I love football, I was raised that way. Growing up in California I thought I was pretty normal. Then I moved to Texas and I realized, very quickly, they take their love of football to a whole other level! In Texas, football is life! Friday night lights burn bright in every sized town across the Lone Star State. So, it was no surprise when attending one of my local chamber of commerce luncheons that I had the privilege of seeing both of my home town high school football coaches speak. While both of their messages resonated and were well received by the entire audience, Brian Basil, the head coach for the Flower Mound Jaguars really spoke to me.
He shared a story about not coaching football but rather coaching character. He rightly pointed out most of these boys will not play professional football-- but they will still be adults and have jobs and families one day. His mission was to help them grow their character. He told of his practice of making each player keep their lockers in a certain order. Shoes in a certain place, laces a certain way, jersey in a specific place, clean, and neat. No exceptions. He explained that if the team couldn’t count on you to do that how could they count on you to run the right route or make that important block? The little things matter.
He is teaching some of the same life lessons that I try to instill in my adult audiences today. These are two of my favorites.
First, be consistent. Processes become systems. When we repeat positive behaviors consistently, over time, they become good habits. Pretty soon you are getting up every day at 5:00 AM, or you are working out every Monday, or making those 20 sales calls every day. What are those good habits that if you cultivated them, committed to them, and did them without fail, would make you more successful?
Second, have high expectations. Having high expectations for yourself doesn’t mean being a perfectionist, it means believing in your ability to succeed and giving it your all. It means don’t sell yourself short! Give it 100% every time—every project, every presentation, every meeting. No “winging it” or phoning it in. I believe every one of my clients that I speak for deserve my very best. And I work hard every time—to meet that expectation. Never settle for less than your best. What is a task that you may be doing with less enthusiasm or commitment than you should? How can you redefine it and give it a facelift? If it is worth doing it is worth doing right—and if it is not worth doing at 100%-- do you need to do it? Maybe it is time re-evaluate your priorities.
I appreciate him teaching those lessons to our young people. Maybe if more of them learn them in high school I won’t have to teach them as adults. And it all starts with putting those shoes in the right place in your locker.
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