It's the beginning of a new season. Hopefully, you've sharpened the skills that desperately needed sharpening, gotten rid of some bad habits that you've developed over time, and maybe you've created a new ritual that will lead to an optimistic attitude as you start this season.
Whatever the case may be, your offseason workouts determine how you perform during training camp and furthermore during the season. In the offseason, you may have taken some extra courses to get ahead or catch up, secured an internship that helped you develop professionally or figure out what you don't want to do. You may have attended a leadership conference/symposium, traveled abroad, read some additional books instead of watching TV or volunteered in your community. If you did any or all of these things, then your status on the team shouldn't be in question once the whistle blows. If your preparation is strategically thorough and your practice is consistently intense then your performance will be undeniably excellent.
Your offseason workout will ultimately determine whether you make the roster, the practice squad or are waived. Training camp is underway. Somebody wants your spot. Will you be on the field making it happen or in the stands watching it happen?
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
One more day
I'm smart enough to know, patient enough to wait, disciplined enough to stand still, trusting enough to ask once, grounded enough to serve, focused enough to see even with my eyes closed, humbled beyond words yet grateful enough to say thank you. One more day..........
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Untitled ......
Good Morning,
The last 2 months I've been remiss and inconsistent with my blogging. Why? Because I've put unnecessary pressure on myself to share thoughts that are profound, insightful, clever and empowering. Don't get me wrong, it's what I love to do. However, it is not absolutely imperative that I empower and motivate readers every week or every other week. Nevertheless, it is imperative that I share what is on my heart first and then what's on my mind.
In the last few days I've just been in awe and I've also been in prayer about God's purpose for me. I've been in awe at how great God is and how great my life is and has been. Lately God has just shown me how great living can be if you just exist, listen to and follow your heart. So I submit to you today me, a man who is humble, honest, realistic, idealistic, excited, scared, apprehensive, fallible, inconsistent, unsure at times, yet a child of God who just wants to do what he loves and allow it to be acceptable in God's sight and encouraging to those who struggle with the same questions of this life daily.
That said there is no title for this blog entry today, because frankly there is no title for this day, this hour, month, or this lifetime. Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is Coach Rice. I have dreams, aspirations, prayers, fears, questions, demons and shortcomings. However, I'm still here and so are you. So let's be mindful, grateful, and ready to play this game the right way; together, win or lose, blood, sweat and tears, home and away. Ball up top!!!
The last 2 months I've been remiss and inconsistent with my blogging. Why? Because I've put unnecessary pressure on myself to share thoughts that are profound, insightful, clever and empowering. Don't get me wrong, it's what I love to do. However, it is not absolutely imperative that I empower and motivate readers every week or every other week. Nevertheless, it is imperative that I share what is on my heart first and then what's on my mind.
In the last few days I've just been in awe and I've also been in prayer about God's purpose for me. I've been in awe at how great God is and how great my life is and has been. Lately God has just shown me how great living can be if you just exist, listen to and follow your heart. So I submit to you today me, a man who is humble, honest, realistic, idealistic, excited, scared, apprehensive, fallible, inconsistent, unsure at times, yet a child of God who just wants to do what he loves and allow it to be acceptable in God's sight and encouraging to those who struggle with the same questions of this life daily.
That said there is no title for this blog entry today, because frankly there is no title for this day, this hour, month, or this lifetime. Allow me to re-introduce myself, my name is Coach Rice. I have dreams, aspirations, prayers, fears, questions, demons and shortcomings. However, I'm still here and so are you. So let's be mindful, grateful, and ready to play this game the right way; together, win or lose, blood, sweat and tears, home and away. Ball up top!!!
Monday, June 1, 2009
"I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT"
Let's face it. We've all felt this way about something in our lives more than we can care to recall or even admit.
It's a phrase whose impact is just as dangerous as "I can't", "it's too hard", "forget this", and "I don't care".
I just don't feel like it. What could this possibly mean? To "feel like it" is to instinctively and confidently know in your heart that you can execute, achieve, and even conquer if necessary. Truthfully there are some things we can do at 75% effort and still yield a 100% result/response. However, to say that "you don't feel like it" leaves your team to fill in your role because of a choice you made, not an impediment. This gives your competitor the edge every single time. With this phrase you give yourself a reason to be below average, stubborn or just plain lazy.
Our freedom to frequently use of this cop out phrase is a sure-fire way to give up the best thing about this life; trying. With one fell swoop we often brush the seemingly tedious and/or grandiose things under the rug and never give thought to who it affects and how it affects them. Whether we pronounce the phrase verbatum or show how much we don't feel like it through our body language we take for granted that our teammates will understand and that our opponents won't sense it or ever take advantage of it. Thus, our teammates question our desire to try, to win and help the team get better.
It's a phrase whose impact is just as dangerous as "I can't", "it's too hard", "forget this", and "I don't care".
I just don't feel like it. What could this possibly mean? To "feel like it" is to instinctively and confidently know in your heart that you can execute, achieve, and even conquer if necessary. Truthfully there are some things we can do at 75% effort and still yield a 100% result/response. However, to say that "you don't feel like it" leaves your team to fill in your role because of a choice you made, not an impediment. This gives your competitor the edge every single time. With this phrase you give yourself a reason to be below average, stubborn or just plain lazy.
Our freedom to frequently use of this cop out phrase is a sure-fire way to give up the best thing about this life; trying. With one fell swoop we often brush the seemingly tedious and/or grandiose things under the rug and never give thought to who it affects and how it affects them. Whether we pronounce the phrase verbatum or show how much we don't feel like it through our body language we take for granted that our teammates will understand and that our opponents won't sense it or ever take advantage of it. Thus, our teammates question our desire to try, to win and help the team get better.
Take one minute to think about the people in our lives who have meant so much to us. Think about those people from our past and present, from far and near who are related or unrelated and how they have motivated, mentored and guided us. I'm sure there were days they didn't feel like it, but they made themselves feel like it. They pushed through and re-defined hard work, re-defined driven, re-defined focused, re-defined committed, re-defined role model, re-defined mentor, and re-defined team player without wincing or crying aloud. Some people don't get another day to "feel like it", but you've been given another day. So the choice is to feel like it or not feel like it. God gives it to all of us whether we really deserve it or not or whether he feels like it or not. But what if God didn't feel like it????????
Sunday, May 10, 2009
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
Our mothers are Goddesses. They have humbly and unequivocally accepted the challenge of proactively holding down role of the life-giver, the nurturer, the teacher, the healer, the lover, the encourager and THE ROCK. Although this list does not do justice to what our mothers truly mean to us, it is an abbreviated testament to what is important in our lives. After all, it is our mothers who have taught us to be respectful, thoughtful, and grateful for the little things which in essence are great things.
Mothers have such a major effect on us not just by what they say and do, but by how they say it and do it. While prayer changes things, Mom rearranges things. Our mothers have helped us fine tune our value system, appearance, speech, work ethic, and our attitude. She has been the one person whose timing is deliberate. Every scolding, punishment, chore and lecture had a designed intent to let you know that she brought you in this world and would surely take you out if necessary. Every hug, kiss, smile and high five comforted, and empowered us to go back out into that world again knowing that Mom gave us her blessing and achieve the unseen and unheard.
It's not just a cliche, but every day is Mother's Day. Every day that you can think about her, talk to her, listen to her, learn from her, touch her, hug her, kiss her and remember her is a day that you should celebrate, cherish and take advantage of.
Today and every day I thank God for my mother. I thank my mother for being my angel and my everything. I love and honor her for being a relentless, reliable tower of strength, love, compassion and beauty in every single way. Mom, I love you so much. Thank you for choosing to bring me into this life. You had a choice and I thank you for making the choice that you made. Hopefully, my life is an indication that your choice was not in vain.
Mothers have such a major effect on us not just by what they say and do, but by how they say it and do it. While prayer changes things, Mom rearranges things. Our mothers have helped us fine tune our value system, appearance, speech, work ethic, and our attitude. She has been the one person whose timing is deliberate. Every scolding, punishment, chore and lecture had a designed intent to let you know that she brought you in this world and would surely take you out if necessary. Every hug, kiss, smile and high five comforted, and empowered us to go back out into that world again knowing that Mom gave us her blessing and achieve the unseen and unheard.
It's not just a cliche, but every day is Mother's Day. Every day that you can think about her, talk to her, listen to her, learn from her, touch her, hug her, kiss her and remember her is a day that you should celebrate, cherish and take advantage of.
Today and every day I thank God for my mother. I thank my mother for being my angel and my everything. I love and honor her for being a relentless, reliable tower of strength, love, compassion and beauty in every single way. Mom, I love you so much. Thank you for choosing to bring me into this life. You had a choice and I thank you for making the choice that you made. Hopefully, my life is an indication that your choice was not in vain.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
DEFERENCE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
A true friend will stab you in the front? Yes.
The first time my mentor shared this with me years ago I paused. True indeed it was clever, however it wasn't a thought/proverb that he created although he made me think so initially. So often growing up, we were stabbed in the back by people we put our trust in. These people, in our minds, were our true friends until we discovered several blunt objects protruding from our backs. Sometimes we actually felt the knife go in, other times people had to let us know that they were there. No matter the case, it's potentially a deal breaker. It's the kind of harsh reality we must face in our lives more than we care to.
It doesn't limit itself to our childhood. We will remove knives from our backs continuously but it is up to us to decide whether we will leave the knives there and press on or remove the stab throwers from our circle of trust having learned from those stab wounds. If we must remove knives allow them to ones that we can see coming. It's much easier in my humble opinion to remove knives when we have been stabbed in the front. When this occurs at least we know the who, when, why and how. Although the knives still hurt, the act of the stabbing in and of itself has no malicious intent, but the intent must be intepreted correctly by the target. When someone stabs you in the back, it's betrayal, but someone stabs you in the front, it's deference.
To be shown deference can be an ego/confidence killer depending on how or when it is shown, and why or by whom it is shown. Deference done in a sincere manner can build character and allow for a moment of clarity. Initially it may hurt and make us furious and confused yet it is intended to makes us more analytical, cautious and ultimately more appreciative of those who hold the knives. As a result we know where we stand with those whose opinion we value and trust. Thus, when someone shows you deference, take into consideration the nature of your relationship, see the intent, critically analyze, make the necessary adjusments and proceed with no regrets. There is a blessin in every lesson thus give thanks to those people and the role that they play in your life, growth and development. As we learn from friends and family allow their deference toward us allow to the make the difference in our lives and others.
DEFERENCE = DIFFERENCE
The first time my mentor shared this with me years ago I paused. True indeed it was clever, however it wasn't a thought/proverb that he created although he made me think so initially. So often growing up, we were stabbed in the back by people we put our trust in. These people, in our minds, were our true friends until we discovered several blunt objects protruding from our backs. Sometimes we actually felt the knife go in, other times people had to let us know that they were there. No matter the case, it's potentially a deal breaker. It's the kind of harsh reality we must face in our lives more than we care to.
It doesn't limit itself to our childhood. We will remove knives from our backs continuously but it is up to us to decide whether we will leave the knives there and press on or remove the stab throwers from our circle of trust having learned from those stab wounds. If we must remove knives allow them to ones that we can see coming. It's much easier in my humble opinion to remove knives when we have been stabbed in the front. When this occurs at least we know the who, when, why and how. Although the knives still hurt, the act of the stabbing in and of itself has no malicious intent, but the intent must be intepreted correctly by the target. When someone stabs you in the back, it's betrayal, but someone stabs you in the front, it's deference.
To be shown deference can be an ego/confidence killer depending on how or when it is shown, and why or by whom it is shown. Deference done in a sincere manner can build character and allow for a moment of clarity. Initially it may hurt and make us furious and confused yet it is intended to makes us more analytical, cautious and ultimately more appreciative of those who hold the knives. As a result we know where we stand with those whose opinion we value and trust. Thus, when someone shows you deference, take into consideration the nature of your relationship, see the intent, critically analyze, make the necessary adjusments and proceed with no regrets. There is a blessin in every lesson thus give thanks to those people and the role that they play in your life, growth and development. As we learn from friends and family allow their deference toward us allow to the make the difference in our lives and others.
DEFERENCE = DIFFERENCE
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Resurrecting The Champ
Happy Easter!!
Most people celebrate Easter by purchasing new clothes or new cars. It's a time of year when most folks bring closure to their respective fasts from a plethora of simple pleasures or vices. Once the fast is over, most return to the normal routine. Lent among other observances is intended for people to re-commit, re-focus on the things that are important. For most it's a last chance to salvage those New Year's resolutions gone bad.
Most of us celebrate Easter but fail to acknowledge that it is the time to celebrate the resurrection of the greatest champ of all time. That champ is God. It's a challenge and a reminder for us to acknowledge the champ (or the God) that lives in all of us. Through all the trials, tribulations, obstacles, and criticism we experience we choose to either rise to the challenge or accept the situations that we find ourselves in unless we proactively acknowledge and activate the champ within us.
With every second, minute, hour, day, week and year that passes we must resurrect the champ in ourselves. Make every possession, every down, every round, and every quarter matter. Resurrecting the champ is when practice meets play, mental preparation meets physical confirmation, internal drive translates into external dreams come true. Stop complaining about what has happened and what hasn't happened in our life. Often times, we are delayed rewards because we don't deserve them quite yet. We are delayed but not denied. If you don't get what you expected then you aren't working hard enough, smart enough or consistently enough. The champ within us knows the difference.
Champs don't make excuses. Champs compete with fire. Champs practice hard when no one is looking. Champs are never denied. Champs win and lose with dignity. Champs are never forgotten. Don't let the champ go unnoticed.
Most people celebrate Easter by purchasing new clothes or new cars. It's a time of year when most folks bring closure to their respective fasts from a plethora of simple pleasures or vices. Once the fast is over, most return to the normal routine. Lent among other observances is intended for people to re-commit, re-focus on the things that are important. For most it's a last chance to salvage those New Year's resolutions gone bad.
Most of us celebrate Easter but fail to acknowledge that it is the time to celebrate the resurrection of the greatest champ of all time. That champ is God. It's a challenge and a reminder for us to acknowledge the champ (or the God) that lives in all of us. Through all the trials, tribulations, obstacles, and criticism we experience we choose to either rise to the challenge or accept the situations that we find ourselves in unless we proactively acknowledge and activate the champ within us.
With every second, minute, hour, day, week and year that passes we must resurrect the champ in ourselves. Make every possession, every down, every round, and every quarter matter. Resurrecting the champ is when practice meets play, mental preparation meets physical confirmation, internal drive translates into external dreams come true. Stop complaining about what has happened and what hasn't happened in our life. Often times, we are delayed rewards because we don't deserve them quite yet. We are delayed but not denied. If you don't get what you expected then you aren't working hard enough, smart enough or consistently enough. The champ within us knows the difference.
Champs don't make excuses. Champs compete with fire. Champs practice hard when no one is looking. Champs are never denied. Champs win and lose with dignity. Champs are never forgotten. Don't let the champ go unnoticed.
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