“Teams are made during the season. Players are made in the off-season.” What a great quote, so relevant to a lot of my players and many of my students.
The first step in being great is what I like to call acceptance or awareness. You must be aware of where you are, be aware of what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are, and what you need to work on. Accept where you are but do not settle where you are! And that’s the thing: once you realize and you are aware that changes need to be made, then it’s just about taking that next step forward.
Unfortunately, there are too many people out there—kids who I deal with, who aren’t aware that they need to change. But the ones that really get it are the ones who say, “Hey coach, help me change, help me be better,” and those are the ones who are going to be great. That’s how all greatness happens, no matter the situation or circumstances. Anything great in this world happened because someone took the time to say, “Hey, there’s a problem. I’m going to try and fix it.”
So, the first step to greatness is to be aware of your situation. It’s a complete process! Being aware and accepting is just the first step. Then we have action, accountability, and adjustments along the way. But the first—and most key—step is to be aware of what the situation is and be aware of what the problem is, then accept the fact that you must make some changes. Also, being strong enough to accept help.
All right, go out there and be different. Be great.
