The Most Important Thing

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own.

What’s the most important thing you learned from playing sports? Take a minute. Write some ideas down and your thoughts.

Relationships. “The game is about relationships.” You will remember and stay connected to some teammates for your whole life. 

Sacrifice. Sacrifice works miracles with shared vision, shared work, and shared rewards.

Teamwork. “I can go faster alone but we can go farther together.” - African proverb  There's something special about being on a team and leading a team.

Learning. “Learn every day; love your losses.”

Commitment. All exceptional teams master the work.

Preparation. “Every battle is won before it is fought.” - General Sun Tzu in The Art of War

Intentionality. Practice and play with purpose. The Newton club team was named SMASH because that's their first priority, learn to hit hard.  

Intangible skills. Many skills are "unmeasurable" - focus, hard work, toughness, playing hard, being a great teammate.

Persistence. Never quit.

Respect. Respect all opponents, officials, coaches, and teammates. 

Urgency. “How you do anything is how you do everything.” Belief and patience can achieve competitive greatness.  

Sportsmanship. Play the game the right way.  

Leadership - Everyone can be a leader. Lead by example. Never be a distraction. Be the hardest worker in the gym. Coaches notice.

What's your most important thing? 

Lagniappe. You probably have a few books to read for the summer. Read for thirty minutes a day and you'll soon be done. 

"Writing a page each day doesn’t seem like much, but do it for 365 days and you have enough to fill a novel." - Austin Kleon in Steal Like an Artist

The MVB blog has over 4,600 posts...enough to fill about 15 novels...

Lagniappe 2. Excellent approach video...