ON WINNING

Pat Riley is described as the "most winning coach in professional history." The Tao of Sweet Shortcuts focuses on those who demonstrate mastery again and again.

After just barely losing the 1986 World Championship of basketball to a team in Massachusets called the Boston Celtics, the Los Anglese Lakers hired Pat to be coach of the basketball team.

The players made it know that they felt that they'd given their best, & had squeezed out every last ounce of effort... yet had lost anyway. Pat's response? "Gentlemen, there are, as you know, five major areas of basketball play. Can each of you, superstars that you are, at superstar salaries, commit to increasing your performance just ONE percent in each of these five areas?" They agreed this was a reasonable goal for 12 of the world's greatest basketball players.

Coach Riley publicly made note of a tiny fact, that each player, improving even only 1% in each of the 5 main areas of basketball, would result in twelve men becoming 60% more effective as a team... and since one percent is such a tiny increase, you'd be correct in guessing that the actual improvement of each player was more than one pecent. Every man on that professional basketball team increased their performance from five to fifty percent in each area!!

After the 1987 season was completed, the new nationally-acknowledged champions claimed it was their easiest year in memory. What adds to the power for you to make use of is the fact that, nearly 10 years later, Pat Riley went a created a similar environment with the Miami Heat basketball team: and they made a habit of winning for as long as those basic principles adhered, were applied.

Are you satisfied with your performance in all major areas of your life? Is your happiness, and that of your loved ones, worth 15 minutes out of a lifetime? Why not take a couple of blank sheets of paper, and creating columns on the paper, for these areas:

Family
Career
Physical Health
Spiritual
Financial Health
Social Life

Under each of these headings, produce just 10 suggestions for improving your performance and satisfaction in each area. Along with your ideas, ask someone who IS doing better than you in that particular area. Obviously, they're doing something right, and in most cases, they will be pleased that you think enough of them to ask; and will be happy to help... BUT DO IT TODAY !!!!

An astonishing total of 84 banks turned down Walter's idea of creating an animated feature before the main feature in movie theaters across the country. How impressive that he didn't stop after 4 banks turned him down, or even 40 banks, or 70 banks... or 84. Bank #85 lent him $1500, he changed his puppet's name from Steamboat Willie to Mickey Mouse... and moved right into history. Walt Disney simply refused to quit.

There are tapes, books, movies, magazines, and more.... designed to help you to help yourself and those you care for. Friends, you can't possibly learn less about how to promote/increase your performance or your personal satisfaction in literally ANY area of your life. And since you and I will only have one go-round on the road of Life, aren't we... aren't YOU... worth at least a touch of excellence?

Henry Ford:
"I'm looking for people who are ignorant of what can't be done."

I assure you: excellence cannot occur accidentally;
it's all about a bit of aptitude, & a whole bunch of attitude.