I really wish I had learned more about failure when I was young. I didn’t realize just how often it would rear its ugly head. I saw successful people either in their jobs, in sports, or with their families and didn’t have much appreciation for the hard work and the setbacks that go along with that success. I’m often introduced today as one of only several people to win a Super Bowl as a player and as a head coach. What they don’t always say is that there were 27 straight seasons that ended in disappointment between those two Super Bowl wins.
The beauty of what I’ve learned through life in sports, however, is that failure happens regularly. And failure, as it turns out, is a constant in the human experience. I’ve also learned that if you’re afraid of failure, you won’t try to do very much. But if you’re going to chase meaningful dreams and do significant things, you have to be willing to come up short sometimes. I hope you will fail less than I have, but even so, we all fail. Count on it. Reaching our full potential is a journey of persistence and perseverance in spite of failure. With that in mind, here are 15 ways to reach your full potential.
Reaching our full potential is a journey of persistence and perseverance in spite of failure.1. Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think.
2. Build high expectations into others.
3. What is down in the well comes up in the bucket. Fill yourself with positive things.
4. Your education matters. Don’t cut corners—you’ll only cheat yourself if you don’t learn the material.
5. Sports are great—as a complement to academics.
6. Find employment that excites you for reasons beyond the salary.
7. Make conservative decisions with debt.
8. Don’t take hassles from work home with you.
9. Goals are important, but make sure they are worthy goals. You just might reach them!
10. Don’t fear risk. Life is an adventure, not a dress rehearsal.
11. Make the best decisions you can after deliberation and prayer, but don’t second guess yourself. You did the best you could.
12. Be careful with mind-altering substances, even legal ones. Addiction can sneak up and destroy your life.
13. Don’t be afraid to be different.
14. You will fail. Remember that, but don’t fear it.
15. True toughness is how you respond to adversity.
Sound off: What have you done lately to help reach your full potential?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “Do you know what it means to reach your full potential? How do you think you reach it?”