“Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character”
Each week this blog allows me to reflect and share stories that make me think, laugh, and cry. The goal is to bring these thoughts and emotions each day. Some weeks blogging is really easy and some weeks I struggle to find the words. This week was a struggle for me until…..I met “The Wise Juggler”. At one of my schools, there was an assembly for a juggler who called himself the, “The Space Painter”. Immediately when I walked into the gym, I thought what is this guy all about. He was tall and lanky with a mustache and gray hair. He was telling some cheesy jokes and was doing some average juggling to start off the show. ***Fun fact alert*** I’m an amateur juggler who can juggle 3 objects for about 20 sec. At a time before dropping something so I know subpar juggling when I see it***
As the assembly went on, I realized I was wrong! He shared his story and message to the kids and amped up the juggling to an impressive level. The Space Painter shared a simple message that was relatable to us all. He said, “Be a listener. You will hear and learn things that others will miss and have opportunities that others won't just because you listened.” What a great simple reminder of the power of listening. So often we listen to respond rather than listening to hear and learn. The kids had an awesome experience and he highlighted to me how people are awesome! He started to juggle bean bags, bowling pins, and most impressive to this amateur juggler….Tic-Tac’s! John Wooden said it best when referring to talent, “winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.” I’m guessing The Wise Juggler has been practicing and passionate about his craft for years. Often we see talented people in sports, our workplace, or school and think they are naturally just great at something but the reality is their character repeated and tested over time is what allows them to be awesome! Let someone know today that you notice their talents. Listen to hear and learn rather than to respond. Continue to focus on the habits that test and build your character to increase your talent. As a friend of mine always ends his blogs, “Be awesome today!”
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“A sense of ownership is the most powerful thing a person, team, or organization can have.”How can I get our guys on the Darby hoops team to buy in more? How can I get my students to create quality work that they value? How do I get other teachers excited about new initiatives? How can I raise my daughter to value what she has, be passionate, and take massive action? I would assume that you have similar questions as a parent, coach, or coworker. I used to think leadership was just a personality trait that certain people are born with. If I was lucky and had a class with a good group of leaders, I was in good shape for the year. If I had a team with guys that possessed leadership qualities, than our team would do well. After 9 years of teaching and 7 years of coaching I've come to a realization. Some people have a natural inclination to be better leaders but ultimately ownership is what makes the difference. Once I realized this, my question shifted from, “where are all the leaders?” to “how can we create opportunities for our players, students, and coworkers to develop more ownership?” When you own something, you invest more time into it, you’re less likely to give up when things get difficult, and you bring enthusiasm that affects everyone around you. Google is famous for their idea of “20% time”. Employees were allowed to use 20% of their work week to explore projects of their choosing, as long as it benefited the company. Gmail, Adsense, Google News, Google Glass and other innovations were created as a result of this self-directed research time. You would think spending less time on “work” wouldn’t be profitable but when Google gave employees more ownership of their work day, agenda, and passions, they were able to produce ideas and profits that far exceeded expectations. This week I created two bookshelves for my future baby girl. I could have bought some for around $50. Instead, I decided to build them. The ownership meter (if there is such a thing) went through the roof and with it went my energy for the project, creativity, the time committed, and the craftsmanship that went into the shelves. Are they perfect? Heck no. Do I value them more than the $250 changing table we bought? Heck yes! My wife didn’t realize it but the next day as I was making my coffee she made a comment I know she would not have made if we bought those bookshelves. She said, “I love those bookshelves in her room”. Those words mattered to me!
My challenge to us all. Take an ownership inventory. What is your current level of ownership with your job, relationships, and passions? Don’t just tip your toe in the water, cannonball in! Find a way to increase your ownership in things that matter to you. Go to your boss with a new idea you have been thinking about and see it through. Invest more time into your relationships. Use your personal resources of time, money, actions and emotions to double down on what matters to you most. |