In "A Most Beautiful Thing," a teacher asks the aspiring oarsmen, "what made you think it was going to be easy?" One of Nick Saban's favorite expressions is, "Life is hard."
Winning is hard. Excellence is hard. Training is hard, especially after absence, injury, or illness.
Nobody owes us anything. The coach doesn't owe us minutes, an expansive role, or praise. Earn everything and control what we can control.
The past has passed. Yesterday doesn't carry over. Hard work has to be every day. Teamwork is daily. Communication means today. When your feet hit the floor, ask, "how can I get better today?"
Sport rewards athleticism. A few people have physical gifts above and beyond. Most athletes have to find sweat equity in the weight room.
Make the most of your opportunities. Take advantage of coaching, teamwork, and practice time. As Jim Rohn reminded us, “we either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret."
Most athletic careers are short. Leave an impression with hard work, sportsmanship, teamwork, and unselfishness.
Lagniappe. Serve to lead.
True leadership isn’t about power. It’s about impact.
— Greg Berge (@gb1121) January 18, 2025
Serve. Empower. Inspire.
"Leadership is serving other people. It's helping other people accomplish what they want to accomplish. It's make a difference in their lives."
John Harbaugh GOLD 🥇pic.twitter.com/VWKJO2Qs9Q
Lagniappe 2. Shared vision, shared sacrifice, shared effort. Is it about winning or your numbers?
Selfishness
— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) January 18, 2025
Nick Saban said, "What's happening in the game is more important than any of their individual deals."
Great teams create a culture of selflessness, togetherness, and shared responsibility.
It comes from their goals, their standards, and their spirit. pic.twitter.com/LUOoJqF1vc
Lagniappe 3. What you do. How you do it. Do it every day.
HOW TO BECOME A LEADER BY EXAMPLE
— Jeff Janssen (@janssenleader) January 15, 2025
✅ Be the hardest worker.
✅ Compete relentlessly with confidence.
✅ Maintain your poise under pressure.
✅ Exemplify your team's standards.
✅ Do the right thing.
🔁 Be this way every day.
= Earn your team's trust/respect to lead them.
