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| 26 Aug 2010 07:51:26 pm |
| MIKE KRZYZEWSKI, Basketball Coach |
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"It's one of those experiences that when you go through it, you don't want to go through it. But after you go through it, it's a good thing to go through it."
Mike Krzyzewski, (pronounced sha-SHEF-ski) coach of the Men’s National Basketball team, spoke these words after a particularly grueling exhibition game against Lithuania. In the first quarter of that game, Team USA scored only 7 points, missing 18 of its first 21 shots.
However, as today’s quote implies, the team came back powerfully in its next two exhibition games, proving that it WAS a good thing they went through that awful first quarter against Lithuania. To read more. The team begins the World Championships on August 28 (concluding on September 12).
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The more I read about Mike Krzyzewski, (Coach K, as he is often called) the more I see a natural leader. A leader who is effective, powerful, compassionate, and as successful as they come. To give you an example of just how successful he is, read on.
He holds the record for NCAA tournament victories at 77. In his thirty years at Duke, he’s won four national championships and been in the final four 11 times (he’s tied for second in this domain). He’s won 12 conference titles and he’s only the sixth coach in NCAA history to win 800 games. Without a doubt, extraordinary success and Mike Krzyzewski go hand in hand.
But why? What is it that makes him so successful?
I believe it’s a number of things, but at the heart, Coach K is crystal clear that effective teamwork, breakthrough results, and repeatable success begins (and ends) with communication. He knows that trust is critical to forge a team, and he believes individuals are more important than results. He considers nothing a failure. And finally, he knows that passion and heart lead to commitment and persistence.
On Coach K’s website, is a section featuring his philosophies and quotes. I believe they tell the story of why he’s so successful. I will share some of them here.
“Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication.”
“Communication does not always occur naturally, even among a tight-knit group of individuals. Communication must be taught and practiced in order to bring everyone together as one.”
“When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you!”
“In leadership, there are no words more important than trust. In any organization, trust must be developed among every member of the team if success is going to be achieved.”
“A leader has to be positive about all things that happen to his team. Look at nothing in the past as failure.”
Coach Mike Krzyzewski, an inspired coach, inspiring his team, his community, and the world. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 19 Aug 2010 04:16:08 pm |
| TORII HUNTER, Los Angeles Angels Star Outfielder |
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“Sometimes you have to slap pride in the face."
Today’s Real Zeal quote came from Torii Hunter after it was announced that the Gold Glover was being moved from prestigious center field into right field.
To read more on what Torii had to say about this move.
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This month, the Los Angeles Angels announced that Torii Hunter, winner of NINE Golden Glove Awards, will no longer play in center field. Torii’s new position is the less demanding (and less exciting) right field.
In talking about the move, Torii spoke these inspiring words: “I can sit here and say, ‘I want ten Gold Gloves and center field is my position.’ But, if this makes the team better, I'm going to do it. … Sometimes you have to slap pride in the face.”
Wow. A public demotion (from the most coveted position in the outfield), and yet if it helps the team, Torii is all for it. In fact, Torii initiated the move.
Torii’s message provides a lesson and provokes an inquiry.
The Lesson: Doing the ‘right’ thing trumps pride.
The Inquiry: Where are we allowing pride to get in the way of our success? Instead of slapping pride in the face, where are we allowing it to do damage – to a relationship, our career, our confidence?
Here’s the good news: We already know the answer. Chances are, we’ve been avoiding this conversation like the plague, all the while knowing that our pride was getting the better of us.
So it’s time to act – speak an apology, acknowledge someone’s great work, step back and allow another to take your place. Time to do as Torii Hunter did – slap pride in the face and do what there is to do.
To learn more about Torii Hunter, please read on.
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Here is what there is to share about Torii Hunter. He makes as big a difference off the baseball field as he does on. And that is saying something, because Torii Hunter is one of the best outfielders in the game today. He’s won nine Gold Glove awards – which translates into more robbed hits and homeruns that you can count.
Off the field? Here’s what Torii says about that:
“My grandmother always instilled in me to treat people like you should be treated, and if you can do anything to make people's lives better, you've got to do it. That's part of your responsibility as a human being, and especially as a ballplayer."
Torii’s words translate into these off-field difference-making actions:
He founded the Torii Hunter Project Education Initiative which provides college scholarships to students in California, Arkansas, Nevada and Minnesota.
He contributes to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, a partnership with Major League Baseball that helps maintain and improve baseball diamonds in inner cities.
He is a Big Brother.
He speaks to children’s groups every chance he gets.
He was presented with the Branch Rickey Award in 2009, which rewards excellence in charity work.
Torii Hunter … an inspired athlete inspiring the world … on and off the field. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 13 Aug 2010 01:24:32 am |
| EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER, Founder, Special Olympics |
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“Your humanity is the most important thing.”
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics, spoke these words during an interview on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. She died August 11, 2009, at the age of 88. To watch this entire program
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Wednesday, August 11, marked the one year anniversary of Eunice’s death. She was featured in a 2009 Real Zeal and her contribution – as founder of the Special Olympics – bears repeating.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver leaves a most remarkable and profound legacy – the Special Olympics. With guts, brains, stamina and single-minded commitment, she brought dignity and LIFE to a group of people unable to do it for themselves.
In the 1950s, those with intellectual disabilities were hidden from the world. Shunned by family, many lived in deplorable conditions.
In an inspired act of divine synchronicity, Eunice was ‘blessed’ with a mentally retarded sister, Rosemary. Rosemary and Eunice were good friends and in Rosemary, Eunice saw a possibility for all who were intellectually challenged.
In 1962, with the alignment of her brother, President Kennedy, Eunice wrote an article for the Saturday Evening Post, introducing Rosemary to the world.
Eunice never looked back. Beginning with a camp in her own back yard for 35 mentally retarded youngsters, she campaigned relentlessly on their behalf for the next 40+ years. Extending kindness, and dignity, she created worlds of opportunities for this disenfranchised population.
Where in our own lives have we been denying someone their humanity, failing to see them as the unique, divine being they are? Maybe it’s time to extend our generosity and our compassion. Time to realize that humanity granted to one … is humanity granted to all.
To learn more about this inspired woman, please keep reading.
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I have included two pieces that give you a sense of the magnitude of Eunice’s generous spirit. One is from her welcoming speech at the 1991 Games and the second is a statement issued by the Shriver family on the day of Eunice’s death.
From her welcoming speech to the 1991 Special Olympians: (When you click on the link, you will need to scroll to the particular 1991 Games speech.)
“What you do here, will say to all people of all nations .... There is another way, for: You are the peacemakers; Competitive but not envious; Determined, but not angry; Teachers of the profound truth that we can try to do our best without calling on what is worst in the human character.”
And in a statement from the Shriver family:
“Inspired by her love of God, her devotion to her family, and her relentless belief in the dignity and worth of every human life, she worked without ceasing - searching, pushing, demanding, hoping for change. She was a living prayer, a living advocate, a living center of power. She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more. She founded the movement that became Special Olympics, the largest movement for acceptance and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in the history of the world. Her work transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people across the globe, and they in turn are her living legacy.”
To read her obituary in the New York Times.
For all that Eunice Kennedy Shriver did and all that she was, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honor. An honor truly fitting and well deserved.
A world has been transformed under her guidance! |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 05 Aug 2010 02:26:00 pm |
| BOB BURNQUIST, Skateboarding Superstar |
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“I just want to learn new things.”
Today’s Real Zeal quote came from Bob Burnquist, longtime skateboarder who is known for his innovation and creativity in the skateboarding world. His gold medal in last weekend’s X Games 16 represents years of excellence in his field. Bob was asked how he keeps himself motivated over his many years of skateboarding and his answer: “I just want to learn new things and bring progression to the sport.”
To see Bob’s amazing gold medal performance.
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Thirty-three year-old Bob Burnquist was born in Rio de Janeiro, has been skateboarding since he was 11 and a professional since 14. He is currently a citizen in both Brazil and the United States.
Aside from his brilliance in skateboarding, he started the Bob Burnquist Foundation, an organization committed to educate the world on organic farming.
Bob is also one of the founders of Action Sports Environmental Coalition, a nonprofit organization that brings ecological awareness to skateboarders, surfers and BMXers.
If you want to see what Bob has built in his backyard (read ‘canyon’) watch this 2007 New York Times piece on the world’s largest 8-story high skateboarding mega ramp. Prepare to be absolutely amazed.
While Bob is relentless in his pursuit of innovation and the winner of countless medals in his sport, he acknowledges (in his website) that being husband and father is the accomplishment he is most proud of in his life.
Another inspired athlete, inspiring the world … Bob Burnquist. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 29 Jul 2010 03:40:44 pm |
| BOB SHEPPARD, Yankees' Legendary Public-Address Announcer |
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“I don’t go to work, I go to a game!”
Today’s [I]Real Zeal[/I] quote came from Bob Sheppard, longtime Yankees announcer, during an interview and feature article by ESPN baseball analyst, Buster Olney.
To view the entire piece.
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For Bob Sheppard (who died at the age of 99 on July 12), today’s Real Zeal words were literally true. For more than half a century, he introduced each player who stepped up to the plate at Yankee stadium. Many called him the ‘Voice of God.’
Few of us can make the same claim as Bob Sheppard – at least in a literal sense. But each of us could ask ourselves the question: How could I create my work – the place where I spend such a large portion of my life – as a game?
Creating our work as a game has a huge upside. Work often brings with it negative energy. Synonyms include words like effort, toil, and drudgery. But going to a game every day? Now that has a lot of juice! A tremendous sense of fun and power.
Here’s the truth – we can create a game out of anything. Our game could be … teaching 4th graders how to write … raising children to be fun-loving, upstanding adults … selling paint to hardware stores … leading a company to be the best in its market.
What is your unique game? Fill in the blanks for yourself. Then … savor these words; roll them around on your tongue: I don’t go to work … I go to a game!
Too many people go to ‘work’ every day. The lucky ones, the smart ones, the creative ones … like Bob Sheppard … go to a game every day.
To learn more about Bob Sheppard, please read on.
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Bob Sheppard loved being articulate. His job, he said, was not to be funny or verbose or dramatic. It was to be clear, concise and precise. And for more than fifty years, Bob Sheppard introduced every player who walked up to home plate at Yankee Stadium. That’s a lot of stars and a ton of baseball moments. And Bob Sheppard loved it.
And the players loved him. Derek Jeter, Yankees captain, had this to say about Bob Sheppard: "Players changed year in and year out, he was the one constant. Every time you heard it, you got chills." In fact, even today, Bob Sheppard introduces Jeter – via a recording!
Bob Sheppard was not only a baseball announcer. He was also a teacher – teaching speech for over thirty years at New York public schools and then at St. John’s University. He believes his biggest contribution in life was through his teaching.
From a 2000 interview with American Sportscaster Association President Lou Schwartz:
“My sports activity seems to cut down on what I really contributed to society, and that's teaching. … When I hear from former students and they say I helped them achieve their goals, I feel I have contributed to society more than all I have done in sports.”
A legend, an inspiration, and a man who didn’t go to work … but to a game! |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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