REBOUND 4 SUCCESS: The Road To Your Final F.O.U.R. (Round 4 of 4) RESPONSIBLITY OF RECOGNITION

Once you’ve reached the 4th round, there is an air of expectancy that I like to call a Responsibility of Recognition. Responsibility of recognition is the undeniable duty of acknowledging that you have been blessed with a gift and you have the duty to use it. When others know your gift, watch you use it, benefit from it and endorse it, you have created championship caliber expectations. Once the expectations have been set it’s your responsibility to recognize how and when you’ll use your gift to help your team get better and ultimately win.

The recognition that you are given is a reflection of who you are and what you stand for in this life. You’ve made it to the 4th round so naturally the stakes are higher, the competition is harder, the crowd is bigger, and people recognize that you are worthy to be where you are. With that recognition comes an enormous responsibility to be forthright, reliable, strong willed, focused, resilient and brave in the face of adversity. Therefore, the responsibility should be held in such a high regard that you expect, prepare for and demand nothing but success in all of your endeavors. You are responsible for recognizing the strengths and the weaknesses of the champion within and you must take advantage of that one shining moment to confirm and reconfirm who is the undisputed champion.

The responsibility of recognition is a lifestyle characterized by healthy habits like prayer, meditation, devotion, civility, sportsmanship, impeccable work ethic, and perseverance.

The responsibility of recognition is a demeanor of humility and gratitude that requires you to be humble yet not weak, proud yet not boastful.

The responsibility of recognition is governed by a bill of rights which gives you the right to demand more from yourself and your teammates every single day that you’re breathing.

The responsibility of recognition means you accept the duty to serve others first no matter what role you are playing.

The responsibility of recognition has the mantra “maintenance is required” which means you will vigorously hone your craft and sharpen your skill set today as if you will lose it tomorrow.

The responsibility of recognition is a presence of mind that knows while you’re resting, someone is practicing to take your spot.

The responsibility of recognition means that there is no off-season because champions only rest long enough to catch their breath.

Do you recognize your responsibility?

REBOUND.RESET. RELEASE.

REBOUND 4 SUCCESS:The Road To Your Final F.O.U.R. (Round 3 of 4) BE UNMOVABLE

In order to get to Round 3 of your FINAL FOUR, it is absolutely imperative that you be UNMOVABLE. In thought, word and deed being unmovable is not just about being a physical presence that refuses to move. Instead, it is about possessing an attitude that never quits, never backs down. Being unmovable is an inability to interpret or speak negativity. It is consciously refusing to convert to pessimism as a religion or a way of life. Being unmovable is about having an impregnable faith in a higher power and knowing that the higher power is the source of your internal and external strength.

Being unmovable means possessing the discipline to resist the temptation to second-guess yourself, lose focus of your goal, procrastinate, take shortcuts, or quit. It requires you to block out the noise of the crowd, the burning in your chest, the pounding of your heart, the butterflies in your stomach, the fatigue in your muscles, the thought of failing and the fear of fear itself. While blocking all of these things out you must recall the instructions of your head coach as well as listen to your inner coach as you tell yourself, "no one can move me, no one can deny me." After all, it is in trenches of your mind that you win the battle and the war before the ball is even tipped.

So let the competitive blood boil in your veins, baptize yourself in the sweat and the tears, invite your opponent to attempt to move you from your position, and hold your ground as if your very next breath depended on it. Wear victory on your chest instead of your emotions on your sleeve and never flinch in the face of adversity.

REBOUND.RESET.RELEASE

REBOUND 4 SUCCESS: The Road To Your Final F.O.U.R. (Round 2 of 4)

Ownership is the 2nd Round on the Road to your Final F.O.U.R. It is during this round that you must reveal who you are not only by what you say but more so by what you do. Whether you win, lose or draw you must take ownership of the decisions that you’ve made and own the next moment. Some of you spend too much time dwelling on the wins thinking that they are the very things that define you. Defining yourself by wins alone gives birth to a false sense of entitlement and accomplishment and as a result your practice and performance suffer. What defines you are your losses and whether you react or respond to them. Reacting to a loss often results in extreme anger, self-doubt, giving up, blaming others and making excuses. Responding to a loss is looking at the stats, acknowledging what happened, focusing on the why, correcting the how and anxiously preparing to win the very next time. While winning is an expectation that you have for yourself, the key to growth is in how you win and how you lose. The lesson in both scenarios cultivate ownership. Wins build confidence while losses build character.

Ownership means that “you play like you practice”. Often times you don’t own your practice. You don’t intentionally practice with a sense of urgency that results in you getting better. Instead, you practice just to get finished. Ownership means that you practice and play with every ounce of strength you have and not blame anyone but yourself for not preparing better, not practicing harder, not playing smarter, not playing harder, not asking for help, not calling timeout when necessary, not listening to the coach, or not trusting your teammates.

Ownership requires that every movement and every decision you make is done with such vigor that your opponents and your teammates fear and respect you. Your opponents have a fear of facing you and your teammates fear letting you down. Whether you win, lose or draw today, own every decision, own every play and live with no regrets.

REBOUND.RESET.RELEASE!