#TBT Once a champion, always a champion!

 Proving things to others! Proving things to self!

This patch serves as a concrete reminder of a prior championship. 

Once a champion, always a champion?

 

Being Throw Back Thursday, #TBT, a friend of mine posted a picture of his highly successful high school cross country team.  They were holding the over sized trophy of a Missouri State Title!  The day was a culmination of days, weeks, months and in some cases, years of training in preparation for this day.  Each of them had run mile after mile, spend hours in mental contemplation, practiced both anaerobic and aerobic workout routines, sprints, miles and carb loading.  All of this is in part, due to their focus on building a championship.
Champions:  Built or Born?
Interesting things about the formulation of champions.  It is often a process, driven by doing things differently.  Talent is only a contributing factor.  The real process happens in the crucible of stress, practice and preparation.  For these young men, establishing this high bar was the expectation.  Winning became the norm.  Winning was habit!
Accentuate the Positive! Opponents, Teammates, Self!
Aligning their thinking began the process.  Coach prompted them to leave the trash talk about and to other teams out of the situation.  The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner.  Respect and honor were actions words describing the opinion of other contestants. Well, if negative talk was not allowed to reach other teams, would it be allowed within the circle?  A resounding NO!  Team mates were not to talk trash to each other as well.  Spending so much time together mandated they behave like gentlemen and in a sportsmanship like manner. Even if they did not yet believe it, they were to behave like it!  Finally, and the hardest to break was the mental self talk.  The runners actively reprogrammed themselves to eliminate the negative self talk and replace it with affirmations, positive mental images and encouragement!  This reprogramming is not unique to this situation.  Substantial anecdotal and scientific evidence support the need for a positive mental attitude.
Physical or Mental?
The physical aspect actually followed the mental aspect.  Of course, athletic interviews are always more interesting when the athlete talks about the mental aspect of the game.  Exercise routines never make prime time sound bites.  Instead, the talk reported more often addresses the internal battle going on inside the contestant's mind!
Once a Champion, Always a Champion!
Finally, the #TBT posts of times in the past endorse the idea of sustaining championships.  Lindbergh won that meet and those runners all contributed to the success.  Yes, Bryan won that race. But together, they achieved more than any other team prior!  Their success hinged on each of them maintaining peak mental and physical conditioning.  Each of them became a champion and that would never be stripped, pulled or taken from them.  History documented their influence on the record books and it will not be reproduced, ever.
In the story, The Velveteen Rabbit, the rabbit wants to become real!  Once he achieves that status, it is permanent.  Once a champion, always a champion.  It is permanent!
Well done, Lindbergh Cross Country Team
Applications:
Watching the teachers at Winfield Middle School work with their students prompts further questions about champions.  Since these teachers act like champions, are they champions?  They unknowingly model and emulate winners, so are they winnders?  Do they act that way because they believe that way, or do they believe like that and act accordingly?  Do their actions influence the outcomes?  Do they act that way because their jobs require it?  Regardless, there are champions throughout WMS!

Photo credit to: Bryan Blackford.

Family Traditions

Public Speaking, Toasts and Orations

Traditions, weddings, celebrations, annual remembrances all point to family get-togethers.  Times when generations can meet, compare notes about today, recollect past occasions and mile marks and speculate about the future.

Recently, a cousin was in town from the big city.  It was enough of a reason for us to gather for an impromptu birthday party.  At many of these events, somebody gets up and starts waxing away!  To prime the topics, my uncle's gift book from 1974 was brought out, the treasure chest.  This book compiles nuggets of wisdom gathered over time from 2500 years of written wisdom.   There was a summary sheet that listed some of my uncle's favorite quips. 

As I reviewed them, I could see my uncle in the meaning, but interestingly, I could see myself.  It was a testimony to the nature of the connections established by strong bonds. 
Take care of the means and the ends will take care of itself.  M. Gandhi
The genius of a good leader is to leave the behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully.  W. Lippmann
A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in on the experience.  E. Hubbard
Jumping to conclusions seldom leads to happy landings.
Reformers are those that educate people to appreciate what they need.
A great part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before.  R.W. Emerson
There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.  W. James
Thoughts are but drams, till their effects can be tried. W. Shakespeare
When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.  C. Reade
Deliberating is not delaying.  Ecclesiastics
Let no man presume to give advice to others that he has not first given counsel to himself.  Seneca
He who praises everybody, praises nobody.  I. Johnson
Strengthen me by sympathizing with my strengths not my weakness.  B. Alcott
As I transfer these quotes from hand written cursive script to my iPad, I see wisdom. I can imagine my uncle using them as daily affirmations.  I imagine his quest to find truth and trace the path from cairn to cairn. I am also convicted of my own shortcomings, failures and character flaws.  Yet I am reminded to persist.  I am encouraged to find success and strive for constant improvement.  I am driven to push myself to a breaking point.
How can I be a better member of my family?  What does my work setting need for me to do differently?  How can I take better physical, mental and spiritual health of myself?  What does society, the environment and our civilization require of me? What legacy, if any, will I leave behind?
The above quotes are hand written on plain white paper, the first two pages of six, condensed from a publication of 250 total pages.  Are they the best? No.  Do they contain any extra wisdom? No.  They were chosen for their own merit, but still ring true!

What is the first line of Green Eggs & Ham?

To build relationships, we need time, activity, trust and something in common.

 

In Green Eggs and Ham, the first line, does anybody remember that?  "I do not like___?___"
No!  He does not say "green eggs and ham" here but something far deeper.  The grouchy says " I do not like that Sam-I-am."
He begins the relationship in hostility and aggression and negativity.  Yet Sam builds on this, like a master teacher, with near countless adventures that pique his interest, stimulate his curiosity and teach him to trust. 
At the beginning, they are not too friendly, but by the end their relationship is solid.
Relationships take time AND action to develop.
The intensity increases till The Grouch can finally trust.
SAM, LIKE ALL OF US SHOULD BE DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL IN OUR PURSUIT OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE UNDER OUR CARE, EVEN IF THEY REJECT US OR OUR MESSAGE!
#onthemap

Thanks Dr Seuss!