunning decision to withdraw from the Olympics, acknowledging the tremendous pressure she had been facing as the 'head star of the Olympics,' and she said that she needed to focus on her mental health.

Being really good comes with a lot; it comes with a lot of good and a lot of bad. I have three daughters, and this makes me think of the pressure that I put on them to be good at the things that they do. There is a lot of pressure that athletes today have to deal with today that athletes have never had to deal with before. The media pressure, the never-ending presence of social media, and the level of scrutiny that they face from so many angles are obviously overwhelming to some.

What do we do as coaches and parents? In the book Making Work Human, the authors write that psychotherapists know that inner change is generally a three-step process: awareness, acceptance, and action. We should be aware that mental health is a real issue and find where and when mental health issues happen with our athletes. We should accept in a positive and healthy way that something can be cone about it and then take appropriate action.

All three of these athletes were aware of their mental health issues, they accepted it, and they took action. They protected themselves. The results might not be what they wanted, and looking at the level of judgment and scrutiny, it is not what many of the people around the world wanted. But Naomi said something powerful in an interview with Time Magazine. She said, 

"Life is a journey. In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons. Lesson one: you can never please everyone. The world is as divided now as I can remember in my short 23 years. Lesson two was perhaps more enriching. It has become apparent to me that literally everyone either suffers from issues related to their mental health or knows someone who does."

You can't please everyone, and you are never alone. 

I started this blog years ago because I wanted to document everything that I was learning on my journey to become the best coach that I could be. It has morphed into something bigger, and I now write for a couple of different reasons: I like to write, and I want to help create a positive, healthy space in the sports world.

Stories like the stories of Sha'Carri Richardson, Naomi Osaka, and Simone Biles are important. Even our youth athletes face a lot of pressure. We have to be aware of that. We have to accept that. And we have to be willing to take action to protect them while helping them continue to shoot for and fight for their goals.

Week 30 | TESTS

TESTS do not start or stop in school. TESTS are a part of sports and a part of life, and they come in many different forms.

I was at a basketball tournament last weekend, and I saw a 4th-grade girl get fouled with her team down by 2 with 5 seconds left. She had 3 free throws and the chance to win the game for her team, but the pressure was more than she could handle. The gym was packed, and everybody was watching. She missed all 3 free throws. That was a big TEST for such a young girl, and most people would say that she failed because she missed those shots and her team lost, but I would say that her ability to pass or fail that TEST was not decided by her making or missing those shots. I would say that her ability to pass or fail that TEST would be decided on how she bounced back the next day.

I saw her walk in the gym the next day, and she had her head up, she was smiling, and she had a bounce to her step. I thought to myself, “She passed the TEST.” She went through adversity, and she bounced back better than ever, and she modeled for everyone on her team and in the gym how to bounce back from a loss with positive energy, love, and joy.

Our TEST could be on the court and off the court. It could be shooting a game-winning free-throw. It could be how we handle criticism from our parents and our teammates. It could be how we handle how our coaches talk to us and treat us. Our TEST could be that one team that always beats us.

Every TEST is an opportunity to show your character. Your character is who you are during the good times and the bad times. Even Jesus was TESTED. He had to square off with the devil and let the devil know where He stood. In Luke 4, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was TESTED by the devil. God led Jesus into the devil’s trap because he wanted to take something that looked bad, scary, and dangerous and turn it around for good. Through this story, Jesus was able to show us that though we face scary and difficult TESTS, and we can stay strong and overcome them! Our TEST can become our testimony.

James 1:12-14 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the TEST, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

TESTS always come before promotion. We have no idea what God will and wants to do with us. We will have some tough seasons where nothing seems like it is going our way, but if we can remain faithful and keep doing what is right, we will win in the end.

In life, you will have to deal with wins and losses. There will be people who don’t like you, there will be people who reject you, and who don’t see your talent. You can’t become secure and go to the next level if you don’t get TESTED and if you don't pass your TEST.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When we live a life for God through the Spirit that He has given us, these are the 8 characteristics that we show. When we are being TESTED, these are the 8 characteristics that we want to live by. If you can live by the fruits of the Spirit, through the good and the bad, you can pass any test and you can keep leveling up so that the Lord can prosper you with his plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

This week:

1 - What is one test that you had to go through that has made you stronger or better?

2 - What is one fruit of the Spirit that you can focus on? Every day, think about it for 1-2 minutes in the morning, at lunch, and at night. Focus on having and showing that fruit through the good times and the bad. Focus on having peace, love, joy, or any other fruit through all of the tests that you go through the week.

For a Google Doc version, click here: Week 30 | Tests

Why Are We Here? From Individual Meaning to a Shared Purpose

“Work hard.”
“Bring energy and enthusiasm.”
“Talk, talk, talk.”

Coach Story was getting tired of repeating the same motivational slogans every day with little results. Coach Story was the new head girls’ basketball coach at Desoto High School. Desoto was once a state powerhouse, but they were now struggling to make the playoffs and have had 5 straight losing seasons. Coach Story was hoping to change the culture in her program, and after leading her team to their first playoff berth in 5 years and being only 2 games away from the state tournament in her first season, she thought she was going into the off-season with a lot of positive momentum, but she was frustrated with the effort and attendance of her athletes.

Coach Story was explaining her situation to Coach Mills, one of her trusted coaching friends. Coach Mills told her, “You need to create a shared purpose or vision statement for your team.”

Coach Story asked, “What is that?”

Coach Mills replied, “We spend so much time telling our athletes what we want, what we think, and what we need, but we don’t spend a lot of time asking them what they want, think, or need. Everybody has a reason for playing sports, and everybody has a reason for being on the team. Ask them what that reason is. When we find that out, it can help us better engage them and motivate them to do what we need them to do. If we can connect their individual goals, wants, and needs to the team’s goals, wants, and needs, we can keep them happy, hopeful, and engaged to work hard, smarter, and more together.

“Then when you find out each player’s individual purpose for being on the team, you can merge that all together and create a shared purpose for the team.”

Coach Story asked, “How do I do that?”

“Simple,” Coach Mills said. “Ask them, ‘Why are you a part of this team?’ At practice tomorrow, bring a paper and a pen for everybody. Tell them, ‘We are about to have the best season this program has had in 10 years. At the end of the season, EVERYBODY is going to want to talk to you and ask you what you did to change this program. I want to make sure that you know how to answer that. First, think about and write down a Twitter version of why you are a part of this team. I am going to give you 5 minutes to do so. When 5 minutes are up, you are going to share your purpose with a partner.’”

Coach Mills asked, “How many athletes do you have on the team?”

“We have 9 that show up regularly,” said Coach Story.

“Great,” Coach Mills said. “After they have all written down their purpose statement, have them partner up with somebody and share what they wrote down. Then have them create a shared statement with their partner. Tell them, ‘Using what you already wrote down and what your partner wrote down, create a partner statement for why you are both here on this team. One group will have three people because we have an odd number of athletes.’”

“Then give them another 5 minutes to write down a shared purpose for their group. Move around from group to group to make sure that they are on task and use guiding questions to keep them focused and engaged as needed. But let this be all about them. Encourage them to use their own words.”

“After 5 minutes, have the smaller groups then make bigger groups of 4 and 5 people, and have the groups do the same thing so that we have two different purpose statements. Again, walk from group to group to provide guidance and assistance as needed. When 5 minutes are up, have someone from both groups read out the two statements that they have created and write them on the board.”

“The final step is to take what both groups came up with, and as a team, create one shared vision or purpose for why you are all here. It should be short and to the point. It should be something that everyone can remember and repeat. When you make it to the state tournament at the end of the next season and you have reporters all over the gym, they are going to be asking you and your players how you made this turnaround happen. Every athlete is going to be able to say that you, together, created a shared vision. When they are asked what that shared vision is, they will all be able to repeat it because they created it, and they lived it.”

“All great teams talk regularly, recognize each other regularly, and celebrate together. It starts with talking about the things that are important and meaningful to them as individuals. Start by creating individual meaning and a shared vision.”

Coach Story asked, “What is the individual meaning part, and how is it different than a shared vision?”

“Meaning is unique to the person, and the shared vision belongs to all,” Coach Mills said. “The individual meaning part is what they first wrote down when they were on their own. The shared vision is what you all came up with together. Have them keep what they first wrote by themselves. Maybe even have them read it aloud one day or have them hang it up in their locker so that they always remember why they are here. Having that statement accessible during the hard times of the season when they lack motivation and inspiration can be meaningful and impactful.”

“Create a poster or hang up the statement that you all came up with as a team. Teams with a strong purpose and a strong sense of ‘WHY’ can inspire each other. When you have a strong culture, people will rise up and take care of each other when times get tough, and athletes on purpose-driven teams transcend the transactional because they know that they are a part of something bigger than themselves.”

As they finished this conversation, Coach Mills said, “Let me know how this goes! If this is a meaningful and impactful experience for your team, we can talk about the next step.”

MJ Mondays | Growing into Your Leadership Role

When Michael Jordan came into the NBA, the Bulls were not a very good team or organization. They didn't know how to win, and they did not have a winning attitude, a winning work ethic, or winning habits. It took a lot of hard work and determination for them to climb to the top of the NBA mountain. They needed leadership, and Michael Jordan had to grow into his role as a leader.

IF YOU WANT TO WIN, YOU HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE--IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED

Before Jordan was comfortable being a vocal leader, he first had to prove himself and earn the respect of his older teammates. Jordan said that he led by example when he was younger, but he found his voice when he became one of the older and more experienced players on the team. Jordan said, 

"I guess you could say I became a tyrant, or at least that's how some people chose to interpret those actions. That is not how I viewed it. I knew what it took to come from where we were in 1984. I had put in the time, and I had earned the right to let my teammates know what I expected of them. And it was no more than I expected of myself."

Jordan said, "I am very secure in my ability to focus on what I want. If I have an agenda or a goal, no one is going to deter me from what I want to do." When you are trying to lead a team, you have to know what you want and what you need to do to be successful. Then you have to stick to the script even though there will be obstacles and distractions.

Every great team needs a great leader and winning habits. The leader has to be focused and has to make sure that everyone on the team stays focused. To be a great leader, you have to first make sure that you are willing to do what you demand from your teammates. Then, you have to make sure that you are consistent and focused.

ALL I KNEW IS THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE AVERAGE. I HAD DREAMS. THEY WERE MY DREAMS, AND I HAD NO FEAR OF THEM.

It took Jordan a few years to feel comfortable enough to be a vocal leader. But he knew what he wanted, he worked hard, and he brought his teammates along with him. Through losing, he learned what it took to win, he defined a winning attitude, mindset, and winning habits for himself and his teammates and he modeled them for his teammates. When his teammates weren't working as hard as they needed, he found ways to manage, push, and motivate them.

DREAM BIG, BUT GO STEP BY STEP AND BE READY FOR EACH AND EVERY MOMENT.

If you are the leader, or if you want to be the leader, make sure you know what it takes to win, and make sure that you are willing to do what it takes to win. You will lose credibility if you are asking or demanding things from your teammates that you aren't willing to do yourself.

Find ways to effectively communicate with your teammates. Some teammates need you behind them and pushing them. Some teammates need you in front and pulling them along. Some teammates need you to walk next to them. Learn what each teammate needs to be the best that they can be, and find ways to be that for them.

Give yourself grace. Being a leader is full of ups and downs. Some days you say the right thing, and some days you don't. The time is always right to do what's right. Learn from what works, and learn from what doesn't work. Just keep working, learning, and growing.

Week 29 Devotional | Press-On

Andre Iguodala says that Steph Curry, more than anyone else, lives clutter-free. He has tapped into something mentally where he has such a short-term memory that he can quickly move on to the next play, make or miss, and he flows in that zone at all times.

When many of us miss a shot in a workout or a game, it completely throws us off; but not Steph. He just moves on to the next one. Iggy said that Klay Thompson is worse. Klay can be 0 for 10 and he thinks that the next 10 shots are going in.

They can PRESS ON no matter what is going on. They don't hold on to dead weight, and they don’t live in the past. 

In Philippians 3:10-14, Paul wrote:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

To press means to press against the pressure. Success is a journey, and the goal is to keep PRESSING ON no matter what happens to us. One of the toughest things for me on this journey is the battle going on in my mind, especially when I mess up.

I hold on to more things than I want to hold on to. I hold on to misses, I hold on to mistakes, and I hold on to guilt more than I need to.

But I learned that holding onto negative thoughts and guilt does nothing but hold us back. I learned that God has already forgiven me and moved on, and I need to as well. I learned that just because I feel guilty does not mean that I am guilty. I have learned to believe in the word of God over my feelings. I learned that I can be confident even when I do not feel confident. I can be confident because I know who I am in Christ and because I know that He is always with me. Sometimes I feel more anointed and confident than other times, but I believe that I am always where I need to be. 

So are you.

Don't bow down to your feelings. Don't let your feelings rule over you. Talk to God about your feelings, He will forgive you, and keep living life. Don't let anything or anyone steal your joy or your peace. Talkback to your feelings. Talk back to the devil. The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).

Be like Steph and Klay. Be like Paul. Keep PRESSING ON with peace and joy. It is one of the gifts that Jesus left us.

This Week

1 - When you feel thoughts of doubt or guilt, talk back to yourself. Tell yourself you are more than capable. Tell yourself that God is with you. Tell yourself that all things work together for those who believe and who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Tell yourself to PRESS ON.

2 - Think about a time where you overcame real adversity. Remember how you felt when you were going through it. Remember how you felt when you overcame it. No suffering lasts forever. Learn how to rejoice in your sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope (Romans 5:3-4).

For a Google Doc version of this, click here: Week 29 Devo | PRESS ON

What Do All Great Teams Have in Common?

Andre Iguodala went to 6 NBA Finals in a row and was the 2013 NBA Finals MVP, so he knows what it takes to be a great team.

On his podcast, JJ Reddick asked Andre Iguodala, “Aside from talent, what do the great teams have in common?”

Iggy said, “On the really great teams, everyone is happy for everyone’s success.”

He said that it is important to teach the game the right way, to play the game the right way, and to focus on a winning style of play.

GREAT TEAMMATES ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE SOME INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEAM SUCCESS

To be happy for someone’s success and to do what it takes to win requires some level of sacrifice. It can’t be, “I want to do what it takes to win as long as it is on my own terms.” On great teams, you really can’t do that. To be a part of a great team, you have to be willing to sacrifice some individual success for team success, and we can’t get in each other's way.

DON'T GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR TEAMMATE'S SUCCESS. HELP AND EMPOWER YOUR TEAMMATES TO BECOME THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE

Andre said that he was able to start and flourish as a rookie because nobody got in his way. That experience made it easy for him to allow Harrison Barnes to take his starting spot in Golden State, a move that helped him win his first championship. Andre said that he wanted to help and empower Harrison.

Iggy also said that the really good teams that he has been on never had to have a meeting about enjoying each other’s success, doing it together, passing the ball more, or caring about someone else’s success more. The great teams just have it.

I personally think it’s important to teach and reinforce what you want to see. Leave nothing to interpretation. Define, manage, and model what it means to be a great team, and teach your athletes what your vision of being a great team is. 

I tell my team, “We want to be a great team. We want to be the best team that we can be. To do that, we have to play a winning style of play, and we have to be happy for each other’s success.”

Know what you want. Know what you expect. Be able to effectively communicate, teach and reinforce what you want and what you expect.

What does a winning team do and look like to you? How do you communicate that to your athletes (and parents)?

Austin Reaves | The Hill Billy Kobe

Austin Reaves is a 6-foot-6 guard for the Oklahoma Sooners who is preparing for the NBA draft. He says that he has a story that is going to be different from the others.

Austin grew up on a farm in a small town called Newark, Arkansas. He didn't have any notoriety coming out of high school and he has had to literally work for everything. He knew nothing about AAU basketball, and when he would play, nobody was there to watch him.

He grew up playing baseball, and in the 7th grade, he made the decision to play basketball full-time. Despite putting up 'crazy numbers' in high school through hard work, determination, and after a 6-inch growth sport, he was a no-star recruit who chose Wichita State over 4 other D-1 offers. He stayed at Wichita State for two years where he earned the nickname 'Hillbilly Kobe,' or, "HBK" for short, before transferring and starting at OU.

FIGURE OUT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAY ON THE COURT

When he was asked about transitioning to big-time college basketball, Austin said:

"We had a really good team going in at Wichita State. Landry Shamet was there both years I was there. I was a freshman and I graduated high school at 17 years old, so I was still young. I was just a kid playing a grown man’s game. I was smart enough to know that I wasn’t the best player on the team. But I needed to figure out things that I could do to stay on the court. At that point, it was making open shots and taking charges and doing little things. That’s what I did to get the minutes, which progressed to more minutes as a sophomore. But I was really doing the things it took to help us win. During my time at Wichita State, I was strictly a catch-and-shoot guy and I got to Oklahoma and I became more of a playmaker. Going into Oklahoma, there was an opportunity for me to expand my role and do more and do what I was capable of doing. I just jumped on that opportunity early and it worked out well."

MAKE MISTAKES AND LEARN FROM THEM 

When he was asked about playing for coach Lon Kruger at OU, Austin said:

"I adapted to the way coach Lon Kruger let his guys operate and make mistakes and learn from them. I believe that you can make mistakes and that is how you better yourself. I learned how to be in that situation, and it was a blessing because I wanted to expand my role. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to mess up first and then figure it out. I leaned on coach Kruger and he had the trust in me."

Players and coaches can learn from those two quotes. Players, it is important to find ways to stay on the court and help your team win.

Coaches, it is important to create a structured environment where players can operate and make mistakes and learn from them.

Access the original article here: Austin Reaves

The Wide Path vs The Narrow Path

If you want to be successful, don’t expect things to be easy. You have to toughen up and be willing to do and go through whatever you need to do and go through so that you can have what you say you want to have and do.

A lot of people want what successful people have, but they aren't willing to do what successful people do, and they aren't willing to go through what successful people go through.

There is some luck to success, but you reap what you sow and you have to be ready and prepared when your opportunity comes.

Put in the work. Walk the talk. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

There are two paths we can take in life. We can take the wide and easy path, or we can take the narrow and hard path.

The wide path is easy to travel, but it leads to destruction and unfulfilled dreams. If you are on the wide path, you will never be lonely because there are a lot of people on the wide path.

The path to success is a narrow path and not a lot of people are willing to take it. They aren't willing to take it because it is hard.

Do what you have to do to live the life you want to live and to have the success that you want to have. It won't be easy, but be determined to take the narrow path to success.

Luka Garza on Overcoming Doubters

Luka Garza has been one of the top basketball players in the country for the last couple of years. The 6-foot-10 post for the Iowa Hawkeyes was the national player of the year this past season and he became the first player since Michael Jordan to win back-to-back Sporting News Player of the year.

But it hasn't always been easy for Luka. Many people questioned whether he could be a high-major basketball player, and now people are questioning whether he can survive and thrive in the NBA. When asked how being an underdog has fueled him, Luka said, "People who criticize me give me a to-do list of stuff to work on. It’s positive for me. I’m used to it. It definitely helps and adds fuel to the fire."

He added, 

"It’s not new to me. I’ve had it every level and every step of the way. It’s always followed me in terms of people doubting my ability to translate to the next level, whether it’s been high school or going to college. In high school, they asked, is he a high-major D-I player? Is he a top-100 player in the country? I was No. 100. I’ve always had some doubt following my game. People just don’t believe in me or what I can do. I’ve always been able to prove those people wrong because I work very hard. That’s just my solution. It’s just to put my head down and work and try to help the team in the best way I can and the best way that I know. I’m always continuing to evolve and work on my game and find different ways that I can get better and help a team."

Having the right attitude and mindset is the first step to success and overcoming adversity. Read the full article here: Luka Garza

MJ Mondays | Hit the Weights

Michael Jordan and the Bulls used to get bullied and beaten up by the bigger, stronger, and tougher Detroit Pistons. What did MJ and the Bulls do to overcome them to become champions? They hit the weight room.

Before his battles with the Pistons, MJ didn’t take lifting weights seriously, but he learned that if he wanted to become a champion, he was going to have to get in the weight room and get stronger.

Michael said that he was tired of getting brutally beaten up, and he wanted to start fighting back and give some pain himself. He needed to get physically strong enough to go against Detroit, and he got to the point where he said. “Instead of them dishing it to me, I am going to dish it back to them.”

He did that by hitting the weight room.

His trainer Tim Grover had a plan for adding size and strength to MJ’s body. MJ started weight training at 200 pounds, and they added 5 pounds at a time until he hit 215. Tim said, “I would give him a certain amount of reps to do, and he would never stop at that number. If I asked for 6, I knew he would do 12.”

Tim also said, “Michael’s mindset towards training was unique. He was the most competitive individual I’ve ever met. He never wanted to lose at anything and he always felt like somebody else was going to outwork him so he wanted to outwork them. He was never satisfied; he always wanted to get better, and every year there was something that he added to his game. He never played down to the level of his competition, and he always found a way to motivate himself; he did whatever the team needed for them to win. He practiced extremely hard which made the game very easy for him.”

Being strong and in shape can make you a better athlete, and it does something for you mentally. You feel stronger, faster, and tougher and you play stronger, faster, and tougher. Getting stronger and in better shape might be just the edge you need to take that next step.

MJ realized that the weight room and strength training was the one thing he needed to do to take his game to the next level, and he attacked it.

What is one thing that you can start doing that can take your game to the next level?

Week 28 | Patience

Supplement your faith with moral excellence, moral excellence with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with PATIENT endurance, PATIENT endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for every one (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Chris Paul is one of the greatest point guards of all time, but it has taken him 16 years to make it to his first NBA Finals. He has had to overcome a lot of adversity and difficult situations, including injury, health issues, and bad luck, but he has endured, and he now has a chance to cement his Hall of Fame career with an NBA championship.

When I think of PATIENCE, I think of Chris Paul. PATIENCE in the Bible is defined as the power or capacity to endure something difficult without complaint. I am not saying that Chris Paul has not had his share of complaints, but he has endured, he has kept going, and he is on the brink of his first NBA championship.

James was the half-brother of Jesus. He wrote the book of James. In it, he said, “For examples of PATIENCE in suffering, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. You know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy (James 5:10).”

PATIENCE is not one of my strengths, but it is so important. PATIENCE shows up in many ways, including how we actively wait for our opportunities and how to deal with our teammates.

Like so many superstars before him, including Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul had to keep working and waiting for his opportunity to play in the finals. He had PATIENT endurance. He never let adversity stop him. He never quit. Job and other leaders and prophets in the Bible had to have PATIENT endurance as well. Job lost everything, including his wife and his kids. But he did not quit. He was PATIENT as he endured, and God took care of him in the end. If you are not getting the opportunities that you want, or if things are not going the way you want them to go, or if you are not learning certain things as fast you want or as fast as you think you should keep working and understand how important PATIENCE is.

It is also important to have PATIENCE with your teammates. We are all different and we bring different attributes and gifts to the team. We also bring different personalities and sometimes those personalities clash with each other. I am sure there are times when Chris Paul is upset with teammates for certain shots that they take and for not working as hard as him. As a leader, Chris Paul’s job is to find ways to motivate, inspire, and push his teammates, but as Christian leaders, it is our job to do so the right way and with PATIENCE. Remember, PATIENCE isn’t passive. PATIENCE doesn’t mean to sit back, watch, and wait. PATIENCE means to endure without complaint. Find ways to live and lead through the good times and the bad without complaining or quitting and God will be kind to us and show us his power, grace, and mercy.

We are called to walk in the light of the Lord (Isaiah 2:5). We are also called the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:14-16).

This week, practice PATIENCE. When you face a difficult situation, try not to complain. When you go through something difficult, smile and think about something positive. It changes the chemicals in your brain when you do so. It can change your life, and a small act of PATIENCE with somebody this week might be able to change their life.

This Week

1 – When you face a difficult situation, focus on PATIENCE. Try not to complain and overreact in a negative way. Instead, smile when you face something difficult, and see if that helps you have more PATIENCE.

2 – Be a teammate that people know that they can go to and count on. Be a light and let your good deeds shine out for all to see.

For a Google Doc version, click here: Week 28 Devo | Patience

A Culture of Gratitude and Social Recognition

You can start to change your team and culture almost immediately by creating a culture of gratitude through social recognition. 

According to the book, Making Human Work, social recognition is recognizing and rewarding the people you work with. It is the foundation for creating a powerful, inclusive culture because it reinforces the things that are important and valued, and it gives everybody purpose and meaning through gratitude.

When we thank each other, praise each other, or show gratitude, it teaches and/or reinforces good behavior and/or performance. It also brings us closer together and makes us a more connected team.

What we talk about, recognize, and celebrate, we get more of. Social recognition leads to more. It leads to more good feelings, more gratitude, more optimism, more energy and enthusiasm, and more visibility into what ‘good’ looks like. What we talk about, recognize, and celebrate communicates what is important to us. Talk about, recognize, and celebrate the things that your team has identified as important. 

If you don't know what is important to your athletes, just ask them!

Making Human Work says that peer-to-peer interaction builds community. Coaches and leaders can, and should, initiate and lead cultural change by teaching and modeling important principles like belonging and inclusion, but real community and culture are built and reinforced in the thousands of little interactions made every day by everybody on the team.

Teams with the best cultures are teams that TALK, THANK and CELEBRATE each other regularly. Talking to, thanking, and celebrating your teammates builds trust. It also creates a 'team story' or narrative of how people accomplish goals and overcome adversity by working together.

Teammate interactions are where culture really exists; not in words in a vision or mission statement, but in the daily thoughts and interactions we have with each other.

One simple thing you can do to create more social recognition is to establish an expectation that anytime someone gives you a good pass, point at them. Tell the team that the point means, ‘I see you and thank you.’

To find other ways to recognize each other in easy, meaningful, and impactful ways, ask your team, “What are some ways that we can recognize each other for doing good things?” Empower and amplify their voice so that they take ownership over the process.

What is the culture that you are leading or a part of? What does it do well? What could it do better?

Do This:

1 - Immediate feedback is memorable. Say "Thank you" and "Good job" regularly. We are wired to need frequent reminders of our value to our team. It becomes a part of the team's story. 

2 - Always ask yourself, "Am I building or hurting OUR culture by our words and actions." We learn best through self-reflection.

3 - Tell your team, "Great teams recognize and celebrate each other for doing great things. It can help connect us. What are some easy, meaningful, and impactful ways that we can recognize and celebrate each other?

References: 

Mosley, Eric, and Irvine, Derek. Making Human Work. Globoforce Limited, 2020.