I had another subject matter in my mind that was going to be my theme of
this week but last Saturday’s senseless acts in which an NFL player murdered
his girlfriend (the mother of his 3-month old child) and then committed suicide
right before the eyes of his coaches and general manager on the grounds outside
of his field of employment … made me switch gears.
I know this is a heady subject matter. I know in this ever-changing
universe where we are all continually bombarded with social media messages,
national headlines, blogger commentaries and just everyday pressure to perform
– both athletically in your world and on the job in mine – that we’re losing
sight of reality and what’s most important - family, friends and your own
personal well being.
Through the aftermath of that personal tragedy, Brady Quinn, the
quarterback of today for the Kansas City Chiefs, actually made the most sense
and moved the needle with his post-game comments. He said: "We live in a
society of social networks, with Twitter pages and Facebook, and that’s fine,
but we have contact with our work associates, our family, our friends, and it
seems like half the time we are more preoccupied with our phone and other
things going on instead of the actual relationships that we have right in front
of us. Hopefully, people can learn from this and try to actually help if
someone is battling something deeper on the inside than what they are revealing
on a day-to-day basis."
Quinn's message was applauded by people in all walks of life. Sherry
Turkle, a psychologist and sociologist at MIT, had this to say: ”The technology
that enables us to craft and share our identities is also undermining our
ability to really know one another and ourselves. From social networks to sociable
robots, we're designing technologies that will give us the illusion of
companionship without the demands of friendship. What I'm seeing is that people get so used to
being short-changed out of real conversation, so used to getting by with less,
that they've become almost willing to dispense with people altogether."
Fellas – as you continually develop your
career, the inward pressure you feel will mount each year as you inch closer
and closer to reaching your dreams to play in the Major Leagues. We all feel
those same anxieties, even for us in our normal working world. Yet, no matter
an individual’s chosen career path, we all share the same human traits – that
is we are fueled by recognition and rewards. No matter what income or fame that
is achieved, we all need a support system in our lives that needs to be in
place in order to succeed. A real-life cheerleader! During the journey that
awaits you my friend, please PROMISE ME that you will never DRIVE YOUR CAR in
the game of life without a passenger to help you with encouragement, guidance
and support! That can be family, teammates, coaches or friends from your own
walk of life.
Cheering for you every step of the way!
MY BEST!
Jim Loria
------------------------------------------------
21 SUGGESTIONS FOR
SUCCESS!
Here is my magic formula to help you achieve true happiness in your everyday life!
1.
When the time is right, Marry the right person. This one decision will
determine 90% of your happiness or misery rather than what you do on the field.
2.
Find a diversion outside of baseball that you enjoy and is worthy of your time
and talent. 3. Give your teammates more than they expect.
4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
5. Be forgiving of yourself, teammates and others.
6. Be generous with your time; become a community leader and make a difference with those less fortunate.
7. Have a grateful heart.
8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.
9. Discipline yourself to save money and invest wisely.
10 Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.
12. Commit yourself to quality in all aspects of your life.
13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
14. Be loyal.
15. Be honest.
16. Be a self-starter.
17. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
18. Do not blame others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
20. Take good care of those that brought you to the position you enjoy today.
21. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.
###
By: Jim Loria
E-Mail: loria@sfstampede.com
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