Kemp's Korner - Live

Message #114 - "DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU"

2011-09-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Live Your Dream..!

A woman lay on her bed at the end of her life waiting to die.

Her dream came to pay his last respects and bid farewell to the woman who had never used it.

As it entered the room the woman hung her head down in shame and embarrassment.

“Why did you not realize me?” the dream asked.

“Because I was afraid,” the woman replied.

“Afraid of what?” asked the dream.

“I was afraid I would fail.”

“But haven’t you failed by not attempting to use me?”.

“Yes I did. But I’ve been busy. I always thought there would be tomorrow to pursue my dreams.”

“You Foolish woman!” said the dream. “Did it never occur to you that there was only ever today? The moment that you are in right now? Do you think now that death is here you can put it off until tomorrow?”

“No…” sighed the woman, a tear gently slipping down her cheek.

The dream was softer now, because it knew that there were two types of pain, the pain of discipline and the pain of regret, and while discipline weighs mere ounces, regret weighs pounds.

Then the dream leaned forward to gently wipe the tear away from her cheek and whispered, “You need only have taken the first step, and I would have taken one to meet you, for the only thing that ever separated us was the belief in your mind that you couldn’t have me”.

Then they said goodbye and they both died.

--- Adapted from anonymous story about a man’s dream
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #113 - "IMAGINE!"

2011-09-27T22:39:00.001-07:00

This is Guaranteed to move you..!

Emmanuel Kelly sings the popular John Lennon song called "Imagine" at the X Factor 2011 Auditions. If Video Play box does not appear Click Here

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #112 - "Do You Wanna Be Like Mike"

2011-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

We've all Seen These Gatorade Commercials with Michael Jordan... but Do You Really Want to Do All That Mike Did To Actually Be Like Mike?!?

We all see the end results... the last second, game winning shot... the fame ... the glory ... the trappings of success... BUT do we really want to go through what it takes.

What am I talking about? ... I'm talking about Success... How ever YOU define it for yourself.

Google successful, accomplished people and read what they did to achieve their success. It may surprise you.

What I find when I'm telling audiences what it takes to be successful is RESISTANCE. QUESTIONING AND BALKING AT THE PROCESS. ASKING WHY INSTEAD OF HOW... etc.

What this really means is, Most People Don't Want Success BAD ENOUGH! The real questions is HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

I recently heard a motivational speaker tell a story about a young man wanting to be financially successful and sought the advice of a Guru. The young man told the Guru he wanted to be as successful as him. The Guru told him to meet him at the beach the next morning and he would give him the secrets to his great financial success. The young man showed up in a suit to meet the Guru as instructed.

The Guru told the young man to come out into the water with him. The young man balked and protested, after all he had a suit on and expected something totally different than what the Guru was asking him to do. After thinking about it, and knowing of the Guru's great financial success and great respect he commanded, the young man reluctantly entered the water. The Guru led the young man out where the water was getting deep. Out to where the water was neck deep. At this point the young man started to panic and thought the Guru was crazy and felt he really had nothing to teach him. Just as the young man was ready to quit (what he thought was a silly exercise), and go back to shore, the Guru grabbed him and held him under water.

Needless to say the young man was startled, frightened and was really panicking at this point, not to mention he couldn't breath and was starting to fight for his life. The struggle continued until the young man was about to black out, and then the Guru pulled him up. The young man was bewildered and angry and asked why the Guru had done that. The Guru's answer stunned even me. The Guru said when you want Success as bad as you want oxygen to breath, then you will be as successful as me. Wow! What a story to dramatize the point.

The Questions remains... "HOW BAD DO YOU WANT SUCCESS"
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #111 - Only You Can Choose.....

2011-08-02T09:50:00.001-07:00

"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

I remember this 1967 Blockbuster movie featuring future Academy Award Winner, Sidney Poitier playing opposite Katharine Houghton. Academy Awards winners Spencer Tracey and Katharine Hepburn filled out this outstanding cast.

If you remember the movie the main point was really pretty simple when you think about it. It's all about choice... In the case of the young couple Sidney and Katharine (or their characters John Prentice and Joanna Drayton) they simply made a choice with all the conviction and commitment they could command. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO, and they were prepared to deal with the rest.

Unfortunately, most people live by DEFAULT. They don't really choose what they want. They choose what's left.

By John and Joanna making the BOLD and DEFINING choice they were, in effect, creating their future. Deciding what THEY wanted for their lives. What does this mean for YOU?..?

Don't live by default (or the path of least resistance). If you don't choose your future... Your future will choose YOU. Don't be surprised by what Future shows up in your life, just like you shouldn't be surprised by the guest (that you invited) that shows up to dinner. You create your Future by the decisions and actions you make.

We are all the sum total of the decisions and actions we make in our Life. Dream Big and don't live by Default.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #110 - It's Not How You Start Out.....

2011-07-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

"Is the Glass Half Full ... or Half Empty?". Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself -- at the university's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #109 - The Key... Part 2.

2011-06-19T16:46:00.001-07:00

"Adopting an acquired pattern of behavior and thought that becomes almost involuntary as a result of frequent repetition". If you read my last post you probably are again wondering "what the heck is he talking about?".... This is a definition of what is absolutely essential to achieving success. It goes "hand in hand" with my previous post on FOCUS. Read on.....

If Focusing helps you see and clearly visualize the goal... Then what Stops the Distractions from Robbing you of your focus. I believe that life's Distractions rob us of our focus. In fact I believe that's the #1 cause of failure... DISTRACTIONS.

We all have a certain amount of focus, but what I've seen in myself and other accomplished people is an unwavering ability to "stay in the zone" and block out distractions.

The greater your ability to block out any and all distractions... the greater your potential for Success!

So then... How do we block any and all Distractions? ... We must develop the essence of the quote above in red. The above quote in red is a definition of the word HABIT.

I believe before you can have FOCUS (and later success) you must have first created a consistent and distraction free environment through developing and "Adopting an acquired pattern of behavior and thought that becomes almost involuntary as a result of frequent repetition". This behavior becomes a part of your focus.

When I was at my best as a wrestler... I simply could not be DISTRACTED. The behavior that I adopted assured me of "NO DISTRACTIONS". As a result I wasn't attached (or attracted) to anything that I could not immediately give up (indefinitely if I had to) that distracted me from my goal. The only way to do this on a consistent basis is to develop and "Adopting an acquired pattern of behavior and thought that becomes almost involuntary as a result of frequent repetition"or simply stated develop a HABIT that insures you can stay focused on your goal.

I steered clear of negative people... negative thoughts... negative food... etc., and as a force of habit surrounded myself with positive people... positive thoughts... positive food etc. PEOPLE, THOUGHTS and FOOD I could control... and I did. I left out working hard for a reason... Most everybody that's serious about success Works Hard! It's not about Working Hard. It's all about STAYING FOCUSED!

How do yo stay Focused? Develop Healthy Attitudes that Bring Impact Today.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #108 - The Key... Part 1.

2011-06-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

"The action of adjusting the distance between the lens and subject to make light rays converge to form a clear and sharply defined image of the subject". You probably are wondering "what the heck is he talking about?".... This is a definition from photography. Read on.....

Well, I get asked all the time by young wrestlers how I achieved success so quickly in wrestling:

"I started wrestling in 9th grade and didn't make varsity until 10th grade. The next year in 11th grade I was the state champ beating both the defending state runner-up and state champ. State champ again the next year in 12th grade finishing the last two years undefeated. Won the Jr. Nationals (beating a future 3-time NCAA Div-I champion) and beat a Russian in a N.E. Ohio vs Russia Junior Dual. Next year as a 18 year old college freshman lost an overtime split referees decision in NCAA Div-I finals. Next year, just 6 years after starting wrestling, beat Gable (he was the Olympic Champion 4 years earlier and was 26 years old) and and won NCAA Div-I championship, the 1st of three consecutive titles. Two years later was the youngest American Gold medalist in the world championships. Next year was America's first multiple-time world champion. Three years later was a 3-time world champion - the first American three-time world champion".

This is the most consistent thing I get asked. HOW?......? and not only wrestler or athletes, I find I get asked this HOW question by virtually everyone interested in HOW success is achieved.

For years I gave the canned answer of; hard work, sacrifice, dedication ... etc., But when I really thought about it I realized that it was all because of FOCUS.... I'll say it again... FOCUS...!

Sounds simple but it's probably the hardest one thing to do on this earth... Especially with all the things pulling for our attention on a minute by minute basis 24/7.

This post is an attempt to have you think about focus in a different way. The above definition, at the beginning of this post in red, defines focus as related to photography, but I think it frames what Focus is in all things. It was especially true for me as an athlete. How do you get "a clear and sharply defined image of the subject"? This is done in photography by "adjusting the distance between the lens and subject".

Watch how I relate this to focusing on a goal... The clearly defined image of the subject is your GOAL. The LENS is your MIND's EYE; and adjusting the distance between these to form a clear and sharply defined image of the subject is the process of "fine tuning" into your goal, or simply, how clearly can you see your goal in your mind's eye. It's easier to believe you can accomplish something if you can actually "see it" clearly in your mind. If it's not clear in your mind then it's harder to see and believe.

It always amazed me that Eagles can clearly focus on a mouse over a mile away...THAT'S FOCUS. If the goal is fuzzy, then the effort and subsequent success is "fuzzy" too. For me my goals were laser sharp and crystal clear... I WAS SUPREMELY FOCUSED! ... and so was my effort that led to the success.

The more clear and sharply defined your goal is in your mind's eye... the greater your FOCUS. The greater your focus, the greater your willingness to do all the things you KNOW you need to do to attain the goal, i.e., the hard work, sacrifice, dedication... etc. It becomes an unstoppable machine... FOCUS ... EFFORT/WORK... SUCCESS.

Tune in your FOCUS and you'll have your SUCCESS. Stay tuned for part 2 of the Key. The Key to SUCCESS.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #107 - Dream vs Duck....

2011-04-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

Dreaming to Accomplish Something versus Ducking to avoid something... In Life our Actions are Based on either trying to Gain Something or Trying to Avoid Something...

That's really what achievement is all about. We all know achieving something can be hard and requires overcoming many obstacles and setbacks.

The challenging question for all of us when faced with challenges and hardships is: "Do we continue Dreaming or do we start to "Duck" or avoid the challenges".

Ducking to me involves avoidance; hiding; deception; denial; accepting the status quo; hoping for something better rather than seeking something better; sitting in the back of the class so you don't get called on; putting in the minimal time - leaving work or practice right at the scheduled quitting time - no extra effort; seeking no extra responsibility, being on the Defensive always countering someone else's attack having none of your own.... etc.

Dreaming is just the opposite of all these: Meet vs avoid; Reveal vs hide; Truth vs deception; Approval vs Denial (Denial means Don't, Even, Notice, I, Am, Lying); Reject status quo vs accept status quo and so on...

Duck has another connotation: Ducks are not viewed as strong, in fact they are weak. You can think of Ducks as always complaining (quacking) about their failures and something not being right.

Compare the Duck to the majestic Eagle and think of the Eagle as Dreaming instead. Eagles soar above the fray. Eagles have no limits. They are strong, confident and have no equal.

Don't have a Duck mentality but have a Dream mentality. Let the Dream - soaring like an Eagle, mentality travel with you for the rest of your life; don't embrace ducking through life; don't be a duck... but be an Eagle and keep Dreaming.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #106 - Don't Focus on Winning...

2011-02-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

Although Winning is the Goal You Must Focus on Something else to Really Explode Your Success....

I recently read a short quote about Selling that really stuck with me. It went something like this:

"To sell more don't focus on what and how you can sell your customer... But instead focus on what you can do and how you can HELP your customer.

By doing that you will solve your customer's problems and flow right into selling them naturally. The best salespeople are Super Problem Solvers.

Well I got to thinking about my success in wrestling and lo and behold... I wasn't focused on winning as much as I was focused on GETTING BETTER.

That's it. I was focused on what I could do to get better and how could I get better each day rather than focusing on the end result of Winning.

Simple... THE BETTER YOU GET... THE MORE YOU WIN!

FOCUS ON GETTING BETTER

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #105 - What Are You Looking At? ...and What Are You Focusing On?

2011-01-03T20:25:00.001-08:00

There are a Lot of Things Pulling at us for our Attention. Some of Which is Very Subtle... and Some is of Course Shouting for our Attention...

We only have a FINITE amount of Attention and FOCUS. We all have a Limited Amount. Have you ever got to a point that you said I can't think any more... I can't focus on another thing!

Well, if that happens to you, ask what used up all my Attention and Focus? I know from Experience that I perform better on the things I pay attention to and focus on. PERIOD!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT...

People that have the ability to devote 100% of their attention and focus to something will usually excel at it. We can only have ONE thought in our mind at any given Time. If you clutter your mind with a lot of random and unrelated thoughts... then that's exactly what you'll get in results and accomplishments... Random and Inconsistent Accomplishments.

Keep a journal and write all the things you think about in a day. Do this for a week. I promise that the things on your journal WILL EXACTLY DEFINE YOU!!!

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS... CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS. We all know the definition of insanity RIGHT!

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #104 - Look for Where you Slipped....

2010-12-16T10:40:00.001-08:00

We all sometimes Fall and come up Short of our Goals. We ask "how did I Fall (or Fail)?

As a successful wrestler I get asked a lot how did I rebound and recover from a LOSS and get back to WINNING. Well after the obvious "It's not EASY" I reply with a question "look back to where you started to SLIP (lose confidence, doubt, cut corners, not work as hard, veer from your core values, hook up with the wrong person or people, not care as much, etc, etc, the list goes on... and on...)

I've discovered from my own experiences both from wrestling and in LIFE (after all this is most important) that before the FALL there was a SLIP.

THIS IS WHERE THE FALL ACTUALLY OCCURRED... at that point of the SLIP. If not corrected a FALL is inevitable. It's SURE.

It's ONLY a MATTER of TIME. Some of us can hang on for a long time after slipping. The actual Fall is not always immediate.

We all know when we slip. We brush it off though as a "Close Call"... We get in Denial... We try and pretend it never happened... We think were to busy to address the slipping ISSUE so we ignore it and think business will be as usual.

BUSINESS WON'T BE AS USUAL FOR LONG.

The most consistently successful people are the ones that acknowledge AND correct their SLIPS as soon as possible, thereby avoiding a FALL later.

IT'S NOT WHERE YOU FALL... BUT WHERE YOU STARTED TO SLIP. PAY ATTENTION TO THE SLIPS and you'll have more SUCCESS.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #103 - You Don't Have to Like It.......

2010-12-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Sometimes You Have to do What you don't like to Achieve What you Want.

I get asked a lot what I did to be a successful wrestler and the main thing I say is a lot of what I did I really didn't like.

The problem with being successful is most of us have a fuzzy idea what it takes! We all want the end result...the spoils... the victory... the nice house... car... etc.

The problem continues with most people only focusing on the part of the process they like. Based on the God given natural abilities you got at birth and the skills you have been able to attain you will land somewhere on the success scale.

If the place you land on the success scale is not where you want to be, then SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE.

THE CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE usually involves DOING THINGS WE REALLY DON'T LIKE.... and SINCE MOST OF US RESIST DOING THINGS WE DON'T LIKE THE SUCCESS WE WANT NEVER COMES.

As a wrestler there were many aspects to training I really liked. But there also were some things I didn't like... I really disliked RUNNING... and I avoided it as much as I could.

When I was at my first elite level training camp in 1978 training for the World Championships I was introduced to running by Coach Dan Gable. We ran HARD every day. Up hills... over gravel roads... in sand... with guys on our backs... ect.

Because it was Gable and because I was convinced I needed it to win... I did it with excellence and with a good attitude... I strived to win or be in the front of every run.

Figure out what you have been avoiding because you don't like it and really determine if that very thing, if you were doing it, can help you toward a goal you have.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #102 - Are You Not Achieving What You Want...

2010-07-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

You Must Change Your Thoughts, Keep Your Head Up and Focus your Thoughts on What You Want.

This is Easier Said Than Done. What I find with most people that are not achieving what they want (or just plain not happy) is that they keep looking at all the crap they've been through or simply put; the negative outcomes or failures in their life, and that's where their focus is.

You've all heard the phrase: "Change your Focus...Change Your Life"

The Big Question is HOW DO I CHANGE MY FOCUS???

Well it all starts with producing just ONE DIFFERENT THOUGHT from the ones you've had.

Each Thought we have produces a chemical reaction in our brain and in turn produces an action in line with that thought.

The Average Person Has Between 50,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. I'm Amazed by that. You should be too. Even when you think you're not thinking... Guess What... You are.... and Here may lie your Stumbling Block to the Success You Want.

If the majority of your 50,000-60,000 thoughts each day are focused on the crap of the past, and knowing that chemical reactions are produced in the brain by each thought, leading to specific actions guided by the thought, then it's not hard to understand why we REPEAT BAD CYCLES, DECISIONS & FAILURES in our life.

Think about this: "How many bad thoughts do you have to string together to end up having a bad day".

Now Think about the reverse of this. "How many good thoughts do you have to string together to end up having a good day".

START STRINGING TOGETHER GOOD POSITIVE THOUGHTS NOW.
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #101 - Ride the Wild Tiger!

2010-07-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Life is Like a Wild Tiger.... You can either lie down and let it Lay its paw on your Head.... or...... YOU CAN SIT ON ITS BACK AND RIDE IT!

Heard this recently, don't know who the original author is, but it really impacted me in a big way and I wanted to share it.

I find in my own life the essence of this quote working. Who hasn't been knocked down by LIFE? ... Nobody! ...We all Have... and Guess What... we will continue to be knocked down...

LIFE (or as the wise author of this quote has coined "The Wild Tiger") has dealt us all some hard times and will continue to rear its ugly head from time to time..

The really important questions is... are we going to let it (the circumstance that LIFE dealt) control us???

I love the way the way the author says "you can lie down and let it (LIFE's circumstance) Lay its (HEAVY - added by me) paw on your head"

In my own Life I stay beaten down until I decide to face the Tiger head on and RIDE IT... If I fall off... I get back on... and back on... and back on.... you get the picture...

Eventually I overcome it and RIDE THE TIGER. It's the same principle for achieving your Goals. Your Goal is the Wild Tiger.

Are you going to RIDE THE WILD TIGER???

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #100 - Are You Working to get Better...REALLY?

2010-04-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

How serious are you at working to get better? We all say we want to get better...but are we working at it REALLY?

Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to get better?
Are you taking an honest assessment of where you're at right now? And more importantly are you DREAMING BIG and setting high goals?
Are you challenging yourself every day?
Are you "jumping in the ring" (in whatever arena you're in) with the best people every day and testing yourself.
Do you let down when you get tired or have a set back?
Do you let other people "break" you? Break your spirit, your will, your desires, your goals, your plans, your drive, your expectations.....?

What I find is that most people really don't try that hard at being successful. They try a little bit and if they don't achieve immediate results, they may not quit, but they don't try as hard.

The incredible thing is that even when people experience some success (or a little success) from their efforts, I find that they still don't try that hard.

I really don't understand this because I believe that is the key here.... Here's the nugget, don't miss it.....

Get those little successes (from your effort) and stop and let yourself feel the high from it. You need to get addicted to it like a drug that you must have to live. This will drive you to want more. You will work hard at trying to get better..REALLY.

These little success should be FRONT PAGE news in your life.

I was at the Midlands wrestling tournament this past season and after the final match of one of the champions I saw him running behind the bleachers. He continued running until he was called to the award stand. then after that continued running.

I congratulated him on his championship I asked him why he was working out right now (of course I knew the answer).

His answer is the essence of this post. Please pay attention to his answer.... He said I'M JUST TRYING TO GET BETTER!!!

This wrestler was a true sophomore, was 2nd in the NCAA's as a true freshman and recently won the Freestyle Senior Nationals beating a former world team member.

When he was interviewed after his match he again said I'M JUST TRYING TO GET BETTER!!!

This young man has the right ideal about success.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #99 - ANTICIPATE don't HESITATE...

2010-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Anticipate SUCCESS and look forward to what you WANT to actually HAPPEN... BELIEVE in yourself and your abilities.

The key to being able to anticipate the thing, event or whatever happening is to first COMMIT to it. This is the golden nugget. This, however, is easier said than done.

The reason why commitment is so important and has to come first in any endeavor, achievement and success is: ...... Watch This and make note of the point to follow........

Until one is COMMITTED there is HESITANCY...the chance to change your mind... the chance to draw back... the chance to not try as hard... the chance to QUIT. Yes I said quit. We all want to quit sometimes.

It is always easier to quit when there's no commitment, or weak commitment. Without commitment there is always ineffectiveness.

There is a unlimited stream of inner strength, resolve, and "get tough grit" that occurs at the very moment of the decision to COMMIT to something. Also at this moment (the moment of making the decision to commit) a whole host of other things begin to occur that divinely tips the scales in our favor that ultimately helps us achieve our goal. I can't explain this exactly, but it's POWERFUL and it has proven itself to me time and time again in my life.

I've had unforeseen incidents, chance meetings, help and assistance in my life (all helping me towards achieving my goal) that before they happened I could not have even dreamed of any of it coming my way. You've heard of the saying "you don't know what you don't know". Like I said I can't fully explain it but these divine powers are only unleashed once you commit to something.

Click HERE to read some of my past blog posts on COMMITMENT.
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #98 - Don't Just Stand There... MYA (MOVE YOUR A#%)!

2010-02-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

Dr. Rob Gilbert, Leading Sports Psychologist, coined the phrase GOYA (Get off your A#%). I'm coining the phase MOVE YOUR A#%.

Get up and start Moving... Not just anywhere... But Move in the direction of your GOALS.

YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT YOU WANT.. Right!

Once You Know that... START MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. Take a first step... then another... then another. You've heard the saying... if you stumble and fall... Stumble and fall forward. NEVER BACKWARD. Fight hard not to go backward.

For those of you that trade stocks. it's like setting a trailing STOP after you've made some gains. If your stops are tight and continually adjusted upward you can never lose what you've gained.

Set trailing stops in LIFE!

What are we really saying... By moving your a#% you are creating a ACTION. When you create a action you are doing something.

Here's the golden nugget... YOU CAN ALWAYS (without exception) CONTROL YOUR ACTIONS... AND YOUR ACTIONS ARE INDEPENDENT OF YOUR FEELINGS, EMOTIONS OR THOUGHTS.

The trick is to make your actions move towards your goals, Remember this is independent of how you feel. Example - doing something you don't like.. but you know it is moving you in the direction you want. i.e., studying, lifting weights, working that 2nd job to pay for night school, or while in grammar school that job after school to pay for J Robinson's intensive camp, etc.

It is by far easier to control and change you what you DO (i.e., your actions), than it is to control and change your feelings, emotions or thoughts.

Successful people act even when they don't really want to. They take the feelings and emotions out of the equation. They consistently live by GOYA and MYA.
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #97 - What You Do Today DOES Matter!

2010-01-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Have You Ever Ended Up Somewhere and Wonder How in the World Did I Get Here?

That is precisely the point. How Did I get here! This applies in Every Aspect of Life.

Like... Driving Somewhere & Getting Lost and ending up somewhere you didn't want to be... Ending up with Friends, People, Spouse, Kids, Sickness, Disease, or a Job you don't really want to be with, etc., you name it.....

Basically just not being happy with where you're at and/or the direction you're going!

I'm here to tell you that this just didn't happen by accident. It didn't just happen overnight or all of a sudden... IT HAPPENED OVER TIME FOLKS.

TIME is the Game Changer Here. It is either our friend... or it is our enemy. It's ONE OR THE OTHER. Our choices mutiplied by TIME happens to all of us. It happens to me and it happens to you.

The Key is recognizing when wrong choices are being repeated over TIME heading us down a path we really dont' want... and STOP! Stop the train immediately! Reaccess your GOALS and pick a different path. Sounds simple.. but it's not.

Picking a different path means making different CHOICE. Making a different DECISION. Making a CHANGE.

This is the GOLDEN NUGGET HERE: Your daily choices, decisions and actions when added up everyday over TIME will always take us to our ACCOMPLISHMENTS and ACHIEVEMENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS.

I've analysed literally thousands of successful people's daily actions (including mine) and concluded they were all on the straight and narrow path to their future accomplishments and success. Any detour off the path by "wrong daily actions" compounded by time would have taken them grossly off course missing the success and accomplishments that was "gift wrapped" waiting for them (including me).

So if you're asking yourself how did I get here, just play back the recorder of your life on a day-by day basis, up to this moment, and you will realize with crystal clarity exactly how you got here, and more importantly where your life is headed.

Want to change your life. Start today by changing what you do today and multiply your successful daily routine over TIME and I guarantee you will get the result your daily actions are pointing to. NO MYSTERIES HERE. JUST CONSISTENCY.

REMEMBER what ever happens to you, be sure, YOU are 100% responsible!

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #96 - Can You Take A Hit?

2010-01-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

There was a Sign in our Wrestling Room at Wisconisin, I Looked at EVERYDAY, that Read:

"Measure a Man by the Opposition it Takes to Discourage Him"

As a college athlete I knew there would be obstacals to overcome everyday... i.e., injuries, tough practices, classes and grades, competition, you name it.... etc... All I knew is that I wasnt' going to quit and I was somehow going to be a NCAA Champion.

SUCCESS IS NEVER EASY.....

We all can learn something from ROCKY. Click the picture to watch the clip or CLICK HERE if picture is not visable.

STILL NEED MORE CONVINCING. CLICK HERE TO READ AN EARLIER POST I WROTE ON OPPISITION AND HARDSHIPS

http://www.leekemp.com/

Message #95 - Want to be a true LEADER in anything?

2009-12-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Don't be afraid to break the mold and the status quo... with the true Leader thinking outside the box is not enough... with the true leader "THERE IS NO BOX"

The true leader Innovates; while others only administers what's already there.
The true leader is an original; while others try and copy.
The true leader makes things happen; while others ask "what happened"
The true leader originates; while others imitate.
The true leader is intensely interested in continual personal and professional development; while others maintain where they're at.
The true leader focuses on developing people, because they know that's best way to get things done; while others focuses on systems and structure.
The true leader inspires trust; while others rely on control.
The true leader sees the "big picture" and has a long-range perspective; while others maintain a short-range view and only see the immediate circumstance(s).
The true leader asks what and why; while others ask how and when.
The true leader challenges the status quo; while others accept it.
The true leader does the right thing; while others do things right.

This was adapted from "Becoming a Leader" - Warren Bennis
www.LeeKemp.com

Message #94 - Keep Believing in your Miracle.

2009-11-05T14:16:00.001-08:00

Don't quit the moment before your miracle... your breakthrough... your SUCCESS!

If you keep believing your breakthrough will come. Your success will come.

One way to keep your dream alive is to constantly visualize your success. Role play it in your mind. Then step out of your mind and role play your future success by acting it out.

Really act it out. As a young wrestler I used to make an award stand in my bed room and role play getting up on the #1 spot after hearing the my name announced as the champion. Sounds corny but this stuff works.

Another way is to make a feature film of your success in your mind and create a "highlight" trailer and play it constantly in your mind.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #93 - Are You Holding Back?

2009-10-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

The next question is WHAT are you holding back? For example; energy, effort and love, ect. We all hold something back. Holding back is the key reason we have Mediocre performances and experiences.

Giving all you've got is the Key to Exceptional performance and experiences. Do you want to be EXCEPTIONAL ... or ... average?

Just by waking up in the morning...You've Made it to the "Average" Club. What you do after that makes all the difference.

Holding back is why people sometimes fail. When you hold back you never fully know what may have happened if you went "all out". Have you ever seen a person Passionate about something 'holding back"?

Great Desire and Intentions are wonderful things to have... but ... Great Effort is more important. This is the classic "thinking about doing something versus actually doing it".

"Remember Doing Something and Thinking about Doing Something Yields Entirely Different Results."

The reason why some people don't "go all out" and give (what ever it is) all they've got is because they have a belief that what ever it is they are giving; energy, effort, love etc., is LIMITED and needs to be conserved and rationed, for fear it is going to run out (kind of like time in a day). By having this belief we gauge, on a case by case basis, how much we're going to give to something.

Another reason for not going "all out" is Fear of Faliure. I'll address that in a later blog entry.

IF WE GUESS WRONG BY GIVING "TOO LITTLE" .... often times WE FAIL at what ever it is we're doing! This scenario is especially bad because if fosters failure and mediocrity, and if we succeed it's just as bad because if fosters an attitude of low output EXPECTING good results.

Strangely enough... WHAT DRAINS US OF OUR; ENERGY, EFFORT, LOVE (what ever) is the act of holding it back... not giving it 100%.

WATCH THIS.... The more you hold back, or conserve something i.e., your ENERGY, EFFORT, LOVE (what ever), the more NARROW the channels through which "it" can flow WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT or WANT IT!

If you give it all at 100% the channel opens and flows freely. Example; if you hold back physical effort in athletic practices... the more difficult it is to give it (and express it) when you need it - to have the desired performance outcome. Another EXAMPLE; the more you hold back love... the more difficult it is to give it (and express it) when you need to.

This applies to everything. Think about it... People that freely and fully give 100% of their Effort towards something seem to have an unending supply of it... and are usually successful at what ever they're doing.

YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT...EVERY DAY!

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #92 - Deal With It!!!!

2009-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Excuses...Excuses...Excuses! I hear a lot of conversations about why things don't get done. Please... STOP the conversations. Stop the EXCUSES. stop the EXPLANATIONS. Stop the JUSTIFICATIONS.

All that stuff is really the outgrowth of our FEARS (I do it too sometimes). Fear causes us to make excuses (i.e., explaining and justifying why somethiong did or did not happen).

NO EXPLANATIONS OR JUSTIFICATIONS! PLEASE... JUST ACTION. You've heard of "Show me the money"... well... SHOW ME THE ACTION with no conversations!

In life for every decision we make we are either GETTING something for it... or AVOIDING something for it. The latter is living by default. The former is ACTION oriented living with purpose.

DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS AND TAKE ACTION TOWARDS YOUR FUTURE.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #91 - Winning Takes on Many Forms - Bob Wieland is a Winner!

2009-09-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

Wake up every day with a Purpose, Goal or Objective for the Day. Then Go After It!

People Magazine called Bob Wieland "one of the six most amazing Americans of the past 20 years."

How many people have biked or walked across America? Bob has done both ... with no legs. Through seemingly insurmountable adversity,

Bob has persevered. From his miraculous recovery in the hospital, to his three-year, eight-month and six-day walk across America on his hands,

Bob has proved his message that "Through faith in God, determination, and dedication, a person can achieve anything."

He has always said, "The joy is in the journey." He completed the grueling Iron Man Triathlon (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26-mile marathon) on his arms. He has no peers in human achievement.

Bob Wieland, who lost his legs in Vietnam 34 years ago, finished the Los Angeles marathon Saturday, March, 8, 2003, after 173 hours and 45 minutes. It took 57-year-old Wieland of Arcadia, Calif., more than one week to cover the more than 26 miles. He used only his hands and torso.

THIS IS TRULY AMAZING!!!

I DON'T WANT TO HEAR, EVER AGAIN, SOMEONE TELL ME HOW HARD OR HOW DIFFICULT SOMETHING IS.

MY MINDSET IS CHANGED FOREVER!!!

WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE FOR THE DAY!

www.leekemp.com/

Message #90 - Winning Doesn't Need to be Pretty. Just WIN!

2009-08-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Keep the goal simple. Example; My goal is to win this match vs. My goal is to be the OW.

Nothing wrong with being the OW. In fact in my entire career I've only won that 3 times. Once was in high school. Once in college. Once in Freestyle.

My goal was always to win. Getting my hand raised was my single concern, consequently my matches were not that exciting, but there wasn't much doubt as to who was going to win.

Remember K.I.S.S Principle!

This applies to anything you want to accomplish in LIFE.

www.leekemp.com

Message #89 - Live Life Today as if Today was all you Had...

2009-07-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

Because all we really have is NOW. That's all we really can Control. Tomorrow is not promised.

I had the good fortune to meet a great man recently. A wise man full of years with a lot of life experiences...but unfortunately he was dying. In fact when I met him he would only be alive for 14 more days. After spending some time with this man I learned very quickly that he really loved life and lived life to the fullest!

After spending some time with him and learning all that he had accomplished... I came to this startling revelation...

That revelation is: "All we have control of is this very moment in time; and we have to get the most out of this moment. This moment in time is NOW!"

When time runs out.. that's it... there's nothing more we can do in this earthly realm...I noticed this man had no regrets... He was at peace with his life.

All that we accomplish life no matter how long we live; no matter how much success we have; no matter how much we love and are loved; no matter what plans we have and had; no matter how full our life is or was... At the end we all will ponder did we accomplish what we set out to do in our lives! Did we take full advantage of all the "NOWS" we had.

No matter what....It all comes to an END!

TIME TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY! All of us will one day run out of time.

I got to thinking...what is it that I still want to do with my life.....As I thought about this it became apparent to me that we really don't have any control of our plans...We only have control of NOW.

Remember the saying "the best laid plans of mice and men....." you know the rest.

Take advantage of this very moment. Make something really special of this moment. That's what I was able to do in my wrestling career...I took advantage of every moment and lived each moment in wrestling (as it related to competition, training & learning) as if it were my last and as a result I was successful at it.

This philosophy will work at anything we want to accomplish in life.

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #88 - Are You Putting It All On The Line...?

2009-07-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

There's no Limit to What You Can Do...But to Find Out What You Can Do...You Must First Put It All On The Line...

The reason most people don't put it all on the line is because the very act of putting it on the line exposes any weaknesses and, of course, any strengths.

Putting it on the line means going all out...holding nothing back.

HOW ELSE WILL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY CAN DO?

HOW ELSE WILL YOU BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES BASED ON EXPOSED WEAKNESSES?

You need to know what your strengths are just as you must know what your weakness are.

To win at the highest levels you must know what your strengths and weakness are and you must practice this every day.

Put it all on the line every day.

http://www.leekemp.com/

Message #87 - Want to Improve your Performance...?

2009-07-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Keep a Consistent and Focused Goal Oriented Attitude!

Attitude is defined as "a mental position (or a feeling or emotion) with regard to something".

Most of us are quick to let a negative circumstance change our attitude and feelings about something. This type of attitude, unfortunately, is determined by circumstance and not really focused on a particular goal or outcome.

Therefore when our circumstance changes...so does our attitude. Circumstances change alot...and unfortunately with most of us, so does our attitude.

Example; something happens we don't like...we get a negative attitude about it. This attitude is usually negative, strong and changes our thinking. This type of attitude reacts to the circumstance.

When attitude is determined by the circumstance...Consistent high level performance is impossible.

WE ARE ALWAYS IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE ARE IN! So don't fret over your circumstance. Circumstances will always happen. Remember...Bad Stuff Happens, but it doesn't have to negatively impact our ATTITUDE.

Instead Focus your ATTITUDE on a GOAL! A goal that does not change. A goal that you are Passionate about.

Click HERE to read the quote on ATTITUDE by Chuck Swindoll

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #86 - Thinking vs Doing....

2009-06-16T14:21:00.000-07:00

This is the one thing most of us do too much of...

Most of our time and energy is spent thinking about doing something...rather than doing it!

Thinking about doing something and doing something yields entirely different results.

Thinking is way overrated. Most of us over think things, and as a result never get moving to actually doing the thing(s) we were thinking about.

99% of why we don't accomplish things in life is because we never get to them.

The more we think, the more we talk ourselves out of the thing we want.

In fact the circumstance we find ourselves in reflects back what we were thinking.

Keep your thinking short, direct and to the point!

Message #85 - The Two Brothers...

2009-06-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

The Power of DREAMING BIG!

This is a story about two brothers as told by Dr. Rob Gilbert, Co-author with me of the audio CD Series entitled, "The Psychology of Winning Wrestling"

"Two brother went to a motivational lecture on goal setting and after the lecture one of the brothers said – you know why don’t we set income goals for the next year?"

"I’ll write down my goal on an index card and seal it in an envelope and you write down your goal and you won’t tell me, on an index card and put it in an envelope. A year from now we’ll see what happens."

"So one brother writes down $50,000 and seals it in his envelope. His brother doesn't know what he wrote down. The other brother wrote down $1,000,000."

"A year later they get together and the brother that wrote down $50,000 was all excited and opens his envelope and says this stuff works – I made $52,000 – this is the most money I ever made."

"Then nonchalantly the other brother opens his envelope and he said well unfortunately I only made it halfway to my goal."

"So the brother that wrote down $50,000, even though he achieved more than 100% of his goal, made ten times less than the brother who set his goal for $1,000,000..."

So Dr. Rob Gilbert is saying that we should DREAM BIG! That's what I'm talking About!!!

www.leekemp.com

Message #84 - Living Backwards in Time...

2009-05-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Live into Your Dreams!

The first time I heard the phrase "Living Backward in Time" I questioned what it meant. I thought it had something to do with living in the past... something we definitely don't want to do. However once I fully understood what it meant I immediately embraced the concept.

Start with the Goal you want to attain (which is a future event) visualize and embrace the goal as if you have already attained it... Know that it's yours.
Once you've visualized and embraced the goal ask yourself "how did I get here?"
Write down all the things you did to get to your Goal... the training, preparation, studying, discipline, sacrificing etc...
From that point... "Live Backward in Time" to the present (this is the point you're at right now) doing all the things necessary to make sure the future events unfold the way you envisioned it.
Each day "TiVo" your life and watch the replay of your past days actions, accessing whether your actions really do align with the things you've outlined in #3 above as the "way you got to your goal."
TAKE ACTION!
If your actions of the past day aren't in line with step#3 above (and in turn your goal)... make a CHANGE... CHANGE THE NEXT EPISODE of your upcoming day's actions so that your are always on track!

DREAM BIG!

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #83 - The Power of Preparation...

2009-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

There's no Substitute for Being Prepared...Just Ask the 155 Passengers and Crew aboard the commercial US Air flight 1549 that CRASH landed into the Hudson on Jan 19, 2009....

Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was piloting the plane and is largely credited for safely "crash" landing the plane into the Hudson, with NO CASUALTIES! That's astonishing folks!

Can you imagine the gratitude each and every passenger and crew member felt when they were finally safe on the ground, or should I say in the water...ALIVE!!! CLICK HERE to read the story.

When you read the level of experience Captain "Sully" has you begin to understand how he pulled this impressive feat off.

This is what we all should be striving for...Perfection of Execution! More importantly; Perfect Execution in the face of "less that perfect conditions". Crappy conditions...Holy SH#T conditions...You get what I mean. His focus must have been incredible...no time to think about it...only action.

This is where all the training and experience PAYS OFF. This is where and when one can only act based on their prior training and preparation.

Captain "Sully" could not have performed at the level he did without the countless hours of preparation...not knowing that one day he would save the lives of 154 others, not to mention his own. Captain "Sully" can fly any plan that I'm on, any time!!!

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR THE CHALLENGE THAT WILL FACE YOU ONE DAY.

Message #82 - To be Great You Can Never Lose Your Passion...

2009-01-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

We all Have Set Backs...Challenges...and yes sometimes Failures...

It is said this farmer boy could not read nor write, failed and went broke five times. His company has survived 8 Recessions, 1 Oil Crisis and 1 Great Depression. ( Ford Motor will make it through this) .

He was not allowed to wait on customers when he worked in a dry goods store because, his boss said, "he didn't have enough sense." (FW Woolworth was founded during the Long Depression that lasted 23 year with a loan of $300 and in 2001 changed its name to Footlocker).

Fired by his newspaper editor who said, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." He went bankrupt several times before he built the largest entertainment company in the world. (Walt Disney's creations have since survived 1 Great Depression and 7 Recessions.)

Click Here to read what one of the world's greatest leaders had to say about hardships and difficulties.

Lee Kemp's website www.leekemp.com

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

2008-09-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-09-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-08-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

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...

2008-07-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-07-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

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 ......

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-04-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-04-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-04-04T00:26:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-04-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-04-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-17T07:47:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-03-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-03-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-03-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-03-07T01:55:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-05T00:32:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-21T00:11:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-02-12T00:40:00.000-08:00

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???

2008-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

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

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

2008-01-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-23T00:18:00.000-08:00

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.

Message #45 - Gaining an Edge

2007-12-23T22:13:00.000-08:00

How to Get an Edge on the Competition

What are you willing to do to gain the things you want?

Are you willing to be positive when things aren't going your way?
Are you willing to do the things that are hard?
Are you willing to work harder than anyone else?
Are you willing to continually learn about your craft?
Are you willing to accept constructive criticism?
Are you willing to do the things no one else wants to do?

Today is December 23rd, 2007. I have one question for every one reading this post today and tomorrow....

What are you willing to do today and tomorrow that gives you an EDGE over your competition.

I coach a group of wrestlers that are working out on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!

Message #44 - Visualization is a Really Powerful Tool

2007-12-10T00:39:00.000-08:00

Don't Just Say it...Don't Just Believe it...VISUALIZE IT AS IF IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING!

Visualization goes beyond believing. Believing is GREAT, don't misunderstand me. Visualizing something, however, takes it to a higher level and unleashes unbelievable power.

Put the desired goal in your mind and experience every facet of it like your favorite movie, played in slow motion, picking up every detail, every subtlety, every frame.

The secret here is that you can visualize your successful attainment of the goal. It's your movie to direct, so direct it with you coming out on top...winning! Play this movie over, and over, and over, and over...you get the picture.

Scientific research supports that the mind can actually fool the body (including the emotions) into believing something that hasn't actually happened yet. How many times have we woke up from a dream and were amazed at how real it all seemed.

The trick is to guide your visualization into to place you want.

Message #43 - Your Ultimate Goal Must be Burned in Your Mind

2007-12-03T00:48:00.000-08:00

Keep Your Goal Constantly in Focus to Keep You From Being Fustrated by Set Backs and Failures Along the Way... Remember Keep Your Eyes Fixed on the Prize!

No matter what happens you must not forget why your in the game. In case you forgot it is to WIN! Winning is what ever you have defined it to be. Remember the old saying, "it's not over till it's over". Remember that!

No matter how many times you fail at something...you only have to succeed at it only ONCE! That's it...ONLY ONCE. You only have to do it right only once...no matter how many times you've failed at it.

It took George Eastman (Eastman-Kodak) 18 years to perfect the film process to achieve his ultimate dream and goal of making photography available to the average person. He set out in 1877 with his dream and didn't achieve it until 1895.

He endured over 1,000 flawed and failed experiments perfecting the film process, worked a day job at a bank to pay the bills, read books on chemistry and photography to increase his knowledge, learned French and German so he could read the latest research about the film industry, and spent many nights sleeping in a hammock at his factory after long days designing equipment.

George Eastman never lost sight of his goal...How about YOU!

Message #42 - Stretch your Mind

2007-11-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Once Something is Stretched it never Goes Back to the Way it was Before.

Anything you actually do is first contemplated (or incubated) as a thought in your mind. When you let your mind dwell on a thought long enough something very powerful happens.

IF YOU CONTINUE TO HOLD A THOUGHT IN YOUR MIND YOU BEGIN TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS IT. What do I mean by this? Think about anything you've ever accomplished and you'll agree it first started with a thought that came into your mind that you formed into a goal. The greater the goal the more time you will spend thinking about it. The time spent thinking about the goal will be greater than anything else you think about...you will spend a disproportionate amount of time thinking about it compared to everything else.

There are many ways thoughts come into our minds. We are bombarded with all kinds of images, messages and situations. The moment we fixate on one of them we form a thought about it.

If the thought is something we desire, we immediately rationalize and access how realistic it is to attain it. This is where most people fail. If they think they can't attain the goal they let the thought go and start thinking about something else.

This reason why successful people realize their goals is that they keep the desired goal in their mind as a thought, and continually keep it there. Sometimes these people are characterized as one-dimensional or one track minded. I CALL THESE PEOPLE CHAMPIONS!

By doing this you are are effectually "stretching" your mind; once you do this you will never be the same.

Message #41 - It's All In Your Mind

2007-11-20T09:24:00.001-08:00

You are what you think about.

Think about the last time you were having a so called "bad day". Identify the sequences of events, and more importantly, the resulting thoughts you had from the events, that led up to you concluding you were having a "bad day".

What you will find is, when something happens to us that we don't like, we attached a bad thought or feeling to it. And conversely, when something happens to us that we like, we attached a good (or positive) thought or feeling to it.

This process just described puts us at the mercy of events and things that happen to us. If more bad things are happening to us than good things on a particular day; we think, feel, and say "I'm having a bad day". And the opposite is also true.

The problem is, what if you have something very important that you want to do or accomplish and your having a so called "bad day". Does your important accomplishment, by default, get automatically get included in the "bad day" your already having?

I'll show you how you can avoid this from happening. First you must start separating feelings and thoughts from events, and let your thoughts and resulting feelings STAND ON THEIR OWN, independent of any event.

When thoughts and resulting feelings are attached to an event, the event can, and will dictate your feelings. So if you are feeling bad as a result of negative events it will be impossible to perform at you best level at anything you endeavor to accomplish. I have witnessed people going through incredibly difficult events, but they seemed to still have JOY and inner peace. They may not have been happy, but they had an uncompromising joy and exuberance for life that couldn't be quenched.

Happiness is very different than JOY. Happiness IS based on what's happening to you - but - JOY isn't. For example: You're not going to be happy if you find out you have cancer, but you can have the knowledge that you are still the same person before and after the bad news, and that you also still possess the same intelligence, talent, charm, personality, desire and will before and after the bad news.

Allowing an event to affect your JOY and the essence of who you are is a CHOICE. It's YOUR CHOICE. Don't let an event or another person make that choice for you.

I use the cancer example because I've met people that are battling cancer right now, and I'm amazed at how positive these people are about life and about themselves. You see, these people have not let their circumstance or negative events in their life; define who they are, or steal their JOY of living, or diminish their desire to accomplish things.

If you string together enough bad thoughts as a result of negative feelings derived from negative things that happen to you, I guarantee that you will end up concluding "you are having a bad day"

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #40 - Resist the Feelings of Fear and Doubt and Perform Anyway

2007-11-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

Consistent Performance requires Resisting the Feelings of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the midst of Challenge, Controversy and Disappointment.

I heard a story that exemplifies this principle:

"A well known circus performer was performing his act, with several large Bengal Tigers in a locked cage, before a live audience; when in the middle of his performance, the lights went out."

"For almost 30 seconds the circus performer was locked in with the tigers, in total darkness, with the audience starting to panic. The tigers, with their superb night vision, could see him, but he could not see them. The circus performer survived the ordeal, and when the lights came back on he finished his performance."

"After the performance the circus performer admitted he was afraid and felt immense and overwhelming fear, however, he said, he knew that even though he couldn't see the big tigers, they didn't know he couldn't see them. The circus performer acted in the cage as if nothing had happened and continued cracking his whip and talking to the tigers as he normally would until the lights came back on."

"The circus performer rested in the fact that the tigers never knew he couldn't see them. And so it is with each of us. Resist the urge to panic and feel despair in the midst of a "storm" in your life, and perform exactly as you were trained and exactly as you've prepared ahead of time."

Act in faith that your actions will be successful if you simply just carry them out exactly as planned.

Message #39 - Do Your Actions Mirror Your Words

2007-11-13T08:10:00.000-08:00

Stop and Think About Several Important Things You SAID YOU Were Going to do. DID YOU DO THEM? What attempts did you make to do them? How PASSIONATE were you in trying to do them? You get my point.

Say Less and DO MORE. Keep track of what you say and reconcile it with what you actually DO.

I'm not talking about things like "I'm going to win this tournament" or I'm going to land this big business deal" or "I'm going to discover the cure for cancer". Truth is, we can't predict or see into the future, so we really don't know what's going to happen.

What I am talking about are things like "I'm going to bust my but today at practice and give it everything I've got", "I'm going to study everyday for eight hours so that I can be as prepared as possible to pass the Bar Exam", "I'm going to spend ONE (or 2 or 3...) entire day each week devoted to...", "I will help someone in need today", "I will not get angry today no matter what happens", "I will be positive today no matter what happens", "I will not give up today on anything even if it gets unbelievably hard", etc. These kind of affirmations are totally in our control and are predictable. The question becomes...do we actually do what's in our control. Or do we make excuses and turn our talk into just that...TALK. Do we walk the talk.

SAY LESS AND DO MORE...AND DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO.

Message #38 - See The Possibilities Before They Become Obvious

2007-11-10T00:50:00.000-08:00

Don't Be Detoured By The Doubters & Naysayers; Your Future is Made Up Of The Things You Dream About Now...DREAM BIG!!!

Consider these statements by "so called" experts:

"Babe Ruth made a big mistake when he gave up pitching" Tris Speaker, 1927.
"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper." -Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in "Gone With The Wind."
"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?" -H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make." -Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977.
"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." -A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.) .
This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"You should change your major to Phys Ed, the Business School is too tough for you" - A professor's response to Lee Kemp when he was seeking help in one of his business classes (Lee Kemp not only earned a Bachelors Degree in Business but a Masters of Business Degree (MBA) 1977.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" -David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." -Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
"The United States will never beat the Russians in Greco Roman Wrestling" - The general sentiment and consensus of "so called" wrestling experts of our day (The United States did the impossible, and won the team title in the 2008 World Greco Roman Wrestling Championships, in Baku Azerbaijan, by beating the Russian Team.)
"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this." -Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M "Post-It" Notepads.
"So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'" -Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.
"You want to have consistent and uniform muscle development across all of your muscles? It can't be done. It's just a fact of life. You just have to accept inconsistent muscle development as an unalterable condition of weight training." -Response to Arthur Jones, who solved the "unsolvable" problem by inventing Nautilus.
"Don't set your goal that high, you'll only be disappointed when you don't reach it" - A coaches response to Lee Kemp's goal of wanting to be the first 4-time NCAA Champion 1974 (a split referees decision in overtime prevented Lee Kemp from achieving that goal).
"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy." -Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.
"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." -Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929 (Before the great stock market of 1930).
"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value." -Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.
"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
"But what ... is it good for?" -Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.
"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." -The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957.

I think you get the picture...

www.LeeKemp.com

Message #37 - Having The Right Attitude

2007-11-09T00:20:00.000-08:00

The Difference Between Having The Right Attitude and Almost Having The Right Attitude is the Difference Between Lightning and The Lightning Bug!

What do I mean by that? Well there is a heck of a big difference between what Lightning can do and what a Lightning Bug can do; but they sound similar. Lightning really sounds powerful until the word bug is added to it. Lightning and Lightning Bug sounds like they could be similar until you examine what they both can do; then you conclude they are not close at all.

The same is true when we have a Lightning Bug Attitude. A little flash that's only visible when it's dark outside. But when Lightning flashes across the sky it doesn't matter how much daylight is present; it lights up the entire sky and is clearly seen by all. Lightning never goes unnoticed.

When we come up short in a task or achieving a goal we find solace in thinking "well I was close". We all know being close doesn't count really. We need the lightning and not the lightning bug.

We see the "Light" in our "minds eye" that tells us we're giving our best effort. But is the light we see coming from our effort a Lighting Bolt, or just the glow from a Lightning Bug. Not all "Light" is as bright nor is the same.

Attitude is the key driver of success and achievement. Be a lightning bolt. Light up the place with your effort and attitude. Let your effort soar to heights you never thought possible because the power of your attitude was just like lightning...Limitless and Powerful!

Which do you have in your Attitude? Lightning or Just a Lighting Bug!

Message #36 - Start With A Blank Canvas...And Paint Your Future

2007-11-05T00:03:00.000-08:00

"Speed of the Ship is the Speed of the Captain". Don't You Know That "You Are The Captain of Your Success Ship"...What's Your Speed?

Over the years I've noticed that this quote is true, not only with my life but also in the lives of others. If you want to find out where a team, business or any organization is going, just simply take the time to meet the people in charge.

The same is true for each of us as individuals. I can tell you where an individual is going by simply spending some time with them and observing their "speed". I don't want to sound judgemental but a person's actions speaks much louder than their words.

I get asked all the time by younger wrestlers "what do I have to do to become a good wrestler?" I always answer this question the same way by answering with this question, "what are you doing now to become a good wrestler?" The wrestler's answer is almost always the same, "Well I'm not doing anything yet".

Then I ask the "killer" question, "have you ever been to a camp or clinic and been inspired by hearing an accomplished wrestler or athlete tell their success story?" The answer is usually "yes". Then I ask "why haven't you started doing the things that you heard this accomplished person say they did to have greater success?" The answer is usually "I don't know".

This to me is like standing in front of your "success canvas" and putting your paint brush down and leaving all the colors in their containers, and staring at your canvas and wondering why it doesn't change for you. The inspiration has to come from within and be sustained. There can be a catalyst, like a motivation talk, to ignite the inspiration, but is has to be sustained from within.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got. If your not happy with where your at then start with a "blank canvas" and dream and paint...then dream some more and paint...then dream some more and paint...you get the "picture"

Message #35 - Breaking Through Fear

2007-11-01T01:28:00.000-07:00

In War it Has Been Said That There are Only Two Types of Soldiers - Those with Courage and Those without Courage. Those with Courage are sometimes called Heroes and Those Without are sometimes called Cowards.

No one likes to talk about FEAR in sports (and War) because it somehow makes us seem weak and wimpy when we admit and acknowledge it; when in fact everyone feels fear. And certainly no one wants to be called a coward. The connection here is Contact and Combat sports are much like war. The more violent the situation - the more like war. Wrestling and certainly more so, MMA fights, are like war.

The mind senses the stress of the situation and involuntarily signals the fear emotion. Since the fear emotion is involuntary and out of our control, the reality is, EVERYONE FEELS FEAR.

In war the HEROES respond, act and perform appropriately, according to their preparation and training, and they do all this at the right time...RIGHT ACTION; RIGHT TIME.

Quite simply, those who lack courage feel the same fear but either don't act or don't act appropriately, or if they do act - they act at the wrong time, and ultimately miss the opportunity. WRONG OR NO ACTION; WRONG TIME.

Frankly, we've all felt like cowards at one time or another based on what you've just read, haven't we? I know I have. We simply froze and didn't act (or perform like we've trained). We knew we were hesitating and shutting down, but felt we could do nothing about it.

Since FEAR is felt by all, then HOW does the Hero perform with courage when overcome by this paralyzing emotion, while others become paralyzed and fail?

HAVING COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR, BUT THE ABILITY TO FEEL THE FEAR AND ACT AND PERFORM ANYWAY!

IT'S A CHOICE. HEROES DON'T PLAN TO BE HEROES. THEY JUST SIMPLY ACT AND PERFORM IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, IN SPITE OF THE OBSTACLES AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

TELL YOURSELF YOU WILL ACT AND PERFORM NO MATTER WHAT!

Message #34 - Love The Process

2007-10-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

Winning Does Not Lead to Passion; Passion Leads to Winning

You must absolutely Love The Process in order for this success principle to work. You're wondering "WHAT IS THE PROCESS". Well, the process is EVERYTHING that comes before the success. This includes the PRACTICE time; the REHEARSAL time; the DRILLING time; the LEARNING time; the GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT time; the REBOUNDING AFTER A SET BACK time; the OVERCOMING A BAD CALL time; the REHABILITATION AFTER AN INJURY time; the THINKING ABOUT QUITTING time. All in all. you must love the PROCESS in order to reach the highest goal possible.

It is the LOVE of the PROCESS that separates the mere team members (what ever the team - sports, business, whatever) from the State, National and World Champions! Granted the champions are team members too, but before the champions became champions they first LOVED the process.

Think about this. I've read when Michael Jordan played, his love of the game of basketball was so great that he would have played for nothing (in fact he had a "love of the game clause" in his contract that allowed him to play basketball when ever and where ever he wanted). Larry Bird has said the same thing. Other great achievers in various disciplines have said the same thing..."they would have worked and toiled at their craft regardless of any reward". Quite simply THEY LOVED THE PROCESS, and by loving the process they were able to achieve great success.

It the case of Michael and Larry, it was their PASSION for the game of Basketball that paved the way for them to become great basketball players. This is going to sound crazy, but these two great basketball players in my opinion, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, actually loved the game more than they loved WINNING. Think about Michael's career with the Chicago Bulls how he hung in there all those losing years with the Bulls but he himself playing really great basketball. It was his great love of the game that came before the great periods of winning.

A lot of good athletes in high school sometimes fail to excel when they get to college, or even quit their sport after they get to college. I believe these athletes realized they were going to have to "climb the mountain" again and do all the work necessary to get back on top (just like they did in High School), and when they relalized this they didn't want to do it again. IT IS A LOVE OF THE PROCESS THAT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS.

Message #33 - Go for Your Dreams!

2007-10-19T00:10:00.000-07:00

Don't Ever Give Up

Inspire and be an Inspiration!

Message #32 - You Must Not Quit

2007-10-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

Remember You're Not Alone. We All Face Struggles and Set Backs.

Message #31 - Dreaming Big Wilma Rudolph Style

2007-10-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

This is an Amazing Story About one of American's Greatest Athletes and her Mother!

On June 23, 1940, Wilma Rudolph was born in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Having been born prematurely and weighing only 4.5 pounds, little Wilma was susceptible to illness and her mother spent several years nursing her through measles, mumps and scarlet fever.

One day her family noticed that Wilma's left foot was becoming weak. Her mother took her to the doctor who informed them that Wilma had polio and would never walk.

Wilma's mother refused to accept the diagnosis. She had something special in her heart - she had the power of belief and she told her young daughter that one day she would walk. Wilma's mother had the belief the led her to take action and twice a week for the next two years, she took her daughter for treatment to a hospital that was over 50 miles away.

The doctors at the hospital taught Mrs. Rudolph how to perform the physical therapy exercises Wilma needed and every night she would massage her daughter's legs late into the evening.
Wilma progressed slowly but steadily. By the time she was seven she could walk with the aid of metal leg braces.

At school, Wilma sat and watched the other children running and told herself that one day she too would enjoy the freedom of being able to run.

In 1952, 12 year old Wilma finally threw away her metal leg braces and was able to walk without assistance for the first time. It was then that she made the decision to be an athlete.

She started to play basketball and also did some running in the off season to keep fit. As time progressed, Wilma became a basketball star, setting state records and leading her team to a state championship.

During one basketball match, Wilma was spotted by the Tennessee State track and field coach Edward Temple who was amazed by Wilma's athletic ability. With coach Temple's help, Wilma turned her focus from basketball to running and she never looked back.

By the time she was 16, Wilma had earned a spot on the US Olympic track and field team and won a bronze medal in the 4×100m relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Four years later, Wilma Rudolph won three Olympic Gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympics in the 100m, 200m and 4×100m relay. The little girl who was once crippled was now "The fastest woman in history."

"I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened." - Wilma Rudolph

When you DREAM BIG...Anything is Possible!

Message #30 - Dream the Impossible

2007-10-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

Every Time I Fly in an Airplane I'm Still Amazed.

What Are You Now Going To Set Out to Accomplish...That You First Thought Was Impossible...??? The Ball is in Your Court!

Message #29 - Doing The Impossible David Style

2007-10-15T23:34:00.000-07:00

We're All Familiar with the "David and Goliath" Account in the Bible. Ever Wonder How David Got Up the Confidence to go Out and not only Challenge Goliath but Defeat Him? In Addition to Having God on His Side, David Actually Used A Success Principle. Read On.

Background 1Samuel 17:1-58
The Nation of Israel was preparing for war with the Philistines and as part of the preparation, each day both camps would face off and shout back and forth at each other trying to gain a psychological edge (just plain old trying to psych each other out). Well, the Philistines had this fellow named Goliath, who not only did his share of shouting but he completely psyched out the entire Israel army because of his shear size. "When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear." 1Samuel 17:24

Goliath was a champion that stood over 9 feet tall, he had a brass helmet and coat of armour that weighed over 125 pounds, and the spear head on his staff weighed over 15 pounds. Goliath would lead the Philistine camp each day and offer a challenge to the Israelite army.

Each day, for 40 days, Goliath shouted a challenge to the Israelite army to send someone from their ranks to fight him. Goliath was a "bad" man and he would taut the Israeli army: "Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me." 1Samuel 17:8. "Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”" 1Samuel 17:10

Goliath's challenge had these conditions; if he was defeated the entire Philistine nation would be the servants of the Israeli nation. But if he was victorious the entire Israeli nation would be the servants of the Philistines. No one from the Israel army wanted to fight Goliath, in fact the entire army was terrified of Goliath and saw him as unbeatable and viewed his challenge as an "Impossible task. No one from the Israelite army took the challenge...except "you know who"

The Opportunity

David, just a boy at the time, was assigned to attending his father's sheep, and one day his father sent him to the battle camp to deliver some food to his older brothers and to see how they were doing. While at the camp David heard Goliath offer his challenge to the Israeli army. "As he was talking with them [his brothers], Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it." 1Samuel 17:23.

David became curious and asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1Samuel 17:26. There was a great reward for the man that defeated the Philistine giant. David wanted in on it and began to confidently ask more questions and his confident curiosity was overheard by others at the camp and was reported to the King of Israel, Saul, and Saul sent for him (this is how desperate King Saul was that he would talk to a boy about such a serious matter). When David met with King Saul this is what he said to him: “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1Samuel 17:32. WOW! Why not DREAM BIG!

The Doubters
When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1Samuel 17:28.

King Saul couldn't possibly have though that David, a young boy, could solve this "Goliath" problem. Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” 1Samuel 17:33

The Success Principle - Past Successes of a Similar Nature Creates Confidence in Your Current Situation
"But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1Samuel 17:34-37.

Did you see what King, Saul said to David “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Boy, King Saul must have been desperate!

You know the rest of the Biblical Account...David was successful in defeating Goliath! Three points to remember:

David wasn't afraid of challenges and challenged himself on a regular basis.

David had prior successes in situations similar to the one he was currently facing.

David took a step of faith and accepted a new challenge.

Learn to Accept New Challenges

Message #28 - Everyone has Unlocked Potential Inside

2007-10-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

After Seeing This Video Clip Below You Will Never Sell Yourself Short Again

Message #27 - "Life Is A Gift" - Live it, Embrace It, and Remember The One Who Gives Life

2007-10-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

Live Life to the Fullest. Don't Settle for Less. Life is Too Precious to Settle for Less

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. She was then able to see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?"

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind. She then refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears and later wrote a letter to her saying: "Just take care of my eyes dear, for I loved you so much that it was I who was the donor of your gift.

"This is how the human brain changes when our status changes. Only few remember what life was before, and who's always been there even in the most painful situations. "Life Is A Gift”

Today before you say an unkind word...Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food...Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife...Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life ...Think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children...Think of someone who desires childrenbut they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep...Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive...Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job...Think of the unemployed, the disabled,and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another...Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one MAKER.

And when depressing thoughtsnseem to get you down -Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive and still around.

Life is a gift, Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, And Fulfill it. We Serve an AWESOME GOD !!!!!!

Message #26 - How To Do What You Think is Impossible

2007-10-08T23:28:00.000-07:00

To Achieve Anything Great You Have to DO the IMPOSSIBLE!!!

The word impossible is really a relative term. When the average person hears the word impossible they think it means "it can't be done". Do a "Google" on the many things that originally were thought to be impossible and later proved wrong by someone actually doing it. That's right. People can actually do the Impossible!

If you're not yet at your desired goal you may be feeling that your goal is an impossible goal. Think about it. If you've never done it, how do you get your mind to actually believe you can do it? In a way a goal that you've never achieved fits into the category of "the impossible".

I use my own life experience to explain: I started wrestling in 9th grade in high school and wrestled on the freshman team. I made the varsity in 10th grade and had a record of 11 wins, 8 losses and 3 ties (for goodness sake). I would have had as many wins as losses if the ties didn't go my way.

What in the world would have given me the ideal that I could actually be an undefeated Ohio State Champion the very next year? This goal by any one's imagination is an IMPOSSIBLE goal. One that most coaches and parents would agree as being unrealistic or unreasonable. I'm here to tell you that a seemingly impossible goal should never be discouraged, because you never know what can be kindled in the human mind. "What the mind of can conceive and believe, It can achieve." - Napoleon Hill.

Napoleon Hill, an American author that lived from October 26, 1883 - November 8. 1970, was one of the earliest writers of personal-success literature. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, is one of the best-selling books of all time. In America, Hill stated in his writings, people are free to believe what they want to believe, and this is what sets the United States apart from all other countries in the world. Hill's works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success.

All great achievements can be called "The Impossible". The question becomes, "how does one do the IMPOSSIBLE". It all starts by first recalling times when we accomplished something we have never done before. We all have accomplished things we've never done before or were afraid of doing, i.e., completing the 28-day J. Robinson Intensive Wrestling Camp. Any wrestler I've talked to that completed this camp tells me that at first they though "there's no way I can do this". In fact most of these wrestlers call home after the first few days wanting to go home. An amazing thing happens after you do the Impossible. You open up possibilities in your mind that become extremely powerful.

That's exactly what happened to me the summer after that mediocre sophomore year in high school. I went to a wrestling camp that featured Dan Gable, and started to do things in those practice session I had never done before, i.e., intense running, lifting and live wrestling with State Champions and accomplished All-American College wrestlers. I challenged myself and because I was with so many other accomplished wrestlers (with Dan Gable setting the ultimate standard we were all trying to keep up with) I just tried to keep up with them. A strange thing happened by the 2nd day of the camp...I saw that I actually was keeping up with them, and in fact I even started to beat some of them in the running and live wrestling. I WAS DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE!

When I got back home after the camp I continued with the concept presented here of "DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE". I continued to challenged myself in the running, weight lifting and wresting I did in every practice since that wrestling camp back in 1972. In fact I still do it, but in different arenas now. It became a part of me, a part of my nature, my being.

START DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE BY ACHIEVING "IMPOSSIBLE" BREAKTHROUGHS IN SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE ALL READY DOING.

Message #25 - Words versus Deeds - Does Your Deeds Follow Your Words

2007-10-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

Most People are similar in their sincerity to keep Promises, but it is their actual deeds that separates them.

Three years Before Teddy Roosevelt was president of the United States he was Assistant Secretary to the Navy, and on June 2nd, 1897, he gave a speech to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

In his speech he gave a very patriotic message that was well received and one of the focuses of his message was this: "The only way to keep peace was to be ready for war, and the only way to be ready for war was to enlarge the Navy".

Eight months later, on February 15th, 1898, one of the Navy's battle ships, the USS Maine was attacked and blown up, killing 264 sailors, precipitating the The Spanish-American War, and in the process created a ground swell of American sentiment popularizing the phrase "Remember the Maine!" In April 1898, president William McKinley declared war on Spain.

A Little Background
The Spanish-American War was an armed military conflict between Spain and the United States that took place from April to August in 1898. The war began due to American demands that Spain peacefully resolve the Cuban fight for independence, though strong expansionist sentiment in the United States may have also motivated the government to target Spain's other remaining overseas territories: Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Guam and the Caroline Islands.

Riots and civil disturbances in Havana by local insurrgents gave the United States a reason to send the warship USS Maine to protect their national interests there. As a result of the explosion of the USS Maine, tensions among the American people grew with further pressure put on the American government from the "Sensationalism Journalism" that accused Spain of extensive atrocities.

The war ended in only 109 days after several quick, decisive naval and military victories for the United States in the Philippines and Cuba. The Treaty Paris, ended the conflict, gaving the United States ownership of the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. The United States then occupied Cuba for a time, ending the insurrection and expelling the Spanish colonial authorities.

What Roosevelt Did
Teddy Roosevelt supported the decision to go to war, and 3 weeks after the war declaration, he resigned his position as Assistant Secretary to the Navy to join the war effort, so he'd be ready to fight. All who knew him; collegaues, friends and family were against his decision and felt he was throwing away his political future (how wrong they were), but they also knew of his resolve once he'd made up his mind.

Roosevelt later wrote that he wanted to be able to tell his children why he had fought in the war and opposed to why he had not fought in the war. Roosevelt was a person that couldn't preach one thing and do another.

Message #24 - What is Commitment?

2007-10-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

Remember the Story about the Chicken and the Pig, and how they contribute to our Breakfast? What's a small sacrifice of the eggs for the Chicken, becomes a total commitment for the Pig when he provides the bacon.

Joking aside. There is Great Power in making a Commitment. People often think because they are making some sacrifices (large or small) towards a goal that they are committed to the goal; when in fact they are not really committed at all. Sacrifices and Commitments are different...very different!

Sacrifices may get you in the game but commitments get the job done! Making Sacrifices are a lot like making Promises in that when things get tough, promises are ofter broken and sacrifices are often stopped. What separates sacrifices and promises from commitments is that Commitments are Never Broken or Stopped. Sounds tough when you hear it like that.

“Unless a commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes and maybe a little sacrifice...., but no plan of definite action and uncompromising will to succeed"

The one common denominator for all personal achievement is a person's ability to make a Commitment (to themselves) to do what every it takes to achieve the Goal. It's the "Let's Get'er Done"..."Cowboy up"..."Burn Your Ship"..."Go Ahead Make My Day" or quite simply "I'm going to do this no matter what!!! attitude". Remember commitments are NEVER BROKEN.

"Chickens and Pigs look at life differently...Which are you?"

Message #23 - Over and Above Your Expectations

2007-10-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

What Would You Accomplish If You Knew You Could Not Fail!

WHAT IF THE ABOVE STATEMENT WERE TRUE FOR YOU.

What if you had the revelation that anything you tried would be successful. WHAT THEN WOULD YOU SET OUT TO DO?

Would you set out to discover the cure for the deadliest cancers known to the world?

Would you strive to break a record that was said could never be broken?

Would you go to medical school?

Would you tryout for the varsity team?

Would you try out for the Olympic Team?

Would you make an attempt to repair a broken relationship?

Would you attempt to create something that has never existed before?

Would you set out to climb Mt. Everest?

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? EVERY SUCCESSFUL GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT STARTED OUT WITH SMALL FAILURES ALONG HE WAY. IT'S THE CONVICTION TO THE LONG-TERM GOAL THAT ALLOWS YOU TO OVER LOOK THE SMALL FAILURES.

ACT IS IF YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING YOU SET OUT TO DO!

Message #22 - Are You On The Move?

2007-10-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

All of Us Are Either Moving Towards Are Goals and Dreams...or Moving Farther Away From Them. We Are Never in a Holding Pattern.

Think about this. Pick one goal that's important to you.

Are you closer to achieving this goal or are you farther away from achieving this goal, this year vs. last year (this month vs. last month; this week vs. last week; today vs. yesterday). Be honest with yourself. Talk to yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror as you talk to yourself. What do you see? Do you see a person that's fighting to stay in the "game" or a person that has excused themselves to the sidelines.

If you're Closer to achieving this goal, ask yourself why? List at least 5 things you did to get you closer to your goal:

________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________

If you're farther away from achieving this goal, again ask yourself why? List at least 5 things you failed to do that slowed your progress towards your goal:

________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________

LOOK AT YOU LISTS. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

PICK OTHER GOALS AND DO THE LISTS. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

SEE ANY PATTERNS DEVELOPING...

This is simple and hard at the same time. Seems simple to just do more of the things that lead to success and less of the things that lead to failure.

The question becomes...How do we get motivated to do the things that lead to success.

The answer is to live in the present and in the NOW! Everyone that's got to where they are, had to start from where they were. Most people at first see the goal and get discouraged because they don't see results quick enough.

Or they become preoccupied with the small set backs and failures that we all have when we set out to achieve something.

WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW TO MOVE YOU CLOSER TO ONE OF YOUR GOALS.

WHAT CAN YOU ELIMINATE RIGHT NOW THAT HAS BEEN GETTING IN THE WAY OF YOU ACHIEVING ONE OF YOUR GOALS.

FIND OUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW...AND DO IT!

Message #21 - Opposition and Hardships

2007-10-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

Character Determines What You Will Choose, Where You Will Go, What You Will Do, When You Will Quit, What You Will Say, When You Will Compromise, How You Will Live and Ultimately What You Will Achieve.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy". - Martin Luther King, Jr.

This quote by Martin Luther King, Jr., symbolizes what the true measure of a person is. IT IS WHERE THEY STAND WHEN THINGS GET HARD; WHEN THINGS AREN'T SAFE; WHEN THINGS AREN'T CONVENIENT; WHEN THINGS ARE DIFFICULT.

And so it is with anything you want to do or accomplish in life. If you want it...be prepared to fight for it. They don't sell GOLD MEDALS or PURPLE HEARTS at the department store. You won't find them at garage sells either. You'll find them buried deep within the souls of men and women passionate with successfully accomplishing their mission.

Once you set out on your mission, there's no turning back. You can't look back...only forward. Even when you stumble, you must stumble forward. Great accomplishment is only attained by overcoming obstacles. THE GREATER THE OBSTACLE...THE GREATER THE ACCOMPLISHMENT.

The following quote below hung in our wrestling room and I looked at it every day. I made sure I challenged and tested myself every day by somehow making every practice harder than the day before (these were the obstacles), and by conquering them I felt my confidence growing stronger, until I believed there was no obstacle I couldn't overcome.

"You can measure a man by the opposition it takes to discourage him". - Robert C. Savage

Message #20 - Dreaming Big Jamill Kelly Style

2007-09-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

Never Quit and Never Give Up! You Never Know When Your Breakthrough is Coming.

Deep down inside Jamill Kelly always believed that some day he would WIN BIG...and he DID!

Jamill made the 2003 World Team and Made the 2004 Olympic Team by beating opponents that won a combined total of 5 NCAA Titles.

Jamill Never Won A State Title and he Never Placed in the NCAA's

IMPRESSIVE ISN'T IT!

Message #19 - Attitude

2007-09-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

A Powerful Message on Attitude from Pastor Chuck Swindoll. We are all in charge of are attitudes

ATTITUDE

THE LONGER I LIVE, THE MORE I REALIZE THE IMPACT OF ATTITUDE ON LIFE.

ATTITUDE, TO ME, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FACTS.

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PAST, THAN EDUCATION, THAN MONEY, THAN CIRCUMSTANCES, THAN FAILURES, THAN SUCCESSES, THAN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, OR SAY, OR DO.

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN APPEARANCE, GIFTEDNESS, OR SKILL.

IT WILL MAKE OR BREAK A COMPANY...A CHURCH...A HOME.

THE REMARKABLE THING IS WE HAVE A CHOICE EVERY DAY REGARDING THE ATTITUDE WE WILL EMBRACE FOR THAT DAY.

WE CANNOT CHANGE OUR PAST...WE CANNOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WILL ACT IN A CERTAIN WAY.

WE CANNOT CHANGE THE INEVITABLE.

THE ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS PLAY ON THE ONE THING WE HAVE, AND THAT IS OUR ATTITUDE

I AM CONVINCED THAT LIFE IS 10% WHAT HAPPENS TO ME AND 90% HOW I REACT TO IT.

AND SO IT IS WITH YOU...WE ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR ATTITUDES.

-Chuck Swindoll

Message #18 - Dreaming Big Shackleton Style

2007-09-25T00:33:00.000-07:00

Sir Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance

In December 1914, Shackleton set sail, on "the Endurance" with his 27-man crew, to accomplish something that had never been done before...to be the first to completely cross the Antarctic continent on foot. This was an extremely dangerous mission.

To select many of the 27-man crew, it is said, they had responded to the following recruitment notice: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. —Ernest Shackleton."

Ice conditions were unusually harsh, and the wooden ship, which Shackleton had renamed Endurance after his family motto, Fortitudine Vincimus—"by endurance we conquer," became trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. For 10 months, the Endurance drifted, locked within the ice, until the pressure crushed the ship. With meager food, clothing and shelter, Shackleton and his men were stranded on the ice floes, where they camped for five months.

When they had drifted to the northern edge of the pack, encountering open leads of water, the men sailed the three small lifeboats they'd salvaged to a bleak crag called Elephant Island. They were on land for the first time in 497 days; however, it was uninhabited and, due to its distance from shipping lanes, provided no hope for rescue.

Recognizing the severity of the physical and mental strains on his men, Shackleton and five others immediately set out to take the crew's rescue into their own hands. In a 22-foot lifeboat named the James Caird, they accomplished the impossible, surviving a 17-day, 800-mile journey through the world's worst seas to South Georgia Island, where a whaling station was located.

The six men landed on an uninhabited part of the island, however, so their last hope was to cross 26 miles of mountains and glaciers, considered impassable, to reach the whaling station on the other side. Starved, frostbitten and wearing rags, Shackleton and two others made the trek, and on the afternoon of May 20, 1916, Shackleton, Worsley and Crean walked into South Georgia's Stromness station. They had marched non-stop for 36 hours. Dressed in rags and black with blubber smoke, they were unrecognizable. The station manager asked "Who the hell are you?" "My name is Shackleton," was the modest reply.

After arriving at the Stromness station, Shackleton made immediate plans to rescue the Elephant Island group. The Norwegians volunteered a ship; but 60 miles from Elephant Island, the ice prevented the unprotected vessel from continuing. As the months passed, Shackleton made increasingly frantic rescue attempts, each time thwarted by ice or weather. At last, on August 30, they succeeded in bringing through the Yelcho, a tug loaned by the Chilean government. It was their fourth attempt. Four months had passed since the Caird's departure, and Shackleton feared the worst.

On Elephant Island, the Yelcho was spotted. As the castaways ran onto the beach, Shackleton, straining through binoculars, counted anxiously. "They are all there!" Worsley reported him crying. It was August 1916, 21 months after the initial departure of the Endurance, Shackleton returned to rescue the men on Elephant Island. Although they'd withstood the most incredible hardship and privation, not one member of the 28-man crew was lost.

Shackleton was quoted as saying "If anything should happen to those fellows while waiting for me, I shall feel like a murderer."

Message #17 - Burning Your Ships...Ali Style

2007-09-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

This is How Muhammad Ali Burned His Ships

Don't play the Video in this post until after you've read my post of September 22, 2007, titled "Burning Your Ships", and until after you read my comments below:

You don't have to be a Muhammad Ali fan to appreciate his desire to win and the supreme confidence he displayed when preparing for his boxing matches and in the ring. His signature tag line of "I'm the Greatest" is legendary. Even the Ali detractors grew to respect his great courage and desire to be the best. Read my post of September 22, 2007, titled "Burning Your Ships", of how Cortez took away all escape options by instructing his men to "burn the ships", leaving he and his men, only one thing to think about...how to survive and complete their mission. Quite simply it all boiled down to winning.

Well, Muhammad Ali did much the same thing when he would make outrageous statements about his opponents and about what he would do if he lost. He left himself no way out, he had only one thing to think about, and that was how he was going to WIN! Losing was not an option for him. He took that option away by his antics. Think of the pressure you would feel if you backed yourself into a corner like he did, "saying all that crazy stuff he used to say", and think of how hard and intensely you would train; and think of the depth and scope of your mental preparation; all to avoid the humiliation of having to eat your words if you lost.

Anyway you look at it, this is "Burning Your Ships"...you win or else be humiliated. The clip you are about to hear is before Ali's biggest fight at the time - the year was 1964 - it was a shot at the heavyweight world title - against the most feared heavyweight at the time, and if he lost this fight his career would have suffered a great setback - to say the least, and it possibly could have ended his career. The media would never have taken him seriously after that, and more importantly, how could he have taken himself seriously after that.

If after reading my comments here and you've read my post of September 22, 2007, titled "Burning Your Ships", Click the play button at bottom left of picture and hear what Ali has to say.

This indeed is "Burning Your Ships"

Message #16 - The Battle Inside of All of Us

2007-09-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grand son thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Message #15 - “Burn the Ships”

2007-09-22T01:57:00.000-07:00

Commitment is the foundation of all Success

This phrase “Burn The Ships” comes from a historic conquest of history when, in 1519, Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez landed in Mexico on the shores of the Yucatan, with only one objective…seize the great treasures known to be there, hoarded by the Aztecs. Cortez was committed to his mission and his quest for riches is legendary. Cortez was an excellent motivator, he convinced more than 500 soldiers and 100 sailors to set sail from Spain to Mexico, commanding 11 ships, to take the world’s riches treasure. The historic question is “how a small band of Spanish soldiers arrived in a strange country and swiftly brought about the overthrow of a large and powerful empire that was in power for over six centuries?”

For Cortez, the answer was easy. It was all or nothing! A Complete and Total Commitment. Here’s how Cortez got the “buy in” from the rest of his men. He took away the option of failure. It was conquer and be hero’s and enjoy the spoils of victory…or DIE! When Cortez and his men arrived on the shores of the Yucatan he rallied the men for one final pep talk before leading his men into battle, and utters these three words that changed the course of history. “Burn the Ships”.

He met with resistance from his men. "Burn the ships," he repeated. He then uttered these words "if we are going home, we are going home in their ships". With that, Cortez and his men burned their own ships, and by burning their own ships, the commitment level of the men was raised to a whole new level. A level much higher than any of the men, including Cortez, could have ever imagined.

Amazingly, the men conquered the Aztecs and had succeeded in something where others had been unsuccessful for six centuries. With the victory Cortez and his men took the treasure. Why did they win? They had no escape. No fall back position. They had no choice! It was "succeed or die". Their ships were burned. They had no way to get back. Their backs were to the wall.

To “really succeed” you must have an attitude much like that of Cortez and his men. Cortez and his men did not have a “crutch” or “fall back position”. They frankly didn’t have any options. It was simply “succeed or DIE”. Pretty strong position, isn’t it? How would you like to be engaged in fighting someone with that level of motivation and commitment?

This is the level of motivation and commitment you must have. The “BURN YOUR SHIP” level of motivation and commitment. Take away your crutches and excuses and burn the ships that are keeping you from achieving your goals. Identity the ships in your life that are keeping you from accomplishing dreams. I have a saying and it’s “Dream Big”. I have a new saying and it’s “Burn your Ship”. You see, whatever prevents you from achieving your goals and dreams are ships that must be burned. Not dismantled, or run ashore…but burned and destroyed.

If we know that our ships are still out there, when things get tough we instinctively head for our ships so we can escape. It's just human nature. The path of least resistance. This level of thinking and commitment sees sacrifice as a positive thing, not something weird or impossible, but something to be cherished and fought for. Cortez didn’t allow himself or his men to have the option of going back to Spain. By removing this option, Cortez and his men were forced to focus on how they could make the mission successful. And so it is with you. How can you make the missions in your life successful?

This is really a story about commitment. Commitment is the foundation of success. Not a single accomplishment is ever achieved without it. By focusing on commitment, we seal our future.

Kemp's Korner - Live

Message #114 - "DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU"

Message #113 - "IMAGINE!"

Message #112 - "Do You Wanna Be Like Mike"

Message #111 - Only You Can Choose.....

Message #110 - It's Not How You Start Out.....

Message #109 - The Key... Part 2.

Message #108 - The Key... Part 1.

Message #107 - Dream vs Duck....

Message #106 - Don't Focus on Winning...

Message #105 - What Are You Looking At? ...and What Are You Focusing On?

Message #104 - Look for Where you Slipped....

Message #103 - You Don't Have to Like It.......

Message #102 - Are You Not Achieving What You Want...

Message #101 - Ride the Wild Tiger!

Message #100 - Are You Working to get Better...REALLY?

Message #99 - ANTICIPATE don't HESITATE...

Message #98 - Don't Just Stand There... MYA (MOVE YOUR A#%)!

Message #97 - What You Do Today DOES Matter!

Message #96 - Can You Take A Hit?

Message #95 - Want to be a true LEADER in anything?

Message #94 - Keep Believing in your Miracle.

Message #93 - Are You Holding Back?

Message #92 - Deal With It!!!!

Message #91 - Winning Takes on Many Forms - Bob Wieland is a Winner!

Message #90 - Winning Doesn't Need to be Pretty. Just WIN!

Message #89 - Live Life Today as if Today was all you Had...

Message #88 - Are You Putting It All On The Line...?

Message #87 - Want to Improve your Performance...?

Message #86 - Thinking vs Doing....

Message #85 - The Two Brothers...

Message #84 - Living Backwards in Time...

Message #83 - The Power of Preparation...

Message #82 - To be Great You Can Never Lose Your Passion...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Message #75 - Take Care of Yourself...

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

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

Message #72 - INTIMIDATION

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

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

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

Message #68 - Positive Thinking Isn't Enough!

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

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

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

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

Message #63 - The Power Of NOW!

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

Message #61 - It Only Matters What You Believe

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

Message #59 - Being Ordinary is Not an Option

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

Message #57 - Are You Ready to Break?

Message #56 - NEVER GIVE UP!

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

Message #54 - Everyone has Value and Potential

Message #53 - Meet Dustin Carter

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

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

Message #50 - Are You Really Serious???

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

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

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

Message #46 - Stay Focused on Your Goals

Message #45 - Gaining an Edge

Message #44 - Visualization is a Really Powerful Tool

Message #43 - Your Ultimate Goal Must be Burned in Your Mind

Message #42 - Stretch your Mind

Message #41 - It's All In Your Mind

Message #40 - Resist the Feelings of Fear and Doubt and Perform Anyway

Message #39 - Do Your Actions Mirror Your Words

Message #38 - See The Possibilities Before They Become Obvious

Message #37 - Having The Right Attitude

Message #36 - Start With A Blank Canvas...And Paint Your Future

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