Message #81 - Face The Giants in Your Life...

We all Have Giants to Over come in Our Life...I'm Dealing With Some Right Now...We Must However Face Them in Order to Defeat Them.

Giants are the difficult things (or they could be failures) you are dealing with in your Life right now! What ever they are...These are your Giants!

If you're an athlete and your giant was a bad performance, then in order to understand what really happened, you must face it "head on" with honesty and humility. The same is true no matter what your giant is.

You may have more than one giant in your life. You've got to face them though..."head on"...no matter how difficult.

If you don't face them then you'll never defeat "the Giant" and have a break through. To break through something there's got to be some force applied. So if you want a break through you're going to have to apply some force. The bigger the giant...the more force that's needed.

A Break Through can only occur by facing the challenge ("the Giant") with with honesty and humility...and remember to CARRY A BIG STICK!

Message #80 - Focus on the win, not the opponent

Visualize the VICTORY not the PRESSURE you feel...

You have to completely embrace the idea that with all accomplishment there is PRESSURE. In fact the greater the accomplishment...the greater the pressure...I agree with Billie Jean King, perhaps the greatest female tennis player ever, that "Pressure is a Privilege".

I'll take it a step further. "PRESSURE IS THE PRIVILEGE OF CHAMPIONS". If you really want to be a champion...start accepting the pressure that comes as a privilege.."a sort of right of passage".

Typically when you feel pressure it's because you're thinking about an opponent. Think about it for a moment....The more you think about your opponent the more you feel the pressure.

The opponent doesn't matter really. If you really want the victory you're going to have to beat everybody anyway.

When I competed I didn't think about my opponents too much...What I did however is spend a lot of time thinking about how I was going to win.

Lee Kemp's Website www.leekemp.com

Message #79 - It's All About What You Focus On.

Do You Want To Change Your Life?...Change Your Focus!!!

NOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAN BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAN YOU ARE NOW!!!

Message #78 - Olympic Wrestling Champ Henry Cejudo Embodies The American Dream

I've Watched This Man Work and Train...He Also Embodies an Incredible Work Ethic, Incredible Discipline and an Incredible Desire to Win and Succeed! CONGRATULATIONS HENRY!

Henry is also the youngest American to win a Olympic or World Championship! Congratulations Again Henry!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/06/05/cejudo0611/index.html

http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-spw-olywrestling20-2008aug20,0,6050221.story

Learn about the world's first personalized nutrition specific to your DNA www.leekemp.com/genewize.htm

www.clubkemptravel.com for all your travel needs

Message #77 - Kemp's 3 P's to Success

Real Success is Much More Than Just Wanting to It...If Fact it's not About How Bad You Want...It About Commitment to The Process.

The first P is Preparation...This one is the easiest to measure because it involves all the work that goes into any achievement and can be measured and monitored. This is not easy! The work part stops a lot of people. The Key here is put in the WORK so that you are PREPARED when your opportunity comes.

The second P is Passion...Do you absolutely Love the Thing that your trying to Achieve. For me it was "Wrestling". I absolutely LOVED IT. EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. People that are passionate about something find themselves doing it all the time. It's not work to them. Being Passionate is not something you can FAKE. It's got to be genuine. The KEY HERE is find something you love FIRST...then you will easily develop a genuine passion for it. This also stops a lot of people. Unfortunately a lot of people are doing the wrong things and haven't found the thing that they can be passionate about..."the thing that turns them on"... The Key here is to find the thing that "TURNS YOU ON".

The third P is Performance...This is where "THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD"... Can you perform under pressure... can you get the job DONE! A lot of people have the first two P's but not the 3rd one. THE PERFORMANCE! Consistent, successful performance requires you to successfully perform in practice under pressure and challenge yourself to "WIN" in practice. It is then that you will be able to handle the pressure of "WINNING" when Game time comes.

www.leekemp.com

Message #76 - The One Thing All Successful People Have...

I'll Illustrate This Point With A Story I Learned From Dr. Rob Gilbert, Co-author of my CD Series entitled "The Psychology of Winning Wrestling http://www.leekemp.com/cdpage.htm

"The story takes place on a hot day – 120 degrees in the shade. And it takes place in a railroad yard and this crew is out there with their pick axes and shovels and sweating and working on the rails. Then out of the office comes the president of the company, Bill McClanahan. He looks over at his crew and he sees his old friend Charlie and he yells out – hey Charlie is that you.

And Charlie, proud to be recognized by the president of the company says – sure is Bill.

Bill said why don’t you come over here and visit for awhile. So Charlie proudly put on his t-shirt and goes over and visits with his old friend Bill. And they go into his office and spend about 20 minutes together. Then he goes out to the crew and all the younger guys are saying – Charlie how do you know the president of the company, how do you know Mr. McClanahan?

And Charlie proudly says – well Bill and I go way back. As a matter of fact we started working for this very same company on the very same day 30 years ago.

They said – wow that’s amazing. Then one of the wise guys said – you know Charlie?!, If you and Mr. McClanahan started working for this company on the same day 30 years ago how come he’s president of the company and you’re out here sweating with us?

Well that took the wind out of Charlie’s sails. And he hung his head.

He said – well if you want to know the truth, 30 years ago I started working for minimum wage but 30 years ago Bill started working for the company."

Don't miss the point here. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO... OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING?

ARE YOU JUST LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO TAKE UP YOUR TIME... OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION AND MAKE AN IMPACT... REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

And if you really want to make an impression and you really want to do something and make an impact (make a diffenence)... you need what Bill McClanahan had... you need PASSION for what you do.

And that’s the one thing all successful people have is PASSION.

But the passion divides up into three parts...

FIRST, you have to have passion for what ever it is you're doing. During my wrestling career my passion was wrestling, I LOVED IT. Now let me clarify something right here...

There’s a very big difference between loving something, and loving to be successful at something. In my wrestling career it would be the difference between loving winning and loving wrestling. I loved winning more than I loved wrestling.

SECONDLY, you have to love yourself. I mean you really, really have to love yourself... What are we talking about? You have to take care of yourself in every way... Proper Diet and Nutrition... Proper Rest... Surround yourself with positive People that LOVE you and just as important you must LOVE other people... and at all costs completely Eliminate the Stress out of your LIFE.

And THIRD, you have to love the whole process. When I competed I loved the entire process of training and competition. The process of training (especially under Coach Gable) seemed like torture sometimes and sometimes I didn't want to go through it... but deep down I really loved it.

Learn about the world's first personalized nutrition specific to your DNA http://www.leekemp.com/genewize.htm

www.clubkemptravel.com for all your travel needs

Message #75 - Take Care of Yourself...

Make Sure You Are Getting the Best Nutrition (that means eating right - good "whole foods") and Getting Enough Rest (yes that means going to bed and getting at least 5-6 hours of uninterrupted "deep" Sleep).

Why is this important? Your body runs on the nutrition you give it...much like your car. Bad gas in - Bad performance out. Your body runs much the same way.

If you eat poorly and get inadequate nutrition, your body suffers. You may not feel it now...but as you get older you will...guaranteed.

Athletes need to be especially concerned about this, because they are relying on their bodies to perform at state, national & world class levels, and too often athletes take nutrition lightly.

Without proper sleep and nutrition the body can't perform optimally.

Click on this link for then click on Digestive, Hydration, & Weight Management -- Maintenance, Training, & Competition -- Recuperative & Immune Building for my nutritional program for wrestlers http://www.leekemp.com/athletenutrition/

Message #74 - How do you make a CHANGE in your LIFE?

It All About Being Able to Change......

When you change your thinking, You change your beliefs;

When you change your beliefs, You change your expectations;

When you change your expectations, You change your attitude;

When you change your attitude, You change your behavior;

When you change your behavior, You change your performance;

When you change your performance, You change your life!

This quote is from Dr. Walter Doyle Staples http://www.doctorstaples.com/

Message #73 - How do you get a break through?

The First Real Success...How do we get it when we've failed so many times before?

We all have to realize that we don't always get what we want...but we always get what we GET. (See Message #58)

The key here is to go to your last breath BELIEVING that you can and will SUCCEED! It is this mind set that keeps you in a position to BREAK THROUGH when the moment or opportunity comes.

Just ask anyone that has had great success if it happened overnight. They'll tell you that it was with great struggle and hardship that they got their break through, and the key here is to continually find new ways to keep positive and motivated in the face of failure or falling short...IT ISN'T EASY.

Your breakthrough will come...it may not come when you want...BUT IT'S RIGHT ON TIME!

Message #72 - INTIMIDATION

The Word Intimidation Has Meaning for everyone. If you know how to intimidate people you can make it work for you. If you get intimidated, it will destroy you.

So what is intimidation? What is it that just makes you feel timid and scared? What makes that little voice in your mind say "this is to much for me" 'I can't face this".

I mean it just saps you of your strength. So you want to see an example of INTIMIDATION... just watch the stare down before any of Mike Tyson's fights (his early fights...especially his fight with Michael Spinks and Larry Holmes).

Mike Tyson was a superior heavyweight champion but Nobody every mentioned that for a heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was rather small in stature. I mean he’s a very, very small man for a heavyweight fighter.

Everybody he fights is a head taller than him but he does the intimidating. Being intimidating is not about size it's about what's in your mind.

Notre Dame when they play football, or during the Gable era when the Iowa Hawkeyes came on the mat...they both intimidate their opponents just because of the aura around them. Some people think it’s the uniform, some people think it’s the tradition.

Whatever it is, intimidation works.

Now, what you have to do to overcome intimidation is to practice not being intimidated. So let me ask you this. For example: did you ever have a teacher in school that you were afraid to talk to...a boss, a boy, a girl, dad, mom whatever?

Do you know what my assignments for you is? Go talk to that teacher. Go talk to that boss, Go talk to that person. I want you to do things that intimidate you and see what happens?

The more you do things that intimidate you the less you’ll be intimidated. So you ask the boss for the raise, ask the girl out for a date...the boss says no...the girl say no. The whole goal wasn't to just get the raise or get a yes from the girl... the whole goal was to do that confrontation, just to get the nerve to do it. The whole goal is to just confront the fear, confront the intimidation.

So that’s what we’re talking about. Practice putting yourself in situations where you’re intimidated and then deal with it. And just like any fear, the more you confront the fear the fear will lessen.

Club Kemp Travel for all your travel needs http://www.leekemp.com/kemptravel.htm

Message #71 - A Technique You Can Use Right Now to Relive Stress and Relax

Release the Natural Tranquilizers in Your Body.

Most things in life you make yourself do. You go to school, work, practice, take a shower...what ever. It's a never ending process of make, make, make, make, make.

Try to make yourself fall asleep; you can’t make yourself fall asleep...you just fall asleep.

Try to make yourself breathe... If you had to make yourself breathe, inhale, exhale, then you wouldn't have a chance to do anything else. So the whole thing is it’s a letting process, you just let it happen. You don’t make it happen.

In order to make yourself relax, YOU COULD JUST LET IT HAPPEN. How do we do it? It's easier than you think.

This basic relaxation technique is #45 of 125 Success Secrets from my CD series, I co-authored with Dr. Rob Gilbert, entitled "The Psychology of Winning Wrestling" www.leekemp.com/cdpage.htm.

It starts with our breathing. Notice there are three parts to our breathing; inhalation, exhalation and then there’s a slight pause.

And just notice that this is happening naturally, you’re not making it happen, it’s just happening involuntarily.

This is the technique: In your mind link up your breathing with a wave. So as you inhale you see and hear a big, beautiful wave coming in and crash.

As you exhale, you see and hear the wave go out to sea.

Then there’s a slight pause with the breathing and a slight pause with the wave. And so the wave is linked with your breathing and the breathing is linked with the wave.

And just as with the wave when it comes into shore, it’s bringing fresh, clean, clear water to the shore. As you’re inhaling, you’re bringing fresh, clean, clear, relaxing energy into your body.

Upon the exhalation the wave is going out to sea. The wave is taking any debris from shore out to sea. When you are exhaling, you have the opportunity to let any negative thoughts, stressing feelings or emotions to leave your body.

Then there’s a slight pause with the breathing and a slight pause with the wave.

A very simple exercise and you could do this just for a few minutes. Just to take the edge off any anxiety or stress you have. Just get in touch with your breathing.

You should practice this and just like anything else, the more you do it, the better you become at it.

It’s important to realize you have these natural tranquilizers inside your body, these powerful tranquilizers that could allow yourself to relax.

Message #70 - The Single Biggest Mistake That Keeps Most People From Getting Motivated

The Point Here Is Where Does Motivation Come From... and How Do We Get Motivated?

We get motivated by the desire to do SOMETHING...ANYTHING!

The desire to do something can also be the desire to achieve SOMETHING. This can also be called a GOAL!

The smaller the goal...the smaller the motivation....THE BIGGER THE GOAL...THE BIGGER THE MOTIVATION....think about this for a moment...

Also when you’re motivated, you automatically become excited. BIGGER THE MOTIVATION...THE BIGGER THE EXCITEMENT.

BIGGER THE EXCITEMENT...THE BIGGER THE PASSION.

That's it.... I MEAN THAT'S THE ONE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE MAKE IS THEY SET THEIR GOALS TOO SMALL.

Message #69 - The One Thing That is Much More Important Than Winning

Winning is However you Define Success, or More Importantly...Attainment of You Goals and Dreams. But First What Could Be More Important Than Winning?

Winning is the end result of a lot of things.

The most important FIRST step to any GREAT success in anything is the WILLINGNESS TO DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES to get what you want...

AND the willingness do do it NO MATTER WHAT! This is what separates the GOOD from the GREAT!

All truly successful people (I mean those people that have achieved greatness) have this capacity. Sports Psychologist, Dr. Rob Gilbert and I did a audio CD series together entitled "The Psychology of Winning Wrestling" and he pointed this out to me...the principle of the willingness to do what ever it takes...NO MATTER WHAT. This principle is true and works every time.

It all comes down to HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT! ....AND AT WHAT COST!

You see everything has a price. This very fortunately is not paid in currency...but in BLOOD, SWEAT, SACRIFICE, TEARS, WORK, TOIL, SET BACKS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, TEMPORARY FAILURES, GRIT, DETERMINATION...you get the point.

And then at the end come the WINNING! the SUCCESS! the TRIUMPH! Are you willing to do what it takes...NO MATTER WHAT???

Message #68 - Positive Thinking Isn't Enough!

POSITIVE BELIEVING is what we NEED to get the job done.... There's a Huge Difference Between Positive Thinking and Positive BELIEVING!

Was Muhammad Ali a positive thinker or a positive BELIEVER? Like him or not the guy was mentally "ROCK SOLID". Listen to Ali Click Here and ask yourself is this man a positive thinker or positive believer.

You know how Muhammad Ali didn’t go around saying I think I’m the greatest, I think I’m the greatest. He used to say – I’m the greatest period.

let’s just talk about the difference between positive thinking and positive believing for a minute; To illustrate the point I'll start with this story I heard from Dr. Rob Gilbert, he did the "Psychology of Winning Wrestling" audio CD series with me.

It’s about a Frenchman named Philippe and he was an athlete, a different type of athlete. He was a high wire walker. Way back in 1928 in the fall he was attempting to become the first high wire walker ever to walk the high wire across Niagara Falls.

So the big day came and there were thousands of people on each side of the Falls to watch. And Philippe was on the ramp on one side and the high wire was set up. Now Philippe wasn’t like the high wire walkers you see in the circus that use a long pole for balance. Philippe used a wheelbarrow with 200 pounds of bricks in it.

So Philippe gets on the ramp on one side and he slowly but masterfully starts crossing the Falls with his wheelbarrow. And he was a master of the high wire. And he got about halfway and then he suddenly stopped and started shaking back and forth. Then miraculously he regained his balance and went all the way to the other side.

He gets to the other side, gets this huge standing ovation and then after the ovation dies down the people start leaving. The journalists get to him and they start asking him question after question after question after question.

After they were all questioned out Philippe pointed to a young journalist and said – Let me ask you a question. The journalist said – sure. He said do you think I can take my wheelbarrow and go back to the other side? And the journalist said – of course I think you can, you’re master of the high wire, of course I think you can.

Philippe said – Let me ask you one more thing. Do you actually believe I can take my wheelbarrow and go back to the other side? The journalist said – totally, I have total confidence, I totally, 100% believe you can do it, you’re a master of the high wire, I totally believe you can do it.

Philippe said fine. He dumped all the bricks out of his wheelbarrow and pointed to the journalist and said – If you really believe it get in the wheelbarrow. So if you really, really, really believe in yourself, you’ll take action. If you really, really, really believe you can become a champion you’ll really go for it... Now that’s what I'm talking about!

Message #67 - A __ __ A __ I __ ......

If you were pretending to be what ever it is you're aspiring to be, HOW WOULD YOU ACT?

That's my question for YOU.

In my case as a young wrestler back in the 70's I had the good fortune and opportunity to be in the presence of Dan Gable - arguably the one single person that's had the greatest impact on wrestling in this country.

Gable's impact reached deep to all of us young wrestling "wanna bees". I was 15 years old when I went to a wrestling camp Gable was teaching at. It was the summer of 1972. That summer Gable won the Olympic Gold medal in Munich Germany.

Gable had such an impact on me that I started to ACT AS IF.... I WAS DAN GABLE. That's right. I started to pretend I was Dan Gable.

With that idea came a huge amount of responsibility. I started to do what I saw Gable do at that camp (he was in his final training for the Olympics so he was very focused and intense).

WOW! THAT PUT ME INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD! ... I MEAN I WAS ON A DIFFERENT PLANET FROM EVERYONE ELSE!

There were times I wanted to NOT BE DAN GABLE. I was putting myself through some killer workouts and felt tremendous pressure. At times I didn't think is was worth it.

BUT SOMETHING INTERESTING HAPPENED.

I started to win more. You get the picture. It wasn't hard to convince myself that I was on the right tract. I went on to do a lot of winning in wrestling because of Dan Gable.

REMEMBER ALL I DID WAS SPEND SOME TIME IN HIS PRESENCE. I didn't know him and he doesn't even remember that specific camp where I met him.

So I ask you this question. If your were pretending to be what ever it is you're aspiring to be, HOW WOULD YOU ACT? WHAT ADDITIONAL THINGS WOULD YOU DO?

If someone was watching you would they be able to characterize you as someone who was at the Top of their profession?

ACT AS IF ... If you haven't figured it out yet that's what the A __ __A __ I __ stands for...

Message #66 - Pretend You Have an "S" on Your Chest.

Your Not Really Pretending...What You're Really Doing is Visualizing...

There is a Superman inside of all of us...But First we Must Discover Him...and Believe.

The difference between Clark Kent and Superman is their attitude and personality. Clark has one attitude and personality and Superman has another. It is the same with each of us. We all have to first realize we have a Superman inside us and then we must learn to develop and train our Superman.

When a job calls for Superman...Superman must show up. No excuses, it doesn't matter if there's no phone booth around.

This is called our Alter Ego. An alter ego (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, a second personality or persona within a person.

We all know Clark and Superman are the same person but we all know there is another side of Clark...and that is the Superman inside him.

Top athletes refer to this as bringing their "A" game...Well then how do we guarantee ourselves we are bringing our "A" game...That Superman will show up?

"A" games and "Superman performances" are built on practice and training under pressure. What do I mean by this? Train and Practice under pressure to perform at competition levels. Completely simulate the pressure of the competition and put pressure on yourself to perform at your highest levels.

Sometimes the difference between an "A" game and a Superman performance is the extra hours invested in the preparation and training. Just an extra hour a day of training (when others have gone home) for a month adds up to 30 additional hours of training (or studying or whatever).

The best golfer in the world (by a long shot...no one is even close to him) still trains and practices countless hours on the fundamentals of his game, because he knows he must train the "Superman" inside him.

When the day of your "Superman" event arrives could you use an extra 30 hours of preparation to make sure Superman arrives?

Message # 65 - Logic You're Not Wanted Here!

If Only We Could Have the Faith as a Little Child and Believe in Our Dreams...

Consider These Thoughts from Some Accomplished People:

• I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true. --Debi Thomas, World Figure Skating Champion.
  
  
• Ideals (like Dreams) are like the stars: we never reach them, but like the mariners of the sea, we chart our course by them. --Carl Schurz, Missourt Senator from 1869 to 1875. (blue is my comment)
  
  
• If one advances confidently in the directions of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. --Henry David Thoreau, an American essayist, poet, and practical philosopher.
  
  
• I have had dreams, and I have had nightmares. I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams. --Jonas Salk, an American Biologist and Physician best known for the research and development of the first effective polio vaccine.
  
  
• Everyday is another chance to make your dreams come true. --don't know who said this.
  
  
• Great love and great achievements involve great risk. --this either.
  
  
• Do not follow where the path leads. Rather, go where there is no path and leave a trail. --I like this one.
  
  
• Dreams defy all reason and logic so you don't have to justify them...just believe in them. --Lee Kemp, 3-Time World Champion & Youngest American World Wrestling Champion.

Message #64 - Sometimes You Have to Go To The Deep Water to Catch the Big Fish!

By Staying in the Shallow Water (where it's safe and little risk) You'll Only Catch the Small Fish.

• Get in the boat and leave the safety and comfort of the shore and go after the Really BIG Fish.
  
  
• The further you go out the deeper the water and the more risk and uncetainty.
  
  
• The further you go out the more doubt and fear of the unknown.
  
  
• Staying on the shore you'll be sure to catch some fish...really small ones though.
  
  
• Are really small ones OK with you? or do you want the really BIG ones?
  
  
• There is no EASY way to learn to do this. The way I learned to swim is the Y instructor made me walk out on the end of the diving board and told me to jump in...when I wouldn't jump in...he came towards me (I though to comfort me cause I was nervous and almost in tears from being scared). Guess what he did...
  
  
• THE SOB THREW ME IN...
  
  
• I thought I had only one option...and that was to get to the side the best way I could...I didn't quite make it and Mr. Clark jumped in and got me out.
  
  
• Guess what Mr. Clark did next...THE SOB MADE ME DO IT AGAIN.
  
  
• This time I was smart enough to jump myself so I could aim for the side and have only a few strokes to get to the side.
  
  
• When your options are removed you FIND A WAY...YOU LEARN QUICK...YOU TRY HARDER...YOU PRAY HARDER (you make all kinds of deals and promises to GOD)...YOU PLAIN AND SIMPLE GET IT DONE!
  
  
• The point is...you must challenge yourself by putting yourself in pressure situations...over and over and over again. Only then will you be putting yourself to the test. Test yourself...see what happens...you might surprise yourself. See my post on "Doing the Impossible".
  
  
• IF YOU WANT TO RUN WITH THE BIG DOGS...YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PEE IN THE TALL GRASS!!! (don't really know what that means but I heard it once and I kind of liked it).

Message #63 - The Power Of NOW!

This Very Moment is the Only Thing You Can Really Control. It's Called "RIGHT NOW!" That's it! You only Have Control of THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

• Obviously YOU can't Change the PAST and YOU can't Predict FUTURE events.
  
  
• You CAN, however, have a Great impact on Future events by what you do RIGHT NOW!
  
  
• OUR LIFE AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW IS A SUM TOTAL OF ALL THE CHOICES, EFFORTS AND ACTIONS WE'VE MADE AT EVERY MOMENT IN TIME OF OUR LIFE!!!
  
  
• Think about everything that's happened to you in your life thus far: the GOOD; the BAD; and the UGLY. Weren't these outcomes directly related to the choices, efforts (or lack there of), and actions YOU'VE made.
  
  
• Even if you got stuck by lighting, isn't it because you choose to be in that place at that time? Everything that happens to us is caused ultimately be what we choose, our actions or our efforts.
  
  
• So think about the GREAT power we have in the NOW. How many times have we done or said something and immediately said "I wish I wouldn't have done that" or "I wish I wouldn't have said that".
  
  
• How many times have we said "I wish I would have studied more so I would have been better prepared for the test I just flunked"; or "I wish I would have _______________________ more so I would have ___________________". You fill in the blanks involving something you wished you would have done. You get the idea.
  
  
• SO PUT YOUR GREATEST THOUGHT, EFFORT AND CONSIDERATION IN WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO "THINK-DO-OR SAY" RIGHT NOW!!!
  
  
• Live in the NOW, because You THAT'S THE ONLY THING YOU CAN CONTROL.


• Read my post on "You Always Get What You Get"

Message # 62 - Just How Good Do You Have To Be?

It's Not Good Enough That You Learn Your Craft so Well That You Get It Right Almost All The Time...But That You Learn Your Craft so Well That You Can't Get it Wrong!

I Learned That There's a Big Difference Between the Two From John Taylor, a high school team mate from my alma matter,Chardon High School.

What do I mean by this?:

• Learning something well enough that we get it right almost all the time still leaves room for mistakes and errors. After all "No Body's Perfect"...Right?...Wrong...You Can BE Perfect!
  
  
• You may say "well isn't that good enough?" Well most people would say that it is good enough. Well this level of proficiency requires a great deal of effort to maintain, because there are let downs in performance every now and then, and it is difficult to manage the highs and lows.
  
  
• When you push beyond mere consistency to the level of perfection is when you become unbeatable.
  
  
• At this level you don't know how to fail (or lose).
  
  
• Your not concerned about whether you will win or lose, succeed or fail...but your focus and attention turns towards how dominate your wins or successes will be.
  
  
• Think of how your attitude would be if you didn't have to worry about, whether or not you were going to win or succeed; but rather all your focus could be concentrated on "how bad am I going to win or succeed".

Message #61 - It Only Matters What You Believe

From the 2008 NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Tournament held in St Louis, Missouri on 3/20-22/2008, only 40% of the the #1 Seeds Actually Won! That Means 60% of the Other Winners Out Performed Their Seed.

Consider These Facts:

• at 133 pounds the #3 seed, Coleman Scott, Oklahoma State, pinned the #4 seed Joey Staton, Iowa to win the title.
  
  
• at 141 pounds the # 6 seed J Jaggers, Ohio State defeated the #1 seed, Chad Mendes, Cal Poly 5-2 to win the title.
  
  
• at 157 pounds the # 8 seed Jordan Leen, from Cornel, defeated the other top seeds in the tournament on his way to the title. The last Cornel ("Big Red") wrestler to win an NCAA title was Travis Lee in 2005 at 133 pounds. Leen‘s title is the ninth in Cornell history, and the third under head coach Rob Koll (who is a 3-time NCAA Champion & his dad was a 3-time NCAA Champion).
  
  
• at 165 pounds the #2 seed Mark Perry, Iowa defeated the #1 seed Eric Tannenbaum, Michigan 5-2 to win the title.
  
  
• at 184 pounds the #2 seed, Mike Pucillo, Ohio State beat the #1 seed Jake Varner, Iowa State by having more riding time 3-3.
  
  
• at 197 pounds the #2 seed Phil Davis, Penn State, beat the #4 seed, Wynn Michalak 7-2 to win the title.
  
  
• Only in 4 of the 10 weight classes did the #1 seed win the tournament. At 125 pounds, Angel Escobedo, Indiana, beat the #2 seed Jayson Ness, Minnesota 10-3; At 149 pounds Bret Metcalf, Iowa beat the # 6 seed Buba Jenkins, Penn State 14-8; At 174 pounds Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh beat the #2 seed Steven Luke, Michigan 4-2; and at Heavy Weight Dustin Fox, Northwestern beat the #2 seed JD Bergman, Ohio State 4-2 in overtime.
  
  
• 6 of the 10 final matches for 1st place were won by wrestlers that were not seeded 1st. They were seeded 3, 6, 8, 2, 2, & 2.

You can Choose your Future.

Message #60 - All Give Some...But Some Give All

In Life by Default We All Give a Certain Amount of Effort and Passion to What Ever it is We Do. The Key to true Happiness, Contentment and Fulfillment is not to Live By Default (by giving only a certain amount) but by Giving 100% (giving it all).

Consider This:

• Are you more happy and fulfilled when you give to someone in need...or when you receive something? Do you find that the more you give to someone in need the more fulfilled you are?
  


• As a child I knew my parents would give me their last dime (and anything else in support of me), and no matter what I did they would always help and support me 100% (even though they may not have always agreed with me). By giving to me 100% their commitment and support could also be 100%.
  
  
• 100% commitment and support creates high degrees of personal confidence which ultimately leads to the highest achievements.
  


• Giving 100% effort and passion to someone else may be catalysis that inspires them to a level of commitment that takes them to another level; it may make them a 3-time world champion!
  


• Our great men and women that serve and protect our country in the armed forces go into it knowing that they one day they may give their lives in the line of duty (a 100% commitment). See my post on Commitment.
  
  
• Doesn't giving 100% create your greatest commitment?
  
  
• When your committed at the highest level your effort, performance and results will be at the highest level.

Don't Live Life by Default.

Message #59 - Being Ordinary is Not an Option

If You Want More Of What Every is is You Want More of...Put the EXTRA in front of your Ordinary Effort and Make it an EXTRAORDINARY Effort...

It's usually that little "EXTRA" effort that makes all the difference in getting what you want versus not getting what you want.

Consider this:

• It's not the size or cost of a house that make it a home, but instead it's the loving touches
  inside that costs nothing.
  
  
• A bag lunch made up of left overs can be a gourmet meal with a love note tucked inside.
  
  
• Candles turns a regular meal into an occasion.
  
  
• Studying just 1 more hour a day all semester can put you one the dean's list.
  
  
• Training just 1 more hour a day can make you a champion.
  
  
• Doing anything just a little more each day can make a HUGE difference in the final outcome.

Doing more than required or expected will make your life EXTRAORDINARY!!!

Message #58 - Do You Always Get What You Want?

Of Course Not! Nobody Gets What They Want All of the Time.

Do You Always Get What You Get? Always! and Absolutely! I learned this very important life principle from a very special person in my life.

True Power Lies in What We Get Ultimately; Because if we deal with what we get then we are dealing in the Truth and Reality.

Most people when they don't get what they want they waste time coming up with excuses, complaining and justifications. This is unproductive and a waste of time.

When you can honestly deal with what you get then you can effectively plan a different strategy to get what you really want.

This is not just a play on words, but a play on your attitude.

Remember...You Don't Always Get What You Want...But You Always Get What You Get.

Message #57 - Are You Ready to Break?

Adversity, Pain and Bad Things Causes Some Men to Break; Others to Break Records!

We all have adversity, pain and bad things happen in our lives. That's right everybody. The rain falls on the rich, the poor, the weak, the strong, the happy, the sad, the young, the old all the same...there's no difference.

Adversity, Pain and Bad Things are equal opportunity employers. They work everybody!

The real question is not "will Adversity, Pain and Bad Things happen to you?"...but rather "how you will deal with it when it happens to you?"...because it will happen to you!!!

Some of us have more adversity, pain and bad things than others but to pay attention to that is like complaining to the police officer that other people were speeding too when he pulls you over. You were still speeding irregardless of how many people were speeding. See by nature we all want to be in the same boat, even if it's sinking. Instead of climbing out of the boat and letting go of our pain and refocusing, we settle in and find others that want to talk about their pain too. You see Misery loves Company. DEAL WITH YOUR SITUATION with NO EXCUSES or JUSTIFICATIONS!

What separates us is how we deal with Adversity, Pain and Bad Things. See my post on Attitude. HOW ABOUT YOU...ARE YOU GOING TO LET PAIN, ADVERSITY AND BAD THINGS BREAK YOU? or ARE YOU GOING TO USE THESE THINGS TO MAKE YOU BETTER THAN YOU WERE BEFORE! GO BREAK SOME RECORDS NOW!

"If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small" --Proverbs 24:10

Message #56 - NEVER GIVE UP!

A TRUE LEADER

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, British statesman, orator, and author who as prime minister (1940–45, 1951–55) led the British people during World War II against Adolf Hitler's challenge, and led his country from the brink of defeat to victory. His leadership not only saved his country from the oppression of Hitler, but his leadership saved the rest of the free world. Wrap your brain around that! CLICK ON THE PICTURE AND YOU WILL GET A GLIMPSE OF THIS GREAT MAN!

Message #55 - One-Third of All Placebos Work!

What Does This Suggest About the Power of Expectation...Suggestion...Positive Thinking?

What is a Placebo?

A Placebo is a fake treatment for some medical problem that sometimes improves a patient's condition simply because the person has the expectation and belief that it will work.

Researchers have been studying the placebo effect for decades. In 1955, researcher H.K. Beecher published his groundbreaking paper "The Powerful Placebo," in which he concluded that, across the 26 studies he analyzed, an average of 32 percent of patients responded to the placebo treatment.

Wow! What's your Placebo? Find one...create one...talk yourself into one. All you need is a reason, any reason, however flimsy or illogical, and your mind does the rest. Tell yourself "You're The Greatest" like Muhammad Ali.

Expectation is not Hoping for something. Just say it once and listen to how it sounds. "I EXPECT to succeed"..."I HOPE to succeed". Which sounds more convincing and believable...something you can wrap your brain around.

Hope sounds like LUCK to me. Luck is getting your name pulled out of a group of 1,000 names. Don't say "Good Luck" to anyone anymore. We don't' need more luck. We need more preparation, training and skills that will give us the belief and expectation that we will succeed.

Put the ball in the court of the person and say instead of "Good Luck Joe or Jane"...say "may the best Man or Woman win". Winning and Success has nothing to do with Luck. Yes, there may be a lucky break or undeserved call that goes your way, but ultimately to win and succeed one must confidently and deliberately pursue and seize the prize.

Muhammad Ali completely duped himself into believing he was the greatest and that he couldn't be beat. Listen to his placebo Message #17 - Burning Your Ships...Ali Style

Message #54 - Everyone has Value and Potential

Inspiration Comes Like a Title Wave Sometimes When You Least Expect It.

Click on the Picture to Meet Cullen Fitzgibbons. (you'll have to watch a short commercial first) Prepare to be Inspired!


Click HERE to read more about Cullen Fitzgibbons.

Message #53 - Meet Dustin Carter

No Excuses Folks!



This young man has an iron will and has more challenges in one minute of his day than most of us will have in our entire lifetime.

Take the cards you have been dealt and make the best of it!

Message #52 - Expect To Win...It's Not Luck

Luck is Randomly Drawing Your Name Out of a Barrell of 1,000 Names.

• You Win Because You Expect to Win.
• You Win Because You Are Prepared.
• You Win Because You Actually Know You Know What Your Doing.
• You Win Because You Hate Losing.
• You Win Because Your Sick and Tired of Losing and Not Getting What You Want.
• You Win Because You Finally Believe in Yourself.
• You Win Because You Finally Believe it's OK to Be on Top and Stand Above the Competition.
• You Win Because You've Worked too Hard and Sacrificed too Much to Let it Go.
• You Actually Plan and Expect to WIN.
• Somebody's got to Win...Why not YOU!

Does This Sound Like Luck.

Message #51 - If Your Not Where You Want to Be, Maybe Your Not Dreaming Big Enough!

Dream Bigger!!!

• That's Right...Let Your Imagination Run Wild and Shoot for the Stars.

• Be a dreamer and DREAM BIGGER. When you walk down the street look towards the heavens and DREAM.

• No one has every achieved GREATNESS by surprise. Sometimes we can be at the right place at the right time and something good can happen to us, but true accomplishment is expected, deliberate and planned.

• It may not happen when you want...but it's RIGHT ON TIME when it happens.

• Be careful not to compare yourself with someone great right now if your not where you want to be, but go back in time and compare yourself with that person when they were getting started. You'll be suprised at where some great people were when they got started.
  

• Remember setbacks are a chance to reaffirm your goals.

• Remember Commitment is the foundation of all Success. See Message #15 - “Burn the Ships”

Message #50 - Are You Really Serious???

What Does It Take For You To Risk It All For What You Want???

• What do I mean by risk it all? Well What are you holding back?
  


• If this were a poker game and I wanted to win the pot. Is my "hand" good enough to put all my chips in?
  


• Well life and accomplishments are not a poker game...a game of chance. I used this to form an anolagy that I'll explain.
  


• Your "hand" is your preparation (in the real world this is your learning, practice, training, workout, mental preparation etc). You build and create your "hand" during the "game" of poker...in the game of life your build and create this every day by how you work, your choices and actions.
  


• Your chips are your effort. In poker it's your money. Are you willing to risk losing your money on the hand you have. In life it's your effort. If you don't think you can win or get what you want, then logic says why put the effort in.
  
  
• In Life we don't have crystal balls and we can't see the future. So we have to risk the effort to have a chance at the prize.
  
  
• So build the best "hand" you can by leaving no stone unturned in your preparation.
  
  
• Operate from an "all in" attitude and mentality and put "all your chips in" in terms of your effort.
  


• This will ensure your best performance every time

Message #49 - Circumstances Should Not Control Your Outlook on Life

This is the Last Lecture by 46 year old Carnegie-Mellon Professor Randy Pausch. We all can benefit from watching his story as presented in this video. This is a remarkable story that will change the way you look at life.

Message #48 - Dream Big and Always Believe in Your Dream!

People May Doubt...Just Believe Anyway!!!

Message #47 - You Do Have the Power to Choose Greatness

We're all at the exact place we are at because of the choices we've made up to this point...

Every day we have the power to choose:

• what attitude we're going to have.


• what fears to embrace.


• what fears let go of.


• what spirit we'll have - whether a spirit of LOVE, forgiveness, kindness, meekness, thoughtfulness, courage and GREATNESS.

When we choose a positive and productive spirit we take control of our destiny and paint our future in exactly the way we see it.

Walk with your head up looking at the heavens dreaming of soaring...never down at the ground carefully plodding every step.

DREAM BIG AND BELIEVE!

Message #46 - Stay Focused on Your Goals

Be Prepared to Be Tested...

• What is a TEST? A test is when you are challenged...when you doubt...when you stumble...when you don't succeed at first...when you feel like quitting...when you fail...when you think your not good enough...when you get sick...when you get tired...when you are wondering how in the world are you're going to do this...
  


• A test is merely a chance to reaffirm your commitment to your goal. Welcome any and all opportunities to be tested, because after going through the test you become stronger. So the more tests - the stronger you become.
  


• Stand firm and determined not to quit during the test knowing that when you make it through you will be stronger and more committed to the goal.
  


• Never let the outcome of a test discourage you from your goals. Always remember your desire is to achieve your goal and not any particular test.