Week 50 | Kemba

I think we have all had experiences where we felt like we were done wrong and/or didn't get something we deserved. There has been a team we feel like we should have made that we didn't, a starting spot we felt like we deserved but we didn't get, and there are awards that we felt like we earned but were given to someone else.

Kemba Walker went from being the starting point guard for the New York Knicks to the very end of the bench - overnight. He has had a wonderful career, and he is from New York City, so the entire city was excited to have the hometown kid come back and lead their franchise.

But he hasn't been playing great, and his head coach not only took him out of the starting lineup, but took him completely out of the rotation. That meant, he went from starting to not playing at all!

But through all of that adversity, he never pouted and he never quit. He kept a positive attitude, he kept working hard, and when his time came, he was ready. 

Kemba is now back in the starting lineup and playing good basketball, including a Christmas Day Triple-Double.

Some people find problems, while others find solutions.

When asked about his return after the game, Kemba said:

"God just works in mysterious ways, man. He's blessed me, he's helped me stay humble, grounded, and he just got me through a tough situation. I just continued to work, and time goes on and guys go down, and I'm back. First game against my old team, I'm back in the starting lineup, and the rest is history from there.

"Everything happens for a reason."

Trials and tribulations are a part of life. Injuries, being cut, and being benched are real trials that almost all of us face. Those trials don't end with sports. Getting fired, missing out on promotions, and not getting certain jobs are realistic realities outside of sports.

There are many Biblical stories of people who have faced great trials and adversity, and one of my favorites is the story of David.

Many know David as the boy who took down Goliath. He became a favorite of the first king of Israel, Saul, and his son, Jonathon, but Saul became paranoid that David was going to take his throne, and attempted to kill David, forcing David into hiding for years. Saul and Jonathon were eventually killed in a battle against the Philistines, and David was announced the king over Israel and Judah, and he eventually conquered the city of Jerusalem, he made it Israel’s capital and he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the city.

Kemba and David were both blessed and highly favored, lost their favor, and regained it.

Adversity and storms are a part of the human experience, and it is a part of the Christian experience as well. “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12).”  “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Pet 4:12-14).”

Keep working hard so when your time comes, you are ready. Know that trials, tribulations, and adversity are a part of the journey, and put your trust in God knowing that all things work together for the good of those who believe (Romans 8:28).

This Week:

1 - Know that trials and adversity are coming. When it hits, thank God, because suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope (Romans 5:3-5).

2 - Be a leader. You know that trials and adversity are coming. Find ways to help motivate, inspire, and serve others so that they can grow through their trials.

3 - Pray: Our Father, thank you for your leadership, your blessings, and your grace. I know that trials and tribulations are a part of the human experience. I also know that trials and tribulations help me grow stronger as a person, and they help me grow closer to you. As I go through difficult situations, please help me to call on you and lean on you first because I know that you will help me through anything and everything. In Jesus's name I pray - amen.

You can find a Google doc version of this here: Week 50 | Kemba

Week 49: The Parable of the Talents

We have all been given different talents and gifts. Steph Curry can shoot the ball like nobody in the history of the NBA. Tom Brady defies time with the way he throws the ball. Megan Rapinoe has been a leader of the USWNT for years, and her ability to strike the ball has helped her win two world cups and a FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award.

What I find amazing about all three athletes is that neither of them jumps out at you as being a superior athlete, but they have all been at the top of their sport because they know who they are, they know what they do best, and they maximize what they have been given.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the parable of talents. It can be read fully in Matthew 25:14-30. A man was preparing to go on a journey, and he trusted three of his servants with his property.

To one servant, he gave 5 talents, to another servant, he gave 2 talents, and to the third servant, he gave 1 talent. He gave to each of them the number of talents that matched their ability, and then he went away.

The person with 5 talents went at once and traded with them, and he made 5 more talents.

The person with 2 talents went and made 2 more talents.

The person with 1 talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

After a long time, the master came back and wanted to get his talents back. He received 10 talents from the first servant, 4 talents from the second servant, and he received the same, 1 talent from the third servant. He praised the first two servants for bringing him more than he gave them. He told him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter the joy of your master." He was so upset with the 3rd servant because he did nothing with the talent that he was given that he took the servant's 1 talent and gave it to the first servant who already had 10 talents.

The master then said, "For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."

We all have been given something; it is our job to figure out what that something is and use it to glorify God and to make this world a better place.

Steph was told that he was too small and too slow to make it in the NBA. Tom Brady was the 199th pick in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft. Megan Rapinoe had to overcome two season-ending knee surgeries to make her first World Cup.

We all have our strengths to maximize, and we all have our obstacles to overcome.

This Week

1 - Identify your strengths. What are three things that you do best?

2 - Identify your obstacles. What are 1-3 things that keep you from doing what you do best?

Pray
Our Father. Thank you for the wonderful gifts and strengths that you have blessed me with. Please help me recognize those strengths, and please help me use them to serve others. In Your name I pray, amen.

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: Week 49 | The Parable of the Talents

Be Willing To Try

If you want to be successful at anything, you have to be willing to TRY, and if you are willing to TRY something, you have to understand that there is a possibility that you will fail.

Basketball coach, Kevin Eastman, wrote, “TRYING, taking in new challenges, facing the unknown, come down to these questions:

- Is my TRY greater than my fear?
- Is my TRY greater than my doubt?
- Is my TRY greater than any embarrassment that U may suffer because I did not accomplish what I set out to do?

Accomplishing anything, overcoming any challenge, requires a start, and starting something requires a willingness to try. So, TRY always precedes start.

Coach Eastman defines TRY as a decision followed by an effort to accomplish something.

Today, next week, forever - TRY. TRY something new. TRY to show up early. TRY to stay late. TRY talking to your coach about how you can get better. TRY, TRY, and TRY again.

If you want to be successful at anything, the first step you have to take is to TRY!

References:

Eastman, Kevin, "Why The Best Are The Best." Advantage, 2018.

Driven From Within

In his book, Driven From Within, Michael Jordan wrote, "I look at these kids today, and they don't know how to trick themselves. They don't even understand the need to find a way to get yourself ready to play at the highest level every night."

Michael Jordan was the ultimate competitor, and I am always interested in how the best motivate themselves and keep themselves motivated.

I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE MORNING THINKING, "OK, HOW AM I GOING TO ATTACK TODAY?"

Michael Jordan wrote, "It was so easy for me to find ways to motivate myself. My driving force, my passion, was to impress people with what I could do. They got me through those dog days. The most important thing I learned from my father was the passion to prove what I was capable of doing. It was just that simple. I thought about that person who had never experienced the excitement or entertainment I could provide."

WHEN I DID GET ATTENTION, I WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT I DESERVED IT.

This quote reminded me of a story that former NBA star Allan Houston shared at a basketball camp years ago. He said, "You never know who is watching you. I grew up working out at a basketball court at a park by my house. I never thought anybody was watching me, but after a big game in high school, an older man came to me and said that he has been watching me work out on the basketball court for years, and I was an inspiration to him because of how hard I worked."

It can be dangerous to place your worth, value, and motivation in trying to impress other people because you can't control what impresses other people. But every time you play, it is an opportunity to prove to yourself and others what you can do. Allow that to motivate you and drive you to create a disciplined life so that when it is time to play, you are ready to perform at your best.

Michael Jordan wasn't a child icon. He came from a small town, and he said that nobody knew who he was. Many people around him and around the country were getting well-publicized, but not him. Once he did start getting recognition, there were people who thought he was too good to be true, so he was always being challenged.

Michael wrote, "I didn't get tarnished by national attention or success at a young age. I didn't experience the spoils. I always felt like I had to prove myself, one way or another. I never felt like it was enough to be noticed. That approach carried me through my entire career. That was my strength. I never lost the desire to work hard, set goals, and achieve. That never went away from me."

Stay ready so that you don't have to get ready. Don't look up one day shocked and surprised by your competition or the moment. Stay as ready as possible for your moment through the work that you do every day.

Week 48 - Finish

Isaiah Jewett was a college track star at USC and was preparing to show the world what he could do in the 800-meter race in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Jewett's goal was to finish in the top two of his semi-final heat, and when he was coming around the final turn, he was in a tight pack of runners when he felt something clip his foot.

Jewitt lost his balance, and went tumbling and rolling, in the biggest race of his life, and took out Botswanan runner Nijel Amos with him.

Devastated, Jewett scraped himself off, extended his hand to Amos, and pulled him up.

Amos said, "I'm sorry."

Jewett said, "Let's just finish the race.

Jewett and Amos FINISHED the race together, shoulder to shoulder, nearly a minute behind the winners. But they FINISHED.

Regardless of how mad you are, you have to be a hero at the end of the day," Jewett said. "That was my version of trying to be a hero, standing up and showing good character, even if it's my rival or whoever I'm racing or if anything happened. I don't want to show any bad blood, because that's what heroes do. They show their humanity through who they are."

That is a powerful message. Isaiah Jewett had every right to be upset with Amos. He trained his whole life for that moment, only for it to be taken away. But instead of being angry, he modeled what a true hero was.

At that moment, he was the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

This year is starting to wind down. We only have a few weeks until Christmas, and then one more before we start the new year. Trials and tribulations are sure to hit during the holiday season. They definitely hit Jewett, but he still FINISHED his race, and it is important for us to FINISH the year strong. 

Jesus told us that FINISHING strong won't always be easy. Storms will surely hit us all during this final stretch. But we have Jesus to look to and call on when the storms hit.

In Psalm 107:28-41, it was written, "Yet when they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, the Lord brought them out of their distress. He calmed the storm and its waves quieted down. So they rejoiced that the waves became quiet, and he led them to their desired haven."

In Timothy 2:4, Paul is a great example of FINISHING strong. Paul was spending his last moments of life in prison when he wrote to Timothy, encouraging him to keep his head in all situations, endure hardship, and do the work of the ministry."

Instead of laying down in his cell to die, Paul wrote some powerful and inspiring words from prison during his final days. He FINISHED his race, and he FINISHED it strong. 

Instead of laying down on the track, instead of pouting and feeling sorry for himself, and instead of placing the blame on someone else, Isaiah Jewett picked himself up, picked his opponent up, and FINISHED his race.

With only a few weeks left of 2021, make a plan to FINISH the race of this year. FINISH strong, and try to help someone else FINISH their race strong too.

Prayer
Our Father. I want to FINISH my race. I want to FINISH my race strong. I want to also inspire and motivate others to FINISH their race strong. With only a few weeks left in this year, please help lead me, guide me, and show me how to FINISH this year strong and with positive energy and momentum into the next year. In Jesus's name I pray; amen.

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: Week 48 | FINISH

The Big Game Flu

I walked into the coach's office, and one of the football coaches was sitting at his desk with his head down. I ask him what was wrong, and he said that the 'Big Game Flu' was running through his team.

I asked him what the 'Big Game Flu' was, and he said that some seasons, when his team was having an average or below-average season without a lot of leadership and lacking in grit, many of his players would end up hurt when they would play the top teams in their district, only to be healthy the next week against a weaker opponent. Their coaching staff, noticing this trend happening the week of the big game, started calling this phenomenon the 'Big Game Flu.'

He said that the 'Big Game Flu' doesn't run through their team every year. The years where they have strong leadership, when their athletes are mentally tough and have grit, and when he has athletes who truly love to play the game and play with and for each other, the big game weeks are the best weeks.

But seasons and teams like they have right now are tough, and when it gets tough with groups like he has right now, the 'Big Game Flu' strikes fast, strong, and hard.

The craziest thing about this year's group is that they have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. They could lose the big game and still make it in, but that doesn't stop the 'Big Game Flu' from destroying the team's morale this year.

How do we prevent or stop the 'Big Game Flu' from happening? I am not sure; especially at the high school level. By the time our kids get 14 or 15, many of their mindsets are already so deeply established that they are hard to change. How do you make a kid tougher? How do you make a kid grittier? How do you make a kid love the game more?

When someone can figure those things out, they should be able to bottle it up and write a few bestsellers that could change the world. Until then, we have to focus on creating the best cultures and environments possible that focus on growth mindset and connection.

Growth Mindset is the idea that we all have the ability to learn, grow and do hard things with practice over time. The leader of the growth mindset movement, Carol Dweck, has said that we can increase character traits, like grit, through awareness, teaching, and timely feedback. Her studies have shown that people of all ages can learn how to overcome the 'Big Game Flu,' and other hurtful habits and illness.

Don't Judge, Teach
To prevent the 'Big Game Flu' and similar illnesses, we have to teach, not judge. Athletes with a fixed mindset, a mindset where they think they are who they are and that they can't get any better, feel like their traits are being measured and judged all the time. Instead of judging, teach. Treat everything like it is a learning process. It is okay to get the 'Big Game Flu.' Many people get the 'Big Game Flu.' Don't judge anyone for getting the 'Big Game Flu.' Teach them how to prevent it and overcome it. Help them learn better skills for getting over the 'Big Game Flu' like understanding that one game is just one game, and the lessons and experiences from that game can be used for the rest of their lives. 

Of course, we want to win games; but more importantly - we want to win in life by helping our athletes become great people. Becoming a great person requires learning that the 'Big Game Flu' is real and okay, but also teaching how to overcome the 'Big Game Flu.'

The great teachers believe in the growth of intellect and talent of all of their students, and they are fascinated with the process of learning.

Create the Right Environment
Carol Dweck says that great teachers set high standards for all their students. They establish, on Day One, an atmosphere of high expectations and genuine affection and concern. We won't love everyone we coach, but we must care about everyone we coach and believe in their ability to learn and grow. They put their athletes in the frame of mind where they can do their best. 

Few coaches can actually get their athletes to their ultimate potential by challenging their athletes while making sure that they feel cared about. That is why the 'Big Game Flu' sweeps through so many teams. Growth-minded coaches tell the truth and their athletes are able to receive it because they know their coaches care and because the coaches give them the tools needed to close gaps and grow.

Full Preparation and Full Effort
Success comes when we apply ourselves each day to becoming a little better. When you apply yourself to become a little better every day, over a period of time, you will become a lot better. There is no such thing as a mistake-free game. When we expect mistake-free games and judge our players off of their mistakes, it can create a toxic environment where the 'Big Game Flu' loves to live. 

Be tough and demanding. Have high expectations and hold people accountable. Do not tolerate less than their best. But making it about love and effort knowing that mistakes and losing is a part of life can help keep the 'Big Game Flu' away from your locker room.

Love What You Do
The best thing that you can do for anybody is to be a good example. Love who you are, love what you do, and love who you do it with. You won't always like everything about yourself, what you do, and who you do it with, but love is deeper than like.

The human experience is full of trials and tribulations that we have to learn how to navigate and overcome, but with a growth mindset, with time, and with effort, we can learn to live with and through love. That love is contagious. If we don't love it, it will be hard for them to love it. We have to model the love and actions that we want to see from our athletes. Be the example that you want to see by showing up every day, no matter the circumstances, with love, energy, and enthusiasm.

Who To Play For | Master P

Rapper, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur, Master P, has a son who has a son who is currently playing Division 1 basketball at Tennessee State, a son who used to play Division 1 basketball at USC, and a son who has just committed to play Division 1 basketball at the University of Houston where he was on his way to playing when a knee injury changed his direction and he instead put his energy into music.

Master P was recently on the No Chill Podcast with Gilbert Arenas when he said that one of his sons chose a college that he didn't really want him going to. His son Hercy chose to go to an HBCU instead of a Power 5 school, and Master P felt like his son was sacrificing a lot by doing so.

Gilbert Arenas thought that this was an important message for parents to hear. Master P said that he wanted his son to go to a school like LSU, but he chose Tenessee State, and Master P gave them the power to walk their own path.

Master P responded by saying, "And I am going to support them." 

A lot of parents don't understand this. A lot of times, we try to force our kids a certain way and they won't love it and it will be a failure because they aren't mentally ready for it.

Master P said, "I am going to let my kids make their own decisions, especially when it comes to education. They have to go to school; I can't go to school for them. They have to play basketball. Go to a school where you know and believe that the coaches believe in you. Go where the coach makes you feel comfortable, where they believe in you, and where they know how to get you to the next level."

That is an important message for all parents of athletes and for athletes looking for a place to play, whether it is a new youth team, a competitive travel team, or a college.

WEEK 47 | CONFIDENCE

CONFIDENCE is all about trust and belief. Sports psychologist Dr. Patrick Cohn defines self-CONFIDENCE in athletes as to how firmly athletes believe in their ability to execute a physical skill or perform a task. He says that CONFIDENCE is how strongly you believe in your ability to make or execute a play, and CONFIDENCE comes from past performances, training, and preparation. As your ability and skill grow your confidence grows.

Former NBA player Matt Barnes has a popular podcast where he interviews other athletes. In one of his episodes, Jeremy Lin spoke about his struggles with mental health and his CONFIDENCE . He said:

“The game is 90% mental. At the elite level, everybody has the skills. It's the dude who can shoot 7 times and miss all 7 and not care and shoot the 8th who is different from the person who missed his first 3 and will play it safe from there. There is so much power in the mind.”

I think CONFIDENCE comes from two different places, the work we put in and our faith in God. James 2:14-26 talks about the importance of faith and works:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit. Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Success starts in the mind. CONFIDENCE starts in your mind and with your thoughts. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). If you have CONFIDENT thoughts, you will be CONFIDENT.

The beauty of being a Christian is that we have the ultimate source of power, strength, and grace in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).

But fear and a lack of CONFIDENCE is common. If you don't feel CONFIDENT in all things, you are not alone. The Bible is full of stories of people who were called on by God himself but still doubted. Moses was called to lead the entire nation of Israel out of Egypt, and almost every step of the way he doubted himself. Courage and CONFIDENCE are not the absence of fear. Courage and CONFIDENCE are doing what you are supposed to do in the face of fear.

In an interview, Michael Jordan was asked if fear of failure was a motivator. He said, "I never feared about my skills because I put in the work. Work ethic eliminates fear. If you put forth the work, then what are you fearing? You know what you are capable of and what you are not."

CONFIDENCE comes from putting in the work and finding success then repeating success. As your ability and skill grow your confidence grows.

CONFIDENCE also comes from God. It can be hard to depend on God when we are used to relying on ourselves, but the Bible teaches how to build CONFIDENCE in him and not ourselves.

The first step in finding CONFIDENCE in God is BELIEVING that you can find CONFIDENCE in God. The first step to anything is having the right thoughts, beliefs, and mindsets. If you want to find CONFIDENCE in God, you have to believe that CONFIDENCE is found in God. In Psalm 16:8-9, David wrote, "Because you are close to me and always available, my CONFIDENCE will never be shaken, for I experience your wrap-around presence every moment. My heart and soul explode with joy - full of glory! Even my body will rest CONFIDENT and secure."

The second step is by abiding in Christ. Jesus told His disciples, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:7-8)." Abide means to live, continue, or remain, so, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him. We can do that through constant and consistent prayer. Pray for everything, and pray through everything. Pray all day, every day. When you wake up, pray that something good happens to you and through you. Before practice, pray that you are able to help others and provide value to your team. Before you go to sleep, pray that your mind and spirit is renewed so that you can wake up ready to be a blessing to others and pray that something happens to you and through you. All things work together for those who believe, and you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Romans 8:28 and Philippians 4:13).

A third step is to finding CONFIDENCE in God is by obeying Him in everything that you do. James wrote in James 2:22-23, "You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend." Because Abraham believed God and did what he was told, he was blessed and was called God's friend. That has to be an amazing CONFIDENCE booster.

CONFIDENCE comes from the work that we put in, and through our relationship with God. Through time and effort, we can build our CONFIDENCE.

For a Google doc version of this devotional, click here: Week 47 devo

Week 46 | THANKS

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His live endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34).”

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for us to pause and reflect on what we are THANKFUL for.

Studies gave shown that people who express gratitude experience a variety of benefits - like better sleep and more meaningful relationships.

Most importantly, Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect and share gratitude to and for God for all of the things that He has done for us. Meditating on the things that He has done for us brings us closer to God, and some research shows what we think is multiplied. So thinking about the blessings that God has given us can lead to more blessings.

"Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 106:1).”

This Thanksgiving, take a second to tell someone special in your life THANK you, and tell them why. Share your THANKS and gratitude with the people who have positively impacted your life.

Escape Velocity

I don't know too much about physics, but David Cowan once said that the gravitational pull on earth is so strong that most of the fuel that spaceships use to get to the moon is used just getting them beyond earth’s gravity. After they leave the earth’s gravity, the scientists rely heavily on lunar gravity to pull the space ship toward the moon.

In her book, The Path, Laurie Beth Jones writes, that similarly, it is ‘escape velocity’ that requires most of the energy needed to pull us away from the bad habits that we have so that we can become the people we want to become, do what we want to do, and live the life we want to live.

She says that we must have a compelling vision that is so powerful that it's very magnetism and gravitational forces will literally pull us toward it.

She also writes that physicists are now aware of subatomic particles that hover in and around everything that exists, and that one characteristic of these particles is that they seem to take on the properties or expectations of the scientists studying them. We are currently and constantly creating the future by what we say and think - whether we know it or not!

That is why the battlefield of our minds is the most important battle that we fight. What we think, we become with action and over time.

Take some time and think about where you will be in 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years - if you don't make any changes. If you don't like what you see, what changes do you need to make?

Author Robert Fritz teaches that the moment that we become frustrated or upset with a situation is our ‘Point of Power.’ Use those moments to recognize what you don't want so that you can clearly see and express what you do want.

Get clear about what you want, create a plan for how you want to get there, control your thoughts and words, then work! The mind thinks in pictures, so activities like vision boards and mind maps help, but nothing works like work.

The Power of Positive Prophesies

It is said that the grandmother of Jackie Joyner Kersey named the child after First Lady Jackie Kennedy, “Because someday she is going to be the First Lady of something!”

Jackie Joyner Kersee grew up in poverty and had to overcome asthma and being allergic to many things - including grass - to become one of the greatest athletes of all time as a dominant track and field star. She has been called by many, “The first lady of track and field,” living up to the meaning behind her name. She had God-given talent, but growing up in a house and environment of positive prophesy and high expectations surely helped.

Author Laurie Beth Jones writes that a positive prophesy is a positive prediction that you share with someone, and research shows that this can lead to an increase of performance.

She also wrote, “One if the most important things we can do for others - and for ourselves - is to create and maintain an atmosphere charged with positive prophesies.”

Success stories are littered with people along the way who have offered words of encouragement and who have used compliments as keys to unlock a world of potential.the works we say can help lead others to their destiny.

The words we use can also lead people away from their destiny. Many success stories are also filled with negative prophesies - negative predicitions placed on some - and people who have used those negative prophesies to fuel them.

In an interview with Jon Gordon, author and speaker Heather Monahan said, “You can change a person's life just by the belief you have in them and by caring enough to take a moment to verbalize that. She is the author of a book about confidence, and she was sharing the story about how one person’s comment inspired and encouraged her to write it.

We have to chance to change the world through how we talk to others. Words have power, and if we can be positively truthful and see the good in others while providing feedback, we can help set other people up for success by building their confidence, helping them refine their skills, and unlocking new doors that they might not have known existed.

References

Jones, Laurie Beth. “The Path.” Laurie Beth Jones, 1996.

MJ Monday's | Growth Mindset

Every year on every team that I coach, I have three types of athletes: I have a group that will listen, try, and do almost everything I say just because I am the coach. I have a 2nd group that don’t want to try anything hard and new. I have a 3rd group can go either way depending on a lot of different factors, including the influencers on the team and my ability to connect with, engage, inspire, teach, and motivate them.

Psychologist Carol Dweck has studied mindsets for years. In a talk with Google, she said, “Some people believe that their talents and abilities are just these fixed traits where you have a certain amount and that's it, but other people believe that talents and abilities can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and good mentoring from others.”

She also said that some people wilt in the face of failure and shy away from challenges while others who are no more talented and capable embrace challenges and thrive in the face of failure.”

The best athletes on the best teams have a growth mindset. Growth mindset is the optimistic belief that you can learn and get better with deliberate practice and time. It means that you can learn how to do hard things.

But it starts with listening, learning, trying, and being willing to fail. When you have a fixed mindset, Dr. Dweck’s research shows that you might be afraid of challenges that might unmask your deficiencies and withdraw in the face of difficulties so that you don’t look or feel ‘stupid.’ People with a growth mindset, the idea that you abilities can be developed, are always looking for ways to get better by taking in challenges and by seeing them through.

Dr. Dweck goes on to say, “Growth mindset doesn’t mean that everyone is the same and that they don’t differ in talent and ability. It just means that everyone can grow.”

Michael Jordan once said, “If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

When we see someone who is really good at what they do, like Michael Jordan, it’s easy to think that they are born that way and that they have had an inevitable rise to great success. But when you research your heroes, you realize that they didn’t catapult to success solely because of their amazing, born talent. Every hero put it a great deal of work, and when they were met with obstacles, they powered through them. Some people are born with certain passions and talents and build them, but many people who never achieve anything are born with talents and passions that they never see through. What we come with is the raw material that we have to develop.

Ask yourself which group are you in? Are you willing to try something new? Are you too afraid to fail or do hard things because you might fail? Are you in the middle, waiting to figure out if you want to buy-in or not?

When your coach corrects you, do you shut down? Do you fight back? Do you run from criticism? Or do you get excited and appreciate that someone cares enough to provide you with feedback?

When you are trying to learn something new and hard, do you try your hardest? Do you try it one time and quit if you can't do it? Do you do it successfully once or twice and quiet? Or do you keep working at it and practice it until you have mastered it?

Obstacles are a part of sports and life. How we handle those obstacles is determined by and defines who we are as people. The beauty of having a growth mindset is that with time and deliberate practice, your ability to do hard things can improve.

Thank You

When a player says, "Thank you, coach," I always say, "Thank you," back. The truth is, they don't have to show up, and when they do show up, they don't have to listen. We see and hear about the negative side of coaching so much. Players are transferring all the time. Parents are hard to please. Kids don't work as hard as they used to, they are selfish, and they aren't as tough as they used to be.

The complaints and excuses are endless, and many of them are valid.

But being a coach is one of the most important jobs in the world. We have the ability to impact lives in ways that no one else can, and we interact with more kids than most, so the quality of our coaching, teaching, and mentoring, and our ability to build meaningful relationships really can change the world.

When the going gets tough, remember how important and sacred the player/coach relationship is. Remember how coaches have impacted your life - positively and negatively. Remember that you are having the same impact on the lives of the athletes and families that you lead - positively and negatively.

Remember the kid who came to you with no skills and no ambition who became a star. Remember the kid who would never talk who now talks your ear off every practice. Remember the kid who cried at their first practice because they didn't want to be there and cried at the last practice because they didn't want it to end. Remember the phone calls and text messages with parents who were lost and didn't know what to do with their own kid, and who needed you to help guide them and to reassure them that everything was going to be okay.

Remember that team that you were afraid wouldn't win a single game but won the league. Remember the team that you thought was going to win it all but couldn't win a game. Remember the lessons that you learned in trying to keep those kids' heads up and to keep fighting through the losses. Remember the lessons that those kids taught you as you struggled to keep your head up and fight through the losses.

Remember the team meals and the team bus rides. Remember the pre-game talks and the post-game talks. Remember the big wins, and remember the devastating losses. Remember the winning streaks and how fun they were, remember the losing streaks and how you thought you would never win again, and remember the big wins that broke the never-ending losing streaks.

Remember the pep-rallies, the cheerleaders, the roar of the crowd at the field when someone scored a goal, or hit a home run, or scored a touchdown. Remember the roar in the gym when someone gets a game-changing dunk, or a momentum-shifting three, or a big steal, or a game-winning shot at the buzzer.

There is nothing like being a coach. There is nothing like the feeling of appreciation and honor when a kid thanks you and when their parents thank you. When they do say thank you, make sure you say thank you back because they trusted you. They trusted you with their career. They trusted you with their kid. That is a big responsibility. Be thankful.

Enjoy the Journey

- Enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

- Find happiness in enjoying the journey, not by awaiting the destination. 

- The journey is yours. Enjoy each and every step.

- Somewhere on your journey, don't forget to turn around and enjoy the view.

- So often we become so focused on the finish line that we fail to enjoy the journey.

If you Google search 'enjoy the journey quotes,' there are so many that pop up. I enjoy these quotes because they help you focus on the journey and not just the destination. If you focus just on the destination, you will miss all of the fun of the journey. You will miss the meaningful memories, the lessons, and the small but impactful moments that make life special.

There is nothing like the bus ride to a big game except riding home from the bus after a big win. The locker room is one of the most special places on a school campus. The team meals the night before games, rotating from house to house, are a great way to get to know the families of your teammates and to see how other people live. If someone could bottle up the energy of the first practice, or the energy before the first game, or the energy of the opening minutes of the first game of the playoffs, that person would be rich beyond belief. And, there are few greater moments in sports than watching the senior on a senior night get the opportunity to score their first and only points of a season or career and watching their teammates and everyone in the stands cheering them on.

If we focus so much on the end result, we miss all of those moments.

But to get to those moments, you have to take the first step and then you have to keep taking the next, right step.

Azzi Fudd is a great example. She was the number one high school girls basketball player in the country, and she now plays for the UConn women's basketball team. She has experienced more success in basketball in her short life and career than most will in a lifetime. But it started with taking that first step, taking that first dribble, then sticking with the process.

It is easy to see an athlete like Azzi and think that she was born with the talent and ability to be the best, especially when you find out that her mother Katie played high-major college basketball and was drafted by the WNBA, but according to her mother, Azzi wasn't any good when she first started. Her mother had to force her to play, and she was terrible when she did. Katie began training her, and the first steps that they took were to spend 10 minutes a day ball-handling. Over time, the work began to pay off and she grew into the dominant basketball player that she is today.

Take that first step. Start today. And enjoy the journey. What is the point of going 30-0 if you don't have fun? Every day, take a minute to stop and smell the roses. But don't stop too long - rest, recover, reflect - then get back to work!

Week 45 Devotional | Pitiful vs POWERFUL

You can be pitiful or you can be POWERFUL - but you can't be both. It is easy to feel sorry for yourself. It is often easier to feel sorry for yourself than it is to work hard and change your situation, and feeling pity can be a hard habit to break or give up.

When I was a junior in college, I lost my starting spot to a younger player, and I spent half of the season feeling sorry for myself and making excuses. I thought the coach didn't like me, he was 'playing favorites,' and I didn't take responsibility for my actions - or lack of actions.

Then something clicked in me. I could be pitiful, or I could be POWERFUL. I could pout, moan, and complain, or I could help my team by embracing my opportunities when they came and embracing my role. I mastered my role and I had a great final two years of playing basketball, and I created some great memories because of it. I made it a goal to be the best player coming off the bench in my league, and I made it a goal to come in and bring energy, enthusiasm, and to change the game when I came in.

When someone hurts us, when we don't get something that we want, or when we feel or experience disappointment, the devil begins to whisper lies to us about how we are being treated unfairly. Remember, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came so that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10).

When you start getting thoughts of PITY, replace them with thoughts of POWER. Listening to the thoughts rushing through your head will help you realize how the enemy attacks our thoughts with ideas of self-pity to keep us from living our best life. The Bible tells us to encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). The Bible also tells us to not do anything out of selfish ambition, but with humility, look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

When I took my mind off myself and looked at my situation from my team's and teammates' points of view, I found my love, joy, and peace for and to the game again. Joyce Meyer wrote, "It is amazing how easy it is to stay out of self-pity if we look at the other person's side and not just at our own. Self-pity is supported by thinking only of us and no one else (Meyer)."

No matter what trials, storms, and adversity that you face in life, be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13). Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always (1 Chronicles 16:11). Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). The Lord gives strength to His people and He blesses them with peace (Psalm 29:11). Finally, be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).

THIS WEEK

1 - Watch your thoughts. Be aware when your thoughts turn to self-pity. Find one or two Bible verses that you can meditate on (read, think about, and focus on).

2 - When you are feeling self-pity, ask yourself, "Who can I serve, bless, or do something nice for, and what can I do to make someone feel better?"

For a Google Doc version of this devo, click here: Week 45 | Power

Relationships Are Like Fences ...

• Safer and more effective learning environments
• The qualities that make us most human - connection, community, positivity, belonging, and a sense of meaning
• The real, genuine, gratitude, appreciation, thanks, and love I get from building relationships with students fills my bucket

Last night, an educator told me, 'Relationships are reciprocal." He then asked, "What do we as adults get out of building relationships with kids?"

My life is built around teaching, coaching, leading and serving kids. A superintendent once told me, "In education, we are in the people development business." Our job is to teach, educate and develop people. Dr. Pedro A. Noguera, the Distinguished Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and Faculty Director for the Center for the Transformation of Schools at UCLA asked, "What does it take to educate the students that you serve?"

When I was asked what we get out of building relationships with kids, I immediately thought of that question from Dr. Noguera. Dr. Yvette Jackson, the Senior Scholar at the National Urban Alliance wrote, "Schools are defined by the relationships between staff and students." She further wrote that while a recent report by a Chicago-based research group focused on how strong relationships can help students and staff feel safe and free of physical threats, we also know that strong relationships have another critical benefit: they make schools "intellectually safe" for students to learn and thrive (Jackson).

Relationships help us inspire, motivate, and engage our students, and it helps us make connections between what is happening with them in the classroom and in their world. Relationships with students help us better understand their personal frames of reference and help us establish the relevance of school work to their personal lives (Jackson). 

Both students and teachers bring their own values, beliefs, experiences, and attitudes with them to school every day. If we don't recognize this and the biases that come with it, it can lead to disastrous results. Relationships help reveal our underlying thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes, and they can help bridge gaps and bring us together. As Dr. Jackson wrote, "Relationships are like fences. They can keep you together."

But I think that is all transactional. It helps me better educate my students. Educating my students is my job, but relationships are deeper and more transformational for me than that, and the profession of developing people is more transformational than transactional.

Brene Brown wrote, "Connection is why we're here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it, there is suffering (Brown)." Workhuman is a company that has collected over 50 million data points over the last 20 years on performance and social recognition. In their book Making Human Work, they wrote, "The qualities that make us most human - connection, community, positivity, belonging, and a sense of meaning - have become the corporate fuel for getting things done, for innovating, for thriving in the global marketplace, and for outperforming competing (Mosley)." Those attributes are also some of the things that help me sleep better at night, and they come from the relationships that I have built with kids, from the ages of two to twenty-two, and their families.

I love winning games, and I love getting back great test scores. I love being recognized as a good teacher and coach. When I win in the classroom or on the court, I sleep well. But when I do it with people that I have built real, meaningful connections and community, I sleep even better.

In my last year of playing college basketball, I wasn't fully invested in the team and the process. I was ready to graduate, and I was looking ahead to my life and career after sports. My coach noticed this and had a simple challenge for me. He challenged me to invest more in my last year because I would never get this experience back, and it would be more meaningful if I was fully invested. We reap what we sow. That challenge has stuck with me, and it is how I look at relationships with my students. I get out of my relationships what I put into them. When I put in love, joy, gratitude, fun, hard work, grit, and care, I get more of that back. When I do that over time, I have seen the fruits come out in the most beautiful of ways, including but not limited to students graduating, getting married, playing college and professional sports, becoming parents, etc. 

But more importantly, and what I appreciate most about what I get the most out of building relationships with kids, I get back love. Real, genuine, gratitude, appreciation, thanks, and love. And that feeling fills my bucket and is why I am an educator and a coach.

References:

Brown, B. (2017). Daring greatly: How the Courage to be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group.

Jackson, Yvette. "Why relationship-building is vital in schools." Washington Post, May 28, 2011, https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/why-relationship-building-is-vital-in-schools/2011/05/26/AG7KVODH_blog.html

Mosley, Eric, and Irvine, Eric (2021). Making Work Human. McGraw-Hill Education.

MJ Mondays - Compounding Interest

We live in a microwave society where we want and expect success to happen overnight. We see the success of those around us being shared on social media, but we don't see the work that they put in behind the scenes to get to where they are.

That is why I like this quote by Michael Jordan. Success, greatness, and championships are born in the journey and they are only celebrated at the end.

Michael Jordan didn't win his first NBA championship until he was 28 and in his 7th year in the NBA. He had to go through a lot of adversity to climb the mountain, including Larry Bird's Celtics, Isaiah Thomas's Pistons, and Magic and the Lakers.

The media said that he didn't have what it takes to win a championship. They said his stats were empty stats because he couldn't get the Bulls over the hump. Many people thought he would never be a champion because of the way he played.

But Michael Jordan just kept working hard, believed in himself, and helped grow his teammates. Jordan knew that he had to get stronger, so he hit the weight room. But he didn't just hit it himself - he brought his teammates with him.

Michael Jordan learned that he could not win a championship without a championship work ethic and without a championship team beside him.

Michael Jordan became a champion because of the hours, weeks, months, and years of work that he put in. He earned his championships.

We might not become NBA superstars, champions, and Hall of Famers, but we can learn from their work ethic.

Albert Einstein once described compound interest as the “eighth wonder of the world,” saying, “He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn't pays for it.”

Compound interest is when you invest in yourself by working hard, and when you continue to reinvest in yourself. When you invest and reinvest in yourself by putting in the work over the course of days, weeks, months, and years, you are on the path to becoming the best version of yourself.

The beauty is that today is a great day to start! Today, create a plan for how you want to get better. Write it down. Create a vision of what you want to be, and write down what you will have to do to become that person or live that life. That is called, "Planning with the end in mind." Know where you want to go, who you want to be, then put in the work and stay consistent!

Week 44 | GRIT

Did you know that researchers say that talent is not the biggest indicator of success? They say that GRIT is more important to success than talent. GRIT is the courage and strength to stick with something long enough to master it. 

Angela Duckworth is the world leader in studying GRIT. She says that talent is great, and talent definitely plays a HUGE role in success and excellence. Her definition of talent is the rate at which you increase your skills with effort. Some people can increase their skills faster than others, but the more talented people don’t always show up and they don’t always finish. It is like the quote, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

If you look at the stories of every great athlete, you will see stories of GRIT and perseverance. We see the finished product, but we don't see the blood, sweat, and tears that make the greats great.

The stories and details behind the success and excellence of people are like long movies and not short snapshots. Excellence is a long story filled with many acts of boring, deliberate practice and trial and error with a few, great, memorable moments sprinkled in between that hopefully make the work worth it. You might not want to see all of the scenes of the movies because in between the action are the boring details and hours of deliberate practice.

Steph Curry and his story of being an under-recruited high school basketball player, to a small college star, to a potential draft pick who many didn't think could make in the NBA, to a 2-two MVP and champion is a great story of GRIT. It is also a great story of how he stayed true to his faith and believed in himself and God's vision for him throughout the process.

Our stories might not end with us becoming NBA MVPs or professional athletes, but knowing about and understanding what GRIT is and how it can impact our lives can really help us.

Michael Godfrey wrote that there are 4 common characteristics of GRIT: courage, perseverance, resilience, and passion.

There are many examples of courage in sports and in the Bible. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is feeling fear and doing something anyway. It is taking a chance when others won't, having a vision, following your vision, and standing up for your beliefs. In Matthew 14:29-31, Peter was able to walk on water because of the faith and courage that he had in Jesus, but he also fell because of his lack of faith. Having GRIT means holding onto that faith and belief in yourself and God no matter what storms are going on around you.

Perseverance means to push towards a goal through all of the adversity and obstacles that get in the way. No one becomes great without failure and setbacks. GRIT and perseverance are the ability to keep going. Romans 5:4 says suffering produces perseverance, perseverance leads to character, and character leads to hope. When we go through something hard, it strengthens our character and strengthens our GRIT. It levels us up and makes us better people.

Resilience is our ability to recover quickly. 2nd Corinthians says, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." Stay strong and know that no matter what comes at you, you have the ability and the GRIT to bounce back.

Finally, passion creates excellence. When you have a passion for something, you will have the vision, the will, and the GRIT to go through what it takes for you to get what you want. I love Colossians 3:23-24. It says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Our passion is what we love to do, but it is also rooted in our love for God.

We all have GRIT. Every story of success is filled with GRIT. To become who we want to become, we have to have GRIT. There is a lot of doubt, evil and jealousy, in the world. Jesus said that in this world, we will have trials and tribulations. Look at what happened to Him! But He also came back so that we know that He has already conquered the world, and to show and tell us that He came so that we can have life, in abundance, until it overflows (John 10:10).

To have the life that He has promised, we must have GRIT.

This Week

1 - Meditate, think about, and focus on your GRIT. Create one or two goals that you want to accomplish, and stay GRITTY until you have gotten it done. If you can master small things, you will be trusted with big things (Luke 16:10). Start small, build your GRIT muscles and momentum, and watch more opportunities start to come to you.

Having and keeping a running checklist throughout the day and week can help you break down your goal into smaller chunks. A dream becomes a plan when it gets written down.

Pray Our Father. I pray for GRIT. I pray that I know that I have what it takes to accomplish my goals and to get things done despite the obstacles that come my way. When I lose focus or faith, please help me to regain it. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.

For a Google Doc version of this devotional, click here: Week 44 - Grit