We step up because we can push our own boundaries. We can go further. We can be faster. We can get better. And we don’t need anyone else to push us to do those things. We have the motivation and discipline inside us to get thereReminding ourselves to step up is less about having to get better than about knowing we can get better and proving it to ourselves every time we step on the court, field, or track. We can do whatever we can imagine, and the idea of stepping up is just accepting that fact and proving it to ourselves.“Step up” isn’t a negative challenge we should be hearing from other people; it’s a positive challenge we should be giving ourselves everyday.

Pillar: Goals

Key Topics:modiha; motivation; discipline; habit; hardship; struggle; overcome; goal-setting; servant leadership; positive pressure

We can’t always predict if something is going to set us off, but we can prepare for situations that we know are more stressful. We know that we’ll be more short-fused during a game than at other times. So how are we going to prepare for that?We know that our fuse gets shorter when preparing for a test, or right after practice, or in the early morning. Before or after whatever activity or during whichever time of day we get prickly, we should already be aware that this is a time when we’re more likely to be short-tempered.So with that knowledge, we have to ask ourselves: How can I prepare so that my fuse stays a little bit longer?

Pillar:  Grit

Key Topic: response vs. reaction; control anger; control frustration; control response;

If we’re gripping onto something too tightly, whether that thing is good or bad, we’re not paying attention to other things around us that could be even better. When our hand is closed into a tight fist, we can’t accept any gifts. When our mind is latched onto a particular moment, we can’t focus on any other moments.So, the question probably isn’t: Am I holding on to something I should let go of?Instead, the question is: How do I let go of this thing?

MoDiHa. Motivation → Discipline → Habit.Before the motivation fades, we have to replace it with something a bit sturdier: Discipline. Willpower and structure combine in discipline to keep us moving forward no matter how tough things get. Our goal may seem thousands of miles away and every movement toward it is hard, but with discipline, we can push until we reach a point where it’s not so tough anymore.Before we know it, we’re choosing to get up early, or read in Spanish, or eat a salad without making a conscious choice. We just do it without really thinking about it. At that point, our relentless discipline has formed a habit and changed the way that we think. A change in our thought process doesn’t happen overnight, but with enough discipline and effort over time, we develop habits that make the hard stuff seem easy.

“Know your role” often has a negative connotation, as if there’s something wrong with being a roleplayer rather than a playmaker. But there’s no shame in being a linebacker rather than a quarterback or an outfielder rather than a pitcher. They’re all important roles.We all have a role to play on the team and in our lives. We have different jobs that no one else can do. Those things are our responsibilities, and we have to take care of business to get things done.Our roles change throughout our lives. Whatever our current role, we have to do our jobs to the best of our ability. If we’re worried about doing someone else’s job instead, we aren’t taking care of our own job. There’s an old saying “If you chase two rabbits, you’ll catch none.” It means if we’re trying to do our job and someone else’s, things are going to fall through the cracks, and no one wins.We learn and accomplish more by knowing our roles and sticking to them. If we perform in our roles to the best of our ability, everyone succeeds. It’s when we try to step out of those roles without knowing what we’re doing that things start to fall apart.The bottom line is that we just have to do our jobs.

“Fear is the mind-killer.” Frank Herbert, DuneWe’ve all been paralyzed with fright at some point in our lives. Whether it’s from seeing a spider on the shower curtain or walking onto a stage in front of hundreds of people for a speech. We freeze in place for a moment, palms get clammy or sweaty, and our heartbeat picks up the pace. Whatever the cause, no matter how exotic or mundane, fear is universal.That doesn’t mean it’s all powerful. The reactions we experience when confronted with something that scares us is based on how things appear. Fear is how our nervous system reacts to things that we’re programmed to think can kill us. It’s an alert system to move away from the dangerous circumstance as fast as possible. Fear is the belief that if we do this thing, we might get hurt.Fear wants us to believe that we can’t do the things we want to do. It wants to hold us back. But, it only has the power to do so if we let it. If we choose to lean into our fears and face them, fear has no power over us.

In the military, missions don’t always run smoothly. Maybe the team doesn’t feel they have the right resources or the situation doesn’t look ideal. They may want to give up on this one.But orders come from the top, and when they request or recommend to abort mission, the answer might instead be: Charlie Mike. Continue MissionThe problem is that when we give up easily on the little things, we train ourselves to give up on the big things. It’s just like working out or running drills. Whatever muscle we give reps to is the muscle that gets stronger.We prefer to take the easy road and quit. We prefer to let the reps for quitting on easy things build that muscle. We prefer to give up on our dreams instead of putting in the hard work to keep going. It’s a choice. We can choose to keep building the quit muscle or we can choose to Charlie Mike.

Our lives are touched by several different traditions. These traditions come from our family, our community, our school, and our team.We have a responsibility to uphold these traditions, but also to enhance them. Tradition doesn’t determine what we do. What we do determines our tradition.The tradition of our sports program may be winning the district championship or making it to state, but that tradition is only carried on by what we do this year. Just because we won last year doesn’t mean we’ll automatically win this year. Just because we win this year doesn’t mean that we’ll automatically win next year.The tradition of our family may be going to college, but that tradition is only carried on by us choosing to do the same and putting in the effort required to get there. Just because our parents went to college doesn’t mean that we will. Just because we go to college doesn’t mean that our children will.

“No one can choose your character but you.” Coach MackeyYour character is not dictated by your circumstances. You choose the type of character you will develop. Just as you choose your level of commitment and effort or your attitude.All year these lessons have been giving you the building blocks to construct a firm foundation for your character to grow on. The lessons apply to sports and being a good athlete, but they also apply to your life outside of the game.We’ve talked about taking responsibility, pushing through struggle, never giving up, owning your mistakes, and many other topics that will help you on and off the field to be the best possible version of yourself. The lessons only work if you let them, though. Ultimately, you choose whether or not to accept those lessons and integrate them into your life.No one can make you stand firm in the face of struggle or embrace discipline. No one can convince you to let go of things that are out of your control or to believe that overnight success is a myth. You have to come to terms with those things on your own, and that is a choice.You can be told these things all day, everyday, and still not have them affect your life unless you make the choice to take them seriously and let your actions reflect that choice. The future version of you is dependent on what the present version of you chooses to believe and to do. The belief and the action are both important. Without the belief, you’ll never have a reason to act, but without the action, the belief won’t have an impact on your life.Sports are a fantastic arena for learning these life lessons. In the end, they’re exactly that: Life Lessons. After you step off of the field, these lessons are still with you, helping you to live a better, more successful, life.That is, if you choose to let them.

Pillar: Goals

Key Topics: decisions; responsibility; choice; personal development; impact; coaching beyond the game