A Game Plan for Success - Lombardi Style

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will."
~ Vincent T. Lombardi

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Vincent T. Lombardi (1913 -1970) would be considered a "heart and soul" type leader. He became an icon of excellence in the sport of football. Most football enthusiasts believe he was the greatest coach to grace the game. Lombardi’s philosophy of success goes far beyond the game of football and can be applied today in any setting. Lombardi believed the following qualities are the basis of success: commitment, discipline, pursuing excellence, mental toughness, habit, faith and passion.

Coach Lombardi focused on commitment. Lombardi believed that when you commit to something, your making a decision to do something. You give 100%, %100 percent of the time. There is no room for excuses or rationalizations. You do it or you don’t do it. There is nothing worse than a half-hearted commitment. How about you? What commitments have you made? Are you giving your 100%?

Coach Lombardi focused on discipline. To Lombardi, discipline meant hard work and sacrifice. Hard work and sacrifice are the cornerstone of discipline. Discipline also means making choices; you’re willing to give up something for something else. Lombardi consistently preached, “Are you willing to pay the price?’ Success and happiness comes from being disciplined, and being disciplined means having to make choices. How about you? Are you willing to ‘pay the price?

Coach Lombardi focused on excellence. Lombardi demanded that every player work hard to become the best they could possibly be. He demanded that each player accept responsibility and be accountable for their actions and obligations. Every player was held to a high standard. Lombardi had great faith that human potential is unlimited. He knew that if he raised the bar, his player would eventually get there. How about you? Will you pursue excellence or are you willing to be ordinary and just get by?

Coach Lombardi focused on mental toughness. Lombardi knew that mental toughness helps you to persevere when the pressure is on. He preached staying the course when things appear to be falling apart. To Lombardi, mental toughness is the unwavering belief in yourself, regardless of the circumstances. It’s all about maintaining focus. Lombardi recognized that failure in life is inevitable and the mentally tough use failure as a catalyst to come back stronger than ever. How about you? Are you mentally tough or do you give in when the going get tough.

Coach Lombardi focused on habit. Lombardi was keenly aware that habits are formed from beliefs. Habits become the unconscious means of getting things done for us. Beliefs are formed from self-talk. Self talk is a cognitive assessment of yourself. Lombardi knew the association between belief to habits; habits to behavior; and behavior to character. Lombardi was a master at influencing his players self-talk. He knew that positive self-talk would result in positive outcomes. How about you? Do you engage in positive self-talk or are you constantly putting yourself down? Are you overly critical of yourself? Are you holding yourself back because of negative self talk?

Coach Lombardi focused on faith. Vince Lombardi attended mass daily and relied on God as his strength. Lombardi believed that much of our human dilemmas were the result of a disconnection from our spiritual being. Lombardi used his faith as a means to connect with God; to gives thanks and to ask for guidance. He recognized that fame and prestige pales compared to a spiritual relationship with God. Lombardi never preached his faith, he simply lived it. How about you?. Do you feel connected to God? Do you allow God to walk with you everyday of your life?

Coach Lombardi focused on passion. Lombardi, once said, “If you can’t get emotional about what’s in your heart, you’re in the wrong business.” Passion is the spark of achievement. Lombardi was able to motivate his players, because of his display of passion. It’s hard not to believe in someone who enthusiastic about what they do. Lombardi’s passion radiated a contagious energy; energy which had everyone around him believing that nothing was impossible. How about you? Are you enthusiastic about what you do or are you just going through the motions
Coach Lombardi’s laid out a simplistic philosophy of success. He practiced his philosophy daily; not only on the football field, but in his personal too. Vincent T. Lombardi’s record and accomplishments speak for themselves.

If you are serious about becoming a winner, I encourage you to adopt a game plan for success – Lombardi style!

It’s your life: Live it, Love it & Celebrate it!
MJD