Coach Presents: Your Attitude Can Dictate Your Outcomes
There are plenty of articles written about tremendous coaches who have led their teams to championships, or leaders of companies who have lead their business to new heights, or military generals who lead young men and women to overcome great odds. There are also everyday workers who lead their corner of the office in their own way, and there are a great many lessons to be learned from them as well.
Whether you are a head coach, CEO, manager, or daily grinder leadership is something that you can have at all levels of your life. I enjoy taking the time to read about great leaders from the past and present. One of the reoccurring themes in great leadership is attitude. A great example is an excerpt I have taken from the book written by former OHIO STATE football head coach Jim Tressel. The book is titled, “A Winner’s Manual: For the Game of Life.” He is currently the President of Youngstown State University and widely regarded as very successful in all his endeavors.
“I think the final outcome of most football games is affected more by the attitude than by talent. I once heard someone say that an upset is really in the mind of the favorite. If the favored team plays to the best of their abilities, the underdog probably isn’t going to win. But if there’s an upset, it’s probably because the favorite team didn’t have the right attitude. A team that has the right attitude and is blessed with the greater talent and ability is not likely to be upset. “~Jim Tressel Winners Manual.
That’s true in many aspects of life. Having the right attitude going into any challenge will likely depict the outcome. Can you imagine if the 1980 U.S Olympic Hockey Team went into the game against Russia thinking well, there’s no chance of us winning anyway? Do you think the Americans were moping around the locker room before the game? If they were I can assure you the outcome would not have been the greatest upset in sports history.
Your attitude and your mindset heading into challenges in nearly every aspect of your life will determine much of your success or failures. Before any challenge in your life, or while you’re facing adversity, keep in mind the following quote from Abraham Lincoln…
“Most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
~Sean Hogan has coached hockey at the international and collegiate levels for over ten years. He has spoken at numerous events about culture building, goal setting and healthy lifestyles. He holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Recreation and Sports Science with an emphasis on Coaching Education from OHIO University.