Lessons and Learnings - Edition 2
Great! Inspiring Quotes
I am very surprised that I did not start my very first post in Lessons and Learnings with something about my High School football program and especially about one of the greatest High School sports coaches, the late Roger Barta, who passed away this past year. I graduated from Smith Center, KS High School in 1994, which is clearly over 30 years ago. Even so, I am providing you with some quotes as I remember them from the locker room and then my quick take-away that comes to my mind. I literally did this “by heart”. I remember it this way, daily.
“I don’t care who your parents are, they can be a banker, lawyer, plumber, ditch digger….I don’t care, if you don’t practice, you don’t play.”
You must earn it on your own and make sacrifices.
“Someone here is the best football player and someone is the worst. I don’t care, I care that we learn to like each other and eventually love each other.”
We can all contribute.
“This is a game of inches.”
Little things can make a difference.
“We don’t have to do a lot, but what we do, we will do it really well.”
Focus on what is important.
“You get better or worse, nothing stays the same…someone out there might be working harder than you now.”
Put the effort into getting better; don’t be lazy. Have some healthy paranoia that if you don’t work hard, you will get beat, so work hard and do your best.
“I would not ask you to do anything I don’t think you can do. Likely, I believe you can do more than you can do.”
Believe in people and they will believe in themselves and they become unstoppable.
“Get a little better each day.”
You have never fully arrived, don’t be lazy.
“We made some mistakes, but they are all correctable mistakes.”
Don’t get down, get better.
“What have you done for me lately?”
Don’t rely on the past or rest on past success. You have to work at it every day.
“Take care of your body…are you eating right, getting your carbs, potassium, hydrating, your pee should be clear in color…”
What you put in your body and mind is a reflection of what comes out.
“If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
Take ownership and accountability for your part of the team and do it the best you can.
“I know it’s tough, you are really tired, and nearly ready to quit. But if you pick up your foot, I promise that God will put it down for you.”
Believe you can keep going even when it’s tough and can do more than you believe you can. God will be with you too.
“You Seniors have a responsibility to bring these Freshmen along…there will be no hazing…you are responsible for the success of this program and its future. You bring these Freshmen along…no one here is more important than someone else…get your reps in…good on good.”
Consistent, repetition, be around people who make you better. Don’t put someone down to try to build yourself up and don’t take the easy road.
“Sometimes, I feel crazy that my job and support of my family depends on a bunch of teenage boys, no one cares how well I teach Math, but they do care how you act and if we win…I might be crazy…but I am not, I do it because I love you guys.”
Have passion for what you do and how you can impact people.
There is so much and more. Still, I stop with these take a ways from Coach Barta, Smith Center, KS and some other Lessons and Learnings:
“The little things can make a big difference and sometimes if you cannot do the little things, you cannot do the big things either.”
You are not more important than someone else. You might have a position or job that is considered more important and you have more responsibilities. However, that does not mean you are more important than someone else, you just have more responsibilities.
We can improve every day. For me, in sports, it started in the weight room. Now, it’s my continuous learning by listening, reading, and reflecting on topics around family, finance, faith and other parts of self-improvement.
The bigger, stronger, smarter person could take the easy route and just do enough to get by, etc. OR they can challenge themselves and surround themselves with people who will push them to get better.
“Rising tides, can raise all ships” However, “lower tides can sink ships”. Sometimes that lowest performer brings everyone down. So either motivate them up or kick them out.
What you put in your body and mind has an impact on the quality of what comes out. Put the right things in.
Great! – Books, Podcasts, or Videos
“The Wisdom of the 3rd Grade Dropout” - Rick Rigsby – this is consolidated clip but so many good messages and I love quotes. 😊
The Wisdom of a 3rd Grade Dropout Will Leave You SPEECHLESS | One of the Best Speeches Ever
Make Your Bed – William H. McRaven make your bed speech - Google Search
Book by William H. McRaven
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven is a motivational book based on his viral Navy SEAL graduation speech, offering ten life lessons on discipline, resilience, and overcoming adversity, starting with the simple act of making your bed each morning to build momentum for bigger accomplishments. The book uses anecdotes from his military career to illustrate principles like teamwork, standing up to bullies, and finding hope, providing practical advice for personal and professional growth.
Atomic Habits – Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear
Book by James Clear
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a bestselling book that provides a practical, science-backed framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones through small, consistent improvements, or "atomic habits". Clear argues that focusing on systems rather than big goals, and making tiny changes (like doing two push-ups a day), leads to remarkable results over time, using his "Four Laws of Behavior Change": Make it Obvious, Make it Attractive, Make it Easy, and Make it Satisfying.
