Blog
Read Blog Posts by Category:
Passion: Articles that deal with the inner drive that we all need to want to MOVE from where we currently are to where we dream to be.
Preparation: These posts reference articles, books, documentaries, speakers, quotes, and other inspirational and formative ideas that I have found that helped me and the people around me.
Practice: Articles in this category have a heavy sports and performance training lean.
Performance: These articles focus on how you go about your work. From networking to communications to finding a better way to do what you do.
Perseverance: Articles in this category speak to the mechanics that we go through both mentally and physically to stay on track and not get STUCK.
Problem Solving: Why the Best Leaders Don’t Wait for the Answer
Problem solving isn’t a bonus skill—it’s the job. And if you’re in a leadership role, hoping someone else will make the tough call, you’re already behind. The real leaders don’t sit back and wait for the storm to pass—they walk straight into it with clarity and command.
Every organization has friction. Every mission faces resistance. The difference lies in how quickly and effectively it gets resolved. Elite problem solvers don’t need all the information to act. They’ve built the instincts to move when it counts. The rest? They wait, they waffle, and they wonder why momentum keeps stalling.
Leadership: The Standard That Outlasts Circumstances
Most people think leadership is about authority. Titles, corner offices, or the ability to make the final call. But titles don’t lead. Authority doesn’t inspire. If leadership was just about position, then the highest-ranked person in every organization would also be the most trusted, most followed, and most respected. You and I both know that’s not true.
Real leadership isn’t given. It’s built. It shows up when the pressure spikes, when people are watching with doubt in their eyes, when the easy path is to retreat or explode. Leadership is the ability to set the standard and hold it — not once, not when it’s convenient, but consistently, in every environment where people are counting on you.
That’s what separates the ones who leave a mark from the ones who just hold a title.
Dualism: Triggers vs. Glimmers: What Are You Really Training Your Mind to Find?
We’ve all heard the word trigger thrown around like a buzzer waiting to go off. Triggers are the things that knock us off balance, ignite old wounds, or set our nervous system into high alert. Most people know their triggers—at least the obvious ones. Deadlines. Criticism. The sound of a whistle that reminds them of a coach who broke them instead of built them. The email that hits their inbox with just the right subject line to ruin their day.
What we don’t talk about enough is the other side of the equation.
Glimmers.
I came across this idea recently while I was doing research on relieving anxiety for one of my clients. It hit different—not because it was flashy, but because it was true. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They’re the moments that pull you back to center. The subtle, barely-noticeable cues that tell your nervous system, you’re okay here. That you’re safe, grounded, connected. The world didn’t just get perfect—but for this one breath, it didn’t need to be.
That’s a glimmer.
Purpose Is Greater Than Need
When I was coaching at Trinity Valley, we had a player come through the program who reminded me that “Purpose is Greater Than Need” in a way I’ll never forget. He wasn’t the most talented player on the roster. He didn’t get any major offers out of high school. He wasn’t a heralded recruit. However, he brought something unique every day; he was the first one in the weight room and the last one off the field. He never missed a rep, a meeting, or an opportunity to ask a question. Not because he was trying to impress anyone, but because he had something driving him deeper than the rest.
One day, I asked him why he kept showing up the way he did.
He didn’t flinch. “Coach, I’m trying to change my family tree.”
What Fuels You?
What gets you out of bed every day?
No, seriously. Not the alarm. Not the caffeine. Not the obligation. I’m talking about that deeper pulse—the fire that actually pulls you into the day with intention. What gets you moving?
What gets you dressed, in your car, or to your work station? And once you're there… what flips the switch? What makes the hours mean something? This is of great importance. Studies show that the average worker typically works for only four hours during an eight-hour shift.
Instead of coming to work with a passion, they drift. They punch in and survive the day. But you? You’re not reading this because you’re fine with survival. You’re here because something inside you wants more.
So, let’s get to the heart of it:
You need to know what fuels you—because if you don’t, you’ll burn out, not break through.
Growth Takes Time, But Happens Quickly
We’ve been conditioned to associate growth with the result—new roles, bigger responsibilities, increased performance, and more visible success. What gets overlooked is everything that comes before those shifts—the time when nothing flashy is happening. No titles are changing. No milestones are being posted. Just slow, consistent, often unnoticed work is being done behind the scenes.
That’s where the real growth takes place—not in the headlines, but in the habits.
People talk about breakthroughs like they happen overnight. They rarely do. What looks sudden from the outside usually isn’t. The ground has been shifting quietly for a while. A pattern has been forming. The foundation has been laid. You just couldn’t see it yet.
Conflict Resolution: And the T-Rex Model
Every team has one.
The driven one. The intense one. The one who shows up early, stays late, and lives like the mission is personal. They get results. They own the moment. They don’t flinch. They don’t fold. They lead from the front, and they demand that others keep up.
They’re the first person you want in the foxhole. And the last person you want in a meeting.
The Difference Between Great and Elite
I am a professional observer, and I have learned that the way a leader walks into a room speaks volumes about who they are. Let me show you:
The common ones? They look around to see who’s already talking.
The great ones? They step up with presence and purpose.
But the elite? They don’t just walk in. They bring the room with them.
Respect and Consistency: Foundation for Success
There’s a reason the elite seem unshaken. It’s not just talent. It’s not just titles. It’s because they’ve earned something that can’t be bought, inherited, or faked: RESPECT. And the foundation of that respect is one thing—CONSISTENCY.
Not loud consistency. Not look-at-me consistency. But the kind you can count on. The kind that always shows up at 6:00 a.m. on a Monday when the day doesn’t start until 7:00 a.m. The person who looks exactly the same no matter whether they are in the middle of a crisis, a record-breaking quarter, or a pink slip meeting. Prepared and organized with a 'Get To' mindset. That kind of consistency builds trust, and trust is the currency of leadership.
Slow Down to Speed Up
When I was coaching, my training philosophy was clear: The game of football is based in movement. To be successful, you must move faster, more powerfully, and more efficiently than your opponent.
But here’s the part people miss—especially leaders: To move better, you have to slow down first.
That sounds backward to most people. Especially in today’s culture, when everyone wants fast results, quick answers, and rapid progress. But what I’ve learned over decades as a coach, working side by side with athletes—from high school fields to the NFL—is this: You can’t build anything that lasts by rushing it.
Comfort Is Killing You
There comes a moment—if you're honest—when you realize that most of your life has been shaped around avoiding discomfort. The better salary. The quieter meetings. The days that go exactly as planned. It’s sold to us as success, as peace, even as the reward for hard work. But that’s the illusion.
The truth is, peace isn’t the prize. It’s a byproduct—earned through pressure, sacrifice, and struggle. And pressure doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from engagement—from stepping into the challenging moments instead of away from them. It comes from living life, not avoiding it.
I’ve spent my life around high performers. Athletes. Executives. Leaders in transition. I’ve trained them, coached them, and walked with them through moments they never asked for. And the one thing I’ve learned is this: comfort never made anyone great. It never built character. It never sharpened resolve. It never forged champions.
You Don’t Need Balance. You Need Purpose.
The problem with balance is it only works when everything is calm, when life plays by the rules. When all the pieces fall into place perfectly. But life doesn’t work like that. It throws curveballs, shifts timelines, and breaks routines. And when your peace depends on keeping everything equal, even a single disruption can cause the entire system to collapse.
That’s why the people who last—the ones who rise to the top—aren’t the ones balancing plates. They’re the ones planted in purpose. Because purpose doesn’t panic when chaos knocks, it doesn’t rely on smooth waters or perfect schedules. It holds steady because it’s rooted in meaning, not maintenance.
When Process Kills Performance: What Steve Jobs Could Teach the NFL
Steve Jobs once said, “Process is not the product. Content is.” It was a warning to companies that got so wrapped up in systems and procedures that they forgot what mattered most—the end result. He wasn’t talking about football. But he could’ve been.
Because in the NFL today, the game is losing ground to the process that was meant to protect it.
Discipline Is the New Motivation
Let’s stop pretending a motivational quote is going to change your life. That a song on your playlist or a 30-second reel will carry you through years of adversity. It won’t. Because motivation is a spark, and discipline is the engine.
Discipline is what you do when it’s cold. When no one’s cheering. When the energy’s gone, but the standard is still standing.
Motivation makes promises. Discipline delivers results.
Mental Health vs. Mental Toughness: You Need Both
We’ve been sold a lie.
That mental health and mental toughness are opposites. You’re either honest about your feelings or relentless about what you do. That’s false. You need both. Mental health is your foundation. Mental toughness is your forward motion. Without one, the other crumbles. Without both, you break.
When No One’s Watching: The Weight of Character
In a world that thrives on visibility and recognition, the true measure of strength lies in what we do when no one is watching. Imagine this: The person above you just dumped a load of work on your desk, then they gave you a 5:00 pm deadline. You put your head down and go to work. There’s no audience, no cheering section—just you and your resolve. In these moments, where effort meets silence, we discover what character truly means. Every day, we see how far we have grown as we watch how our true selves emerge when the spotlight fades away, highlighting the importance of doing the hard work for our growth and integrity.
Your Journey Doesn’t Need a Roadmap … It Needs a First Step!
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of starting something new? Maybe it’s a personal project, starting back at the gym, or even a life-changing decision. For those who overthink every decision, it can sometimes feel too much to handle. I was approached by a person in the gym who said they would come to the gym more often if they had a workout. My response was, “Your journey doesn’t need a roadmap; it needs a first step.” I wanted to emphasize the importance of taking action rather than being caught up in some elaborate program. Too often, we get stuck before we even leave the house. Our minds stack up every reason why we shouldn’t or what might happen, rather than just taking that first step to accomplish the thing that we fear. Ninety-nine percent of the time, our fears were larger than reality.
Building Your Team: A Strategic Approach
To be the best at what I did and add value to the organization, I felt it was imperative to concentrate on three pivotal areas: establishing a clear vision, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and making the people I worked with the best they could be. This plan's steps were critical in ensuring cutting-edge growth and sustained success.
The Power of Believing In YOU!
Have you ever noticed that when something good happens to you, it changes your whole outlook? How long can we hope for good things to “just happen”? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have that positive outlook every day? It’s inside of you, you need to know how to get it front and center in your mind.
We all know that positive thinking isn’t just a feel-good mantra; it’s a powerful mindset that shapes our reality. By focusing on life's optimistic and beneficial aspects, we unlock doors to mental and physical well-being, creativity, and positive relationships.
When you lead with a positive mindset, it will have a profound impact on your life. Keep reading and learn how to make positive thinking a standard in your life and how it will change every aspect of your life.
Unleashing Your Potential
Have you ever felt that spark inside you, a desire to become the best version of yourself? Welcome to the exhilarating world of personal growth and self-improvement! This journey is about reaching new heights and transforming your life into one full of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness. By setting clear goals, developing empowering habits, learning from your experiences, and embracing continuous evolution, you can unlock your full potential and create a meaningful life.