Buy into yourself

Start with yourself.

Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells once said that everyday we fight 3 separate adversaries:

1. Division from within
2. Your competition
3. Public perception

Notice that Parcells starts the same way I did. You are the key, you are your own best friend, and you are your own worst enemy. In order to accomplish any goals you set, you have to begin by addressing your own strengths and weaknesses.

Sometimes the problem with us is that we don't buy into everything we have to offer to the situation. That's division. I'm here to tell you that you have to eliminate division from within immediately, because if you wouldn't buy what you're selling, how can you expect anyone else to? Look at yourself as the product, and you have to believe in that product in order for others to follow suit.

I've noticed that in athletics, and in coaching in particular, coaches will try to be like other more-accomplished coaches. I disagree with this. I say that you can learn so much from other coaches who have experience and success, and you should show the utmost respect to everyone. But, I'm here to tell you, I'm working on being my own coach. I want to be the best Travis Ponton I can be, and I know that if i put the time and effort into it, when the opportunity comes I can keep building my own legacy. Meet new people, open your mind, learn from the best, but be your own person. You can spend all your time trying to be the next Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Jimmy Johnson, Roy Williams, etc., or you can start investing in yourself. The most successful people I think realize this early, and work to join those elite names at the top of their professions.

A lack of self confidence is one of the easiest weaknesses to spot. You've either got it or you don't. But it's not something we're born with, and it's a renewable resource that's easy to find. We handicap ourselves by going into any situation with any doubt in our minds that we can be successful. Stop letting division from within slow you down. You're destined to do great things, and until you give up on that concept then you have a chance to keep moving in the right direction.

All things good and bad start somewhere. Make a decision to start something great right now. take the first step by eliminating the obstacles you have created for yourself. There are so many other things standing in your way, but control what you can control and build your own foundation that you know is the best in the neighborhood. When you know you're great, it's easier for everyone else to see.

I always say to live in your own reality, and remember that the person with the strongest reality usually comes out on top. We tackle division from within more than we even notice, but if we can minimize that, and start buying into ourselves, we can start every morning ahead of the curve. Wake up tomorrow morning, thank God that he gave you another day to carry out His plan for you, and then make the most of it.

"Everyday is a holiday, every meal is a feast."

-TP
twitter: @travisponton

Trust in your own greatness...

 Sometimes, we are all faced with a rare circumstance where we are nervous, or feel unprepared. A lot of these situations are avoidable, as I've always been taught, hard work and preparation is the key to success. But how do you prepare for putting yourself out there and contacting an employer about a job opening, for example. It can be a source of anxiety, especially when you want to be successful so bad.

 I always tell you, my readers, that I practice what I preach. Otherwise, I'd be a hypocrite. Those of you that know me, know that I tell you to live in your own reality because I do so myself. So let me give myself some advice once again as I remind you to...

 TRUST IN YOUR OWN GREATNESS.

 If you focus on yourself first, concentrate on improving your flaws, and work hard at being the best at whatever it is you do, then eventually you'll wake up one day and realize that you're making it. I had a coach tell me in high school that the game is more fun when you're better at it than anyone else, and you get better by working harder than they do. By carrying this mentality and striving to be the best, we are taking the steps toward greatness.

 Sometimes we fail. We have bad days, we get in ruts, we look ourselves in the mirror and don't like the things we see, inside or out. But success is addicting. Once you get a taste, you have to be hungry for more.

 Self confident people are more primed for success, and the one with the strongest reality often prevails. Believe in yourself, know that everyday you wake up, greatness is there for the taking. It is up to you to make it happen. Greatness isn't easy. We don't wake up with it. But if we wake up thankful for the opportunity to seek it, and we convince ourselves how great we can be, our potential sky rockets.

 I think we are surrounded by plenty of doubters, so there's no need to doubt yourself. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Shake the nervous side out of your personality. Live in your own reality, and remember that if you're going to do something, you might as well be the best at it. Trust in your own greatness, no matter what challenge you're facing. If you go in realizing that you can, then you will.

  TP

The journey...

Success is a journey, not a result. I don't think many people, many teams wake up and walk into greatness, walk into championships, walk into money, or even walk into their wildest dreams.

I was told by a great coach that success is indeed built toward day by day, bit by bit. You don't have to tell me twice, I'm a believer.

The journey is hard. I look at my current situation, this leg of the trip as you might call it, and I'll be the first to admit parts of it are pretty bad. I won an Emmy Award last spring, and now I don't even work on TV.

Two weeks ago, I took a chance. I decided that emailing my resume and cover letter was not enough, and since the job was at a college nearby, I got in my car and went. On my way to apply for that job, a great coaching opportunity by the way, a tractor trailer had a blowout and the tire debris came bouncing through traffic. I am very blessed to have gotten through unscathed, but needless to say the hundreds of dollars of minor damages to my car is a tough pill to swallow. Here I am, struggling to pay the bills as it is, trying to take the next step and show initiative, and then I end up losing money at the end of the day.

How do you respond to that? It's easy to get discouraged, although for me quitting is never an option. Like everything else, it happened that I was in that spot at the wrong time because that's where God wanted me to be. I haven't even heard about the job, probably won't, and while I got to meet some great new people in the process, I still have the thought in the back of my head that maybe I shouldn't have gone, especially if the result, AKA not getting the job, was a foregone conclusion.

So, the journey an be rough. Remember that. I have said it before though, that the hard times make the great ones feel that much better. God requires that we weather the storm to prove that we belong. Sure, there are plenty who don't belong, but those who earn things value them more when they get them. Strangely, and surprisingly, I'm a better coach for going through this ordeal. I'm not quite sure how yet, but I believe that one day I'll share this story after a huge win, knowing that I might not appreciate it so much if I didn't have to overcome along the way.

Some days, you feel like you're on top of the world, and others, you feel like you've hit rock bottom. I suspect that for most of us, most days are in the middle. The challenge.... figure out how to make more of those days the top of the world variety. Along the way, you might have a few more rock bottom moments, but you have to take chances to get to the top.

Don't be satisfied, be hungry. Live in your own reality. Remember that you have the capacity to be great, but earning that success is a journey. Be willing to pay the price, wipe the dirt off your brow, and keep moving.

Thanks for reading and sharing, follow me on twitter, @travisponton.