As I look back on my life,
there are several critical lessons that really have defined who I am today. Some of these life defining lessons are a
direct result of learning from my mistakes.
The professional mentors and business leaders in my life are key components
to who I am today, but sports have taught me just as much, if not more. Today, I will focus on four pillars that make
up my composition today.
Sports have always played an
important role with my family and friends surrounding me. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - it’s
a sports fan’s paradise. It is said to
host the most loyal fans you will ever find on the planet. I vividly remember it being -10 degrees with
snow flurries and people would be tailgating 4 hours before a Steeler’s
football game as if it was a brisk fall day.
Watching and attending sporting events was a weekly ritual for my
family.
My obsession for sports
started with me competing with my younger brother. Everything started a game and ended with a
winner and loser. Who’s faster,
stronger, taller, smarter...the list goes on.
The competition rarely erupted into arguments, which is uncommon in many
sibling relationships.
Throughout childhood my
brother and I always played team sports such as soccer and basketball. When we weren’t on the field practicing or
playing a game, we were in the driveway shooting hoops or kicking the soccer
ball back and forth. A very valuable
lesson that I learned from all of my coaches, even the ones I disliked, was
that success comes from a team effort. How applicable to life as well. Sure you can be great at one thing or
another, but in order to achieve true success you’ll need the assistance of your
teammates, classmates and especially your workmates.
Establishing key business
contacts with people who are experts in their field of practice allows you to
have a team of people to help you accomplish your goals. When the game is tied and the clock has less
than a minute left, the team with the best jump shooter will win. Hopefully that player is on your team.
Now that I look back I feel blessed for having such conversations, for they were the life lessons that make me who I am today.
The second important lesson is a phrase I’ll never forget my Mom and Dad using: "Don't get upset over things that you can't control." From a bad referee call to game canceling weather, I was taught to look at the brighter side of things. Life is too short to get frustrated over situations that you can’t control; such as traffic, weather, airline delays and construction. Acknowledge what’s happening and then place
your focus on something else. That’s one thing I’ll definitely teach to my kids someday.
When I moved from Pittsburgh
to San Diego about 4 years ago I started running by the beach and Mission
Bay. Mostly I started just to simply
experience what the San Diego weather had to offer vs. sitting inside. Then a few friends and I began to train for the Huntington Beach - Surf City
Half Marathon. With no organized
training curriculum, we ran leisurely a few times a week and had a great time
partying on the weekends. We really
didn’t take it seriously, and why would we - well, that was until I ran my
first Half Marathon. It was extremely
emotional for me because nobody in my family has ever competed in such a
race. I was accomplishing something for
the first time in my family history.
From that moment I knew I was hooked into the life of Endurance events. About 2 dozen races later I’m now fixated on triathlons.A year ago today I was training for my first triathlon, the Solana Beach Sprint Triathlon in August. Now I sit 10 months later about
to compete in my first Ironman 70.3 race in Sonoma County. 
Throughout all of the early mornings,
training workouts, yoga classes, and hours each week dedicated to this
lifestyle I’ve learned a few crucial lessons.
The third important lesson is what your MIND can perceive, your BODY can achieve. It may sound corny to you, but I honestly
believe that the mind is a powerful and underutilized tool that each of us need
to use. Henry Ford once said
"Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right.” Each day I workout or
train, I can make the decision to run, bike, or swim further than I ever have
before. My Ironman 70.3 distance will be the longest race my body has endured yet. That’s exciting!!!
A few weeks ago I traveled back to Pittsburgh for my mom’s teaching retirement dinner. After 35+ years of teaching junior high reading and English she is closing one chapter and starting another. Before the dinner, I ran into my high school track coach "Coach I" and we started to reminisce. My events in track were high jump, long jump, triple jump, and 110 meter hurdles. What I enjoyed most about track was that I could assess my performance and identify areas for improvement. This personal assessment taught me one of my most valuable lessons in life and makes me who I am today. It taught me to never give up, continually improve and always emulate those you aspire to become. In both sports and life, you get out of it what you put into it. I’ll end with a quote from Arnold H. Glasgow, who
started a humor magazine after the
Great Depression...he published his first book at age 92. He once said “Success isn’t the result of
spontaneous combustion. You must set
yourself on fire.”
