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| 28 May 2009 05:52:47 pm |
| CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, Denver Nuggets Superstar |
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“I’m more concerned with the big picture.”
Denver Nuggets star, Chauncey Billups, acknowledging his pleasure at being voted onto the NBA All-Star team, but also reminding people that his bigger goal is winning a championship.
Sometimes life awakens people to the big picture. Chauncey Billups is one of those people. Today, life is great. Chauncey is a consummate leader who is revered by teammates and fans alike. His Denver Nuggets are battling the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference championship. Chauncey Billups is an inspired winner.
But Chauncey’s life in the NBA has been anything but smooth. In his first six years, he was traded five times. Inside those trades were upsets, misunderstandings, and mismatched intentions. And for Chauncey? Confusion, sadness, even despair.
As I read about Chauncey’s life, I see that much of my own suffering comes from being too focused on the immediate, right-now picture. I’m quite confident that if I considered the bigger picture – the one viewed through a wider lens and over a longer time frame, I’d see perfection and symmetry.
Could it be that you, too, are suffering unnecessarily by forgetting that it is in the big picture where the dots connect and everything comes together into a beautiful whole?
To read more on this inspiring athlete they call “Mr. Big Shot,” please READ ON ...
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Chauncey Billups may be a poster child for “The Big Picture.” His story reassures us that no matter how bad things are now, things DO work out in the long run.
Chauncey Billups had a stellar high school and college career. So stellar, he was the third overall draft pick in the 1997 NBA draft. In Chauncey’s words: “When I got drafted, I was so excited. I was like 'Damn, I made it.' I thought it was going to be all good.” But little did he know what the future held.
Chauncey was traded three times in his rookie contract, then once more before he could even remotely begin to feel he’d found a home. He had to wait till his sixth season to be a full-time starter. Despair and doubt were his constant companions.
It was with his fifth team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, where things began to turn around. Early on, players weren’t so sure about Chauncey – after all, he’d bounced from team to team and they didn’t think he’d fit in. But when they saw firsthand his drive and his insatiable desire to learn, they took him under their wing. Three players in particular – Terrell Brandon, Sam Mitchell, and Kevin Garnett – can be credited with turning Chauncey into the player he is today. They taught him what it is to be a point guard, what it is to be a leader, and what it is to be a man.
Chauncey has never looked back. He signed with Detroit in 2002 as a free agent and since then: He has never lost a first round playoff series. He has never lost a second round playoff series. He has been to the NBA Finals twice, winning one championship and the Finals MVP award. He has played in four all-star games. And he's currently playing in his seventh consecutive conference final.
Chauncey was traded to his hometown Denver Nuggets in November of 2008, and he has transformed his new team into the disciplined, defensive, intelligent winners they are today. According to George Karl, Nuggets coach, he’s been a “gift from the basketball gods.”
And today Chauncey finds himself on the cusp of a Western Conference Championship and a possible chance at another NBA title. Life is definitely working out for Chauncey Billups. He's respected, he’s a difference maker, and he inspires everyone around him.
And there’s icing on the cake: Chauncey is the 2008-2009 recipient of the National Basketball Association's Sportsmanship Award – an award given to the player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court—ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.”
As I said at the beginning of today’s Real Zeal – Chauncey Billups is a poster child for “The Big Picture”. Now you see why.
The Inquiry for Today: Look back on your life. Where can you see the dots connecting to bring you to success in one or more areas of your life?
To read/view more about this inspiring athlete:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=090511/billups (The Disposable Superstar ... One of the best articles I’ve ever read on a professional athlete – tells the whole story in a human, in-depth way.)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/29/nuggets-billups-all-star-again/ (the source of today’s Real Zeal Quote)
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1155345/index.htm
(A recent Sports Illustrated article on Chauncey titled, “What Pressure?” talks about how he maintains his cool in the toughest, most nerve-wracking times.)
http://sports.ign.com/articles/676/676682p2.html (A 2005 interview with Chauncey about being on the cover of his own videogame, NBA Ballers: Phenom) |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 21 May 2009 04:56:05 pm |
| DON WAKAMATSU, Seattle Mariners Skipper |
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“If there are problems, then we’re going to deal with them.”
... Don Wakamatsu, the new manager of the Seattle Mariners baseball team, at his first press conference ...
Don Wakamatsu (our first Asian-American major league baseball manager) has a huge job in front of him. He is currently re-inventing the Seattle Mariners – transforming them from a sloppy, undisciplined team of losers into a team that plays fundamentally sound, intelligent baseball. He calls it The Mariner Way.
And, as he says in today’s Real Zeal Quote, he is not afraid to deal with problems. As a matter of fact, he knows that if he doesn’t, his coaching and training will be for naught. So he methodically tackles each problem he encounters – in the clubhouse, in work ethic, in basic approach to the game. It’s inspiring to watch and Don Wakamatsu is definitely making a difference.
Today’s quote compels us to ask ourselves: What problems am I currently ignoring? Where have I stuck my head in the sand, hoping and praying that things will “work out?” And in so doing, hijacking my own future and everything I’m committed to?
If there are problems, Don Wakamatsu deals with them. We can learn from his inspiring ways.
FOR THE BIGGER STORY READ ON ...
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Don Wakamatsu was hired as the Seattle Mariners skipper in November of 2008. In essence, he was brought in to rescue a sinking ship. In their 2008 season, the Mariners had the second worst record in baseball and were the first team ever to lose over 100 games with a $100 million payroll. To make matters worse, they began that season with high expectations – many predicted they would win their division. Needless to say, Don Wakamatsu encountered many problems on his arrival.
Here’s what so inspiring about Don Wakamatsu. He is systematically altering the entire culture of the Mariner’s ball club. He calls it The Mariner Way and it involves, at heart, playing the game the “right” way.
Equally inspiring – he is not a short term guy. He’s not trying to win games at the expense of the Mariner’s longer term future. He is out to build a team that lasts, a team that wins season after season. In his words, “We want to win now, but we want to be good for a long time.”
His plan? Build trust. Tackle problems. And create a group of intelligent athletes who play sound fundamental baseball and are willing to sacrifice their individual statistics for team wins.
An Inquiry for Each of Us:
1) Where am I ignoring problems that are in the way of my long term future?
2) Where am I sacrificing my long term future for short term gains – in Don Wakamatsu’s words, where am I trying to “win now” at the expense of creating long term success for myself, my teams, my family?
To learn more about this inspiring athlete:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2009231787_kelley18.html (a great article on the rebuilding of the Mariner baseball team)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2008986984_wakamatsu05.html (an inspiring story of Don’s grandparents, who were part of the Japanese internment during World War II)
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mariners/2008/11/19/wakamatsu_a_young_talented_tea.html (video and text on the press conference announcing Don as the new Mariner’s skipper)
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3715705 (an ESPN article on the announcement of Don Wakamatsu and the source of today’s Real Zeal quote) |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 14 May 2009 06:07:09 pm |
| CALVIN BOREL, Kentucky Derby Winning Jockey |
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“I pointed him in that direction and he went.”
Kentucky Derby winning jockey, Calvin Borel, in a post-race interview.
On May 2, Calvin Borel pulled off a miracle. He rode a young, inexperienced horse to victory in the Kentucky Derby. And he came from dead last to do it. The odds of him winning? 50 to 1!
On the surface, today’s quote may not seem as profound or as inspired as other Real Zeal quotes.
However, think about this. How many of us are TRULY pointed in a specific direction? Who of us have declared where we’re headed in life?
And for those of us who have pointed ourselves in a particular direction ... are we actually HEADED in that direction? Are we doing what it takes to get us where we’ve declared we’re going?
The inspired athletes – and Calvin Borel is certainly one of them – point themselves toward a future and do what it takes to realize it.
Calvin Borel took a virtually unknown horse and rode him to an unpredictable victory. And at heart, what he did was choose a direction and ride in that direction. Could it be that simple?
FOR THE BIGGER STORY READ ON ...
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As we said, Calvin Borel, the inspired jockey who rode Mine that Bird to an unbelievable 50-1 upset in this year's Kentucky Derby.
To watch how Calvin rides this young horse from dead last to victory, click: http://www.truveo.com/View-from-above/id/3907428130
There is another intriguing aspect to this extraordinary story. Calvin Borel is known as Bo-Rail. Why?
Because he wins by riding the rail. The innermost route around the track. And he rides it fearlessly. You’ll see in the video how he does it.
Now ... WHY does he ride the rail?
Calvin has an older brother and mentor, Cecil. Cecil trains horses and over the years he’s trained Calvin. When Calvin was sixteen, he lost a race on one of Cecil’s horses, and he lost it by riding the outside part the racetrack.
After that race, Cecil made Calvin walk the losing horse around the barn. And as Calvin and his horse rounded the barn, Cecil moved a barrel into their path and horse and rider had to walk around it. On his second time around, Cecil moved the barrel even farther out and Calvin, again, was forced to walk the horse around it.
It didn’t take long for Calvin to get the point. The inside is the shortest and fastest route around the track. Since then, Calvin rides the inside rail and thus his nickname, Bo-Rail.
Today’s Inquiry:
1) Have we chosen our direction(s) in life? Are we pointing ourselves to what we love and what inspires us?
2) Are we taking actions that move us toward our chosen direction(s)?
3) Are we traveling via the inside part of our “track” – are we taking the most direct route(s) to fulfill our chosen futures?
To learn more about the inspiring Calvin Borel, please click on these links.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090503/COLUMNISTS02/905030472/1037/SPORTS08/Bo-rail+s+ride+defied+odds (A wonderful story about the race itself.)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/theconstantvalentine/archives/168018.asp (An inspiring story about Calvin’s 2007 Kentucky Derby win.)
http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/derby-winner-mine-that-bird-to-compete-in-preakness-stakes/2305843011067611795/?icid=VIDURVNWS01 (Canadian Channel WHS, 11, interview with Calvin and the source of today’s Real Zeal Quote.)
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1155344/index.htm (Calvin Borel and Mine That Bird made the cover and feature story of the May 11 Sports Illustrated.)
http://www.truveo.com/View-from-above/id/3907428130 (The link that shows the race from an aerial view. Watch Calvin “ride the rail!”) |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 07 May 2009 06:35:42 pm |
| LEBRON JAMES, NBA Superstar |
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“I think, team first. It allows me to succeed; it allows my team to succeed. I'm always thinking about, 'How can I help my teammates become better?’”
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavalier superstar, talking with 60 Minutes interviewer, Steve Kroft, about what he considers the strongest part of his game.
With the Cavaliers in a strong position to reach the NBA finals and the recent announcement of LeBron as the league’s Most Valuable Player, I think it’s time to honor one of the most powerful and successful athletes in the world, LeBron James.
This week’s Real Zeal quote gives us a clue why he (and his team) are so successful. Rather than being a me kind of guy, LeBron is we all the way. His path to success is by focusing on his team’s success and by making those around him great.
In today’s doom and gloom state of affairs, it’s far too easy to begin focusing on ourselves and forgetting about our ‘team.’ So a check-in seems appropriate. Some questions we might ask ourselves:
-Am I a we person or a me person?
-When push comes to shove, do I believe that I produced those results or that we produced those results? -Am I great or are we great?
If we accept LeBron’s approach, and I believe we can trust it implicitly, it may be time for some of us to shift our focus!
FOR THE BIGGER STORY READ ON ...
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LeBron James is a superstar of the highest magnitude. Rich, powerful, unbelievably talented, and immensely inspiring. And ... only 24 years old.
His accomplishments?
-- Just this week, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the NBA.
--He’s been an NBA All-Star for 5 straight seasons. And two of those years – 2006 and 2008 – he was the game’s Most Valuable Player.
--He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2004.
--Basketball scouts knew, even when he was in high school, that he was one of the best ever to play the game. As a junior, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
--He was the first athlete chosen in the 2003 draft.
--He was instrumental in the 2008 Olympic “Redeem Team” winning a gold medal.
I’ve spent the last two weeks learning all I can about LeBron James. And here’s what I have to say about him.
First and foremost, just as the Real Zeal quote of the week reveals, he’s a team player and always has been. He truly and authentically believes that success comes from being a ‘we’ guy, not a ‘me’ guy. Even after winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award, an individual award, he had this to say: “Individual accolades come when team success happens. You look at those 14 guys over there, I got the award because of them.”
Second: he’s not afraid to make mistakes. As a matter of fact, he believes mistakes are essential to achieving the next level of performance. “You can't be afraid to fail. It's the only way you succeed - you're not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that. You have to be able to accept failure to get better."
And finally – he’s very aware of who he is and what he’s about. He is committed to improving himself and making a difference in life. He is clear that his gift – and his legacy – extend beyond basketball.
Put it all together and it equals one very inspired athlete, who is most certainly inspiring the world.
The inquiry for each of us: Where am I a we person and where do I become only about me? What might I alter (in my thinking, my opinions, my beliefs, my actions) to become we oriented in every area of my life?
To learn more about this amazing athlete:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/26/60minutes/main4895042_page3.shtml (This is the March 29, 60 Minute interview with Steve Kroft – WELL worth watching.)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=ApaeeZCCazRj9.KruIul1.S8vLYF?slug=ap-nbamvp&prov=ap&type=lgns (an Associated Press article on his NBA MVP award)
http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/James/James_bio.html (for good biographical information on LeBron)
http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Ohio+high+school+junior+LeBron+James+is+so+good+that+he%27s+-+02.18.02+-+SI+Vault&expire=&urlID=27327197&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fvault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com%2Fvault%2Farticle%2Fmagazine%2FMAG1024928%2Findex.htm&partnerID=289881 (LeBron, while still in high school, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, with the words “The Chosen One” beside his picture. |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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| 01 May 2009 02:12:14 pm |
| JON LESTER, Pitching Ace for the Boston Red Sox |
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“You don’t say, ‘Why me?’ or, ‘What if?’ It’s the hand I was dealt. I got to play the cards – and make the best of it.”
Jon Lester, star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, talking with Parade author, Peter Richmond, about his diagnosis and bout with cancer.
Jon Lester is an inspired and inspiring athlete. His incredible, gutsy pitching won the deciding game of the 2007 World Series. He is in that elite group of pitchers who has actually pitched a no hitter. And to top it off, he’s found the woman of his dreams.
Yet, without fate dealing him the “cancer card,” these dreams-of-a-lifetime may not have come true. Why? Because prior to his cancer diagnosis, Jon Lester had lost his love of the game. Baseball had become a job – a job lacking in joy, lacking in fun.
Yet, by bravely and powerfully “playing the cards” he was dealt, Jon Lester was given a second chance – at life and his dreams.
Maybe it’s time to ask some questions about our own life: How are we playing the cards we’re currently holding? Are we asking ‘Why me?’ or ‘What if?’ Or are we playing our cards wisely and with grace, knowing that, in the end, we’ll look back just as Jon Lester does, and thank our lucky stars for this particular hand?
FOR THE BIGGER STORY READ ON ...
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It’s 2002 and Jon Lester, a first round draft pick straight out of high school (with a million dollar signing bonus) is living the life of his dreams.
Yet, very soon something unforeseen happens. His dream job becomes a drudge job. He loses his love of the game. He agonizes over every pitch. He gives himself no space to make mistakes.
Then on a fateful day in August of 2006, the doctors hand Jon a frightening diagnosis – he’s got cancer. And for a while, baseball fades into the background. And fighting this deadly disease takes front and center.
Fast forward to 2007. Jon is in remission. He’s ready to return to baseball. But the Boston Red Sox want him to go slow and he reluctantly agrees. So he’s sent all the way down to Class A league baseball – the bottom of the professional baseball career ladder. And what does he do? He starts hanging out with the “young” kids, (Jon is only 22 at the time) talking baseball till all hours of the morning. And from these conversations, Jon’s love for baseball is magically rekindled.
And from there ... it’s been one fairy tale after another. While playing Class A ball, he finds the woman of his dreams. And his return to the big leagues? He’s given the opportunity to pitch THE deciding game in the 2007 World Series – and throws the game of his life. Seven months later, he pitches a NO-HITTER against the Kansas City Royals.
So this inspired athlete, Jon Lester, has come full circle. How did he do it? He lived this attitude: “You don’t say, ‘Why me?’ or, ‘What if?’ It’s the hand I was dealt. I got to play the cards – and make the best of it.”
So the inquiry for each of us: Where are we saying ‘Why me?’ or ‘What if?’ when we could be saying: “These are my cards. How can I make the best of them?”
To read/view more of Jon Lester:
http://www.parade.com/health/2009/03/jon-lester-cancer-story.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3084800
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080519&content_id=2731480&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos |
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Category : General
| Posted By : admin |
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