Family and Friends

Going to keep it simple this week. I have had a great week now enjoying family and friends with the Christmas season.  Don't forget the importance of family and good friends in your everyday life.  Often times we can get busy and lose focus of the important things in life. Value every moment you have with family and friends. Before you make decisions in life ask yourself, "How will this affect my family and friends?"

Agent of Change

There is no question that the events that took place in Connecticut last Friday have affected us all in some way.  Often times when we hear about incidents like this we wish there is something we could do to help.  Well there is!  Step up and be an agent of change!  This is exactly what Pat Kelsey, head basketball coach at Winthrop, challenged us all to do in a speech he gave following a game at Ohio State University.  Sure we don't have the answers of:  is it a gun control issue, graphic video games, or mental health issue?  The one thing that is clear, however, is we can all have an impact on others lives in a positive way.  We can serve as mentors, teachers, coaches, and friends for all.  So step up and be an agent of change!  I will! Will you?

Pat Kelsey Speech

Do it Anyway

The following was first shared with me by my high school basketball coach Don Showalter in our team handbook.  The Paradoxical Commandments has something we can all learn from.  Be yourself and who you are regardless of others.  Always do what you know is right, knowing it may not always be the popular choice.  Live by the Paradoxical Commandments below and Strive4Excellence.

The Paradoxical Commandments

by Dr. Kent M. Keith

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
   Love them anyway.
   
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
   Do good anyway.
   
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
   Succeed anyway.
   
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
   Do good anyway.
   
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
   Be honest and frank anyway.
   
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
   Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
   
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
   Build anyway.
   
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
   Help people anyway.
   
10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
    Give the world the best you have anyway.

Are you "too busy?"

Often times we can get "too busy" for things.  This week on ESPN College Hoops they have been promoting the V Foundation for Jimmy V Week.  Jimmy Valvano was a great basketball coach, but an even greater person.  Before Jimmy lost his battle with cancer in 1993 he gave the speech linked below.  I challenge you to watch this video.  It's got great content that can help us all Strive4Excellence and realize we are never "too busy" to enjoy life and those around us.

Here are some keys to take from the video:

3 Things to do Everyday
Laugh
Think
Emotions move to tears (happy or sad)

Keys to Success
Know where you started
Know where you are
Know where you're going to be

I don't care if you are a basketball fan or not.  Check out this video! It is well worth your time.

Click here for Jimmy V's speech from 1993 ESPY's

Different Perspectives

Things aren't always as they seem.  Whenever you are faced with a tough situation look at things from all angles.  Think outside of the box.  If we want to push ourselves to greatness and Strive4Excellence in all we do we have to approach things from all angles and different perspectives.  Just because things have been done a certain way for a period of time, it does not mean it is the best way. 

Start small.  Choose one part of your life or something you are involved with currently.  Take a step back and look at things and ask yourself, "Could we be doing this better?"  Keep an open mind and look at it from as many angles and different perspectives as you can.  You may even surprise yourself with what you accomplish when you do so.

Leader by Example

Attached is a video segment that was shown on College Football Live on ESPN.  Of course I am a little biased being a Cyclone fan, but that aside, Jake Knott's passion, appreciation of all, and positive outlook are quality characteristics we all should strive for.  Jake Knott, an outstanding linebacker for Iowa State, faced a season ending injury, but played through the pain before his surgery the following Monday, because of his love for his teammates and passion of the game.  One of my early posts dealt with finding your passion.  The passion that Jake shows in this clip is exactly what I was talking about!  Jake's outlook on the whole situation is, also, a huge point to take away from this video.  He could be angry, because he can't finish his senior year on the field.  This is not the case though.  He just keeps saying how lucky he is to be a part of what he was.  You show this passion in your life and outlook on even the toughest situations you are well on your way Striving4Excellence.

Jake Knott Video from College Football Live on ESPN via Cyclones.com

It's Fundamental

We have all over thought things at times or tried to hard to achieve and therefore pushed ourselves causing mistakes.  This can be a common mistake for anyone that is Striving4Excellence.  The key behind most success is keeping the basics in mind and just focusing on the fundamentals.  When you focus on the fundamentals and doing things right step by step the big picture often takes care of it's self.  When you focus on doing things fundamentally correct you put yourself in a position to succeed by building a strong foundation.  It can be seen in all aspects of peoples lives.  It's what championship teams, great businesses, and great students do to find success.  They focus on the fundamentals and Strive4Excellence.  I challenge you too look at your life and evaluate how you do things.  Are you Striving4Excellence by focusing on the fundamentals?

Help Others

"Helping people is not what you talk about. It's what you do." 

The above was taken from an article published by ESPN about Chris Mooney (Richmond Spiders men's basketball coach) and his actions following the death of Robyn Jacobs Sordelett's (student manager) father.  The article hits on doing for others what needs to be done when it needs to be done without asking questions or making excuses that times are too busy.  By helping others without questions you are Striving4Excellence.  When you help others you think you are helping others, but in reality you are helping yourself just as much if not more.  You are developing who you are as a person and in time all will return to you.  What are you doing to help others?  Take a look around you and every day see what you can do to help others.  It may be as simple as opening a door for someone or taking them in during tough times as Mooney did.  You are challenged to Strive4Excellence and look for ways to help others.

Click here to read the ESPN article about Chris Mooney's will to help others.

Find Your Passion

What's your passion?  What makes you get up in the morning and tackle the day no matter what?  Strive4Excellence by finding what you truly love in life and can't live without.  If you find your passion and tie it into many aspects of your life, your success rate will soar in all you do (work, school, hobby, everyday chores, etc.).  This week I have had several conversations with others on their direction in various life situations.  At the focus of all the conversations one thing kept coming up.  Were they following their passion?  In one of the cases they have a great paying job with excellent benefits, but at the end of the day they aren't passionate about what they are doing and therefore are unhappy with their current position. 

Find what drives you.  Find what you are passionate about and incorporate it into your everyday life and Strive4Excellence!

Take Action!

One of the biggest factors in Striving4Excellence is to simply take action.  Over the past week I was involved in several meetings.  The meetings that I came away from feeling positive with our direction, were the meetings where we stressed we needed an action plan before leaving with deadlines.  In all you do make sure that you have an idea where you are going next and be sure to take action.  You may have to change your action as you go and adjust, but take the first step and put your plan or idea into action!  It is the only way to accomplish anything.

I challenge you to take one thing you have been putting off and Strive4Excellence by taking action.  Get the ball rolling.  You will be amazed with what you can accomplish by simply taking that first step.

Think

How do we become more efficient?  Improve our lives?  Improve others lives?  Improve our world?  I came across this video from IBM on YouTube that outlined a method for improvement and progress that can be applied to many situations.  Whether you are trying to increase yields growing crops, improve your defensive stance in basketball, or be more efficient with your study habits (it all applies).  The first 4 minutes of the video do an excellent job of explaining the process and then goes on to give examples of how the process has been used around the world.  The challenge for you is to look at your life.  How can you Strive4Excellence using this method to improve your life and surroundings?

Click here for "Think" video by IBM

See
Map
Understand
Believe
Act

1st Post...Let's get things rolling!

Welcome to the first post here at Strive4Excellence.  Posts will get you thinking, reflecting, and taking action on how you can Strive4Excellence.  I encourage you to Strive4Excellence in all you do.  Whether it is your everyday job/class, a special event, or cleaning the bathroom, the goal is to reach your full potential and to get you looking at things differently.  Are you currently Striving4Excellence or have you been skating by?  Take time to look at the events in your life lately.  How have you responded?  Where do we go from here and how do you Strive4Excellence? Let the journey begin!