From the Coach’s Box

If you want to reach your potential, you need to add a strong work ethic to your talent." John Maxwell

“Strong Work Ethic,” what is that? These days probably an obscure item in our character. Two thoughts come to mind from the past on this topic:

• You can control two things — YOUR WORK ETHIC AND YOUR ATTITUDE
  ABOUT ANYTHING.
• Work ethic is important because,unlike intelligence, athleticism, charisma, or any other natural attribute, it's a choice.

 Those last words in the second thought … “it’s a choice.”

Pretty much throws it all back on my attitude in the situation. If my attitude is negative, poor, flippant then I could pretty much expect my choice of actions to be similar.

In that aspect of attitude … Tom Stoppard calls for an attitude check like this 

“A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” 

On the other hand, if  I have the Stoppard attitude the impact on my work ethic would be way different. I could be on the Coach Chizik train 🚂 at practice or competition. This is the one I would like to have every day:

There are five things EVERY player can control that has ZERO to do with talent:

1. “Be on time”

2. “Play/Practice with GREAT effort”

3. “Maintain good body language”

4. “Bring Positive Energy/Attitude”

5. “Be Coachable”

- Gene Chizik

The goal of coaching is helping someone succeed. And what is success? It’s finding out what God wants you to do and doing it. 

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 

A person’s success is directly tied to finding out what works God has prepared for them to do and then doing that.

From - FCA devotion, Stream of Encouragement, Zach Crowley, July 11, 2019

“God is continually encouraging you—24/7, 365. His encouragement is like a steady, flowing stream. When you embrace that encouragement, you are able to extend it to others. You are able to have confidence, you are able to succeed, and you then have the power to send out encouragement to others.”

“Imagine what your life would look like if you allowed this stream of encouragement from God to flow into your life. Imagine if you extended that stream to others. Imagine if their stream was extended to you. Today, remove the tendency to judge others based on the outcome. Start investigating their intentions and allow the stream of encouragement to flow”