Lou Holtz: Winning Every Day (1998)

This not only applies to sports and coaching but to life as well...

1. The Power of Attitude: The attitude you choose to assume toward life and everything it brings you will determine whether you realize you aspirations. What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How well you do something is determined by your attitude.

2. Tackle Adversity: You are going to be knocked down. I have been on top and I have been at the bottom. To achieve success, you are going to have to solve problems. If you react positively to them, you'll be stronger and better than ever. You can assume that your competitors have problems too. If you react to setback more quickly and positively, you gain a distinct advantage. I've never encountered a person who achieved anything that didn't require overcoming obstacles. Expect them.

3. Have a Sense of Purpose: Understand what you are trying to do. Stay completely focused on your original and primary purpose. Do not be sidetracked. If you own a business, help customers get what they want. If you want a promotion, give your employers what they want, somebody who delivers a first-rate performance every day.

4. Make Sacrifice Your Ally: You can't be successful without making sacrifices. Most losing organizations are overpopulated with people who constantly complain about life's difficulties. They will drain your enthusiasm and energy. Take pride in making sacrifices and having self-discipline.

5. Adapt or Die: Things are always changing, so embrace the fact that your life and career are always in transition. Yes, you will achieve your goals, but don't fall into the mistake of thinking you don't have to do anything further. Even when you become number one, you will still need to stay focused on the fundamentals.

6. Chase Your Dreams: All great accomplishments start with a dream. Dreams fuel your enthusiasm and vision. They give you a burning desire to get in the morning and achieve.

7. Nurture Your Self-Image: A positive self-image grows out of having strong character. To be trustworthy, committed to excellence and show care for others are the underpinnings of a successful person. These qualities are so important I devoted the last three steps to each of them.

8. Foster Trust: All relationships are based on trust. I can't begin to tell you how many people I have seen ruin tremendous opportunities because they didn't have the discipline and decency to do what's right. Continually ask yourself, "Is this the right thing to do?" Do what you feel is right regardless of peer pressure or personal desires; success and confidence will not be far behind.

9. Commit to Excellence: Do everything to the best of your ability. Everybody want to be associated with people who set and maintain high standards. When you lower standards, you only invite mediocrity.

10. Handle with Care: Treat others as you would like to be treated--with concern and care.

Coaching Clinic and Stuff on the Side...

I went to my first coaching clinic in a hotel at the Portland Airport.

I drove down on Thursday morning and got to Brad’s about 10:30. We were craving sandwiches and found out that Rosie’s is no longer in Hillsboro, so we drove to Forest Grove to see what was there. We went to the Grand Lodge and had burgers. The place was amazing. We walked around and looked at some of the history and the movie theater. The place has a disc golf course and we should have brought our discs with us because it was a beautiful day. 

We drove around a bit more before we headed back. I talked him into playing the Orchard 9 hole disc golf course. The first hole was really soggy and our feet got wet but the rest of the course was pretty decent. Brad made an insane shot on hole 4 and my mouth literally dropped when I heard the chains clink. 

Afterwards we went and chilled at home while we watched TV. We got hooked on the food network the last time I was there. My favorite show is Ace of Cakes.

The next day I drove to the hotel and registered. We were each given a bag of free things…score cards, catalogs etc. I met up with Hank and we just talked about random stuff until the first session started. I went to the National Sports Clinic and the guest speakers were Amanda Freed, US Softball Olympic Gold Medalist, Kristi Bredbenner, head coach at Emporia State University (Kansas), John Tschida, head coach at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota), Jenny Condon, head coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Mike White, head coach at the University of Oregon.

I learned a bunch of new drills for my infielders. I'm really excited for March 1st to get here so I can start whipping them into shape for the season.

For dinner we were on our own so Hank and I went to the Red Robin near the airport and I swear to god I saw Kristine Jones. I almost said hi but didn’t just in case it wasn’t her. I asked her later and it wasn’t her. I left the hotel around 9 and made my way back to Brad’s. I took a shower and went to bed because I had to get up super early.
The alarm went off at 6:15 to cowboy music. I zombied my way to the bathroom and got ready to go. I left around 7 and got to the airport just after 7:30. The first session started at 8. I had such a hard time sitting through the first lecture. I actually nodded off and jerked myself awake. I stayed until noon, when we broke for lunch. I didn’t want to sit through the pitching lectures. 

I met up with Starrla in Vancouver. We picked up some food at the Burgerville and went over to her place and ate. Her parents were there so I got to talk to them too, first time since July 2008. After her parents left, she took me to Vince’s business, which is an in-progress fitness center. We drove around downtown Vancouver, near the fort, went to Dodge City, a bar and grill owned by Cougars and she took me to WSU-Vancouver. 

We went back to her place and stayed until about 6.  I got to meet her dog Tango.

I drove back to Hillsboro and we had the pizza Brad mail ordered from Chicago. It was some good stuff. 

We just chilled on the couch for a bit until we went over to Jen and Seth’s to revive a computer. The computer could not be revived at that time. We played the Xbox and the Wii for a bit until about 3. Remember I’ve been up since about 6:30 that morning, I was struggling. We went back over to his apartment and played Rock Band for a bit and then he put on a movie and I had to go to bed even though I really wanted to stay up and keep him company. I gave up around 6. 

I got up about 11:30 and packed my things up. I put them in the car and then said bye to Brad because he had to sleep to go to work that evening. I got home about 2:45 ish and watched some NFL.  Good times. 

Next Adventure:  TBA

Emoticons and Cell Phones :P

It's amazing to me to see how often email, facebook, instant messaging, myspace, blogs, twitter, cell phones, texting and internet take up much of our daily lives. I walked into the high school the other day to pick up some advertisement fliers from Franklin. On the way down the hall I noticed this display on the wall that an animal science class had done. They were traced animal outlines with their digestive tracks filled in. It was the title that enticed me. Animal Digestive Tracks :). Who puts a smiley face on their projects? I guess now it's no big deal. When I was in high school, which was only eight years ago we would not even think of putting a smiley face, let alone anything else in the title of our homework projects.

We didn't even have cell phones when I was in high school. I was talking to my softball girls about when we rode the bus to games and back. I told them we listened to our CD players because we did not have MP3 players or IPods. We did our homework on the bus and played card games, we did not text our talk to our friends on our cell phones. We called our parents when we got back from a game on the phone in the high school office. They thought I was joking. They could not fathom not being able to use any of that stuff on the bus. They asked me if I was ever bored. I told them no, we always had something to do whether it be listening to music, playing games or talking to friends in the next seat over or catching up on our homework. That's one thing I never saw on the bus last season, people doing their homework.

Another thing that has changed since then is "oh just text or facebook me." It's not just call me or send me a letter. For what I know now about technology, it would be really weird to be sent back in time to when I was in high school and to tell someone to facebook, twitter or text me. They probably would ask what's facebook or what's twitter or what's text?

We survived the holidays...

I thought I should update this thing since I hadn't in quite some time.

My birthday was on Friday the 13th this year and I had a great time. I hung out with Brad on the Wed and Thurs before. I got to ride the MAX. I had an excellent night with Barlow and Nicole on my birthday. It was kind of a surprise pizza/game night/sleepover. When I got there Lindsay didn't inform me that it was a sleepover so I didn't have any of my things with me. Good thing I live like 3 minutes away so I could retrieve them. That Saturday Megan and Chaise took me out to the Ram. It was pretty good food. Sunday night my family and I made a ham dinner.

We had almost 20 people over for Thanksgiving this year. Brad came up and spent it with me and my family. Tracy brought over one of her friends. We really didn't like her all that much. e played Apples to Apples.

Setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

I went with Grandma and Sonny, her brother who moved in with her this past December, to Gerrits Greens to pick out two trees. I had to decorate the darn thing by myself because no one at home wanted to help me. Every year the holidays turn into Val's holidays. I end up doing most of the cleaning and decorating.

Getting ready to cut it down.

Christmas was pretty cool but weird. It was a lot different since Erika was in Colorado and couldn't come home and Pat had passed away in April. But we did the usual, had breakfast at 9, opened presents shortly after, picked up our messes and everyone went home to prepare for dinner at 5. We ate dinner and then play board games, this year was Pit.

Me with my decorated Christmas Tree.

New Year's Eve was spent down in Oregon with Brad. We did not expect for him to bring home a cold. So we just chilled...watched TV, played the Xbox, ate food, hung out, etc. I had fun because I got to spend it with him.

Brad and me just after the New Year. :)

I just hope 2010 is better than 2009. 2009 was really hard for me and my family collectively. Lots of drama, some deaths, car troubles, money troubles, computer addictions, failed job hunts and the list goes on...however there were some great things to happen as well, successful job hunts, people becoming more responsible, meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, friends moving back to the area...and that list goes on.