Give Me Liberty...

"Give me liberty, or give me death!"
~Patrick Henry

***

Patrick Henry will forever be remembered for his speech before fellow colonists that ended with the passionate proclamation, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Patrick Henry was steadfastly opposed to Britain’s governance over the colonies. Considered one of the most influential leaders of the American Revolution, Patrick Henry had a vision of a better America. He believed that America would become a great nation, but not until the colonies were free from British Rule. British rule was too oppressive. America could never reach its full potential until the colonies were free from British governance. For Patrick Henry it was far better to die fighting for freedom than to submit to a life of oppression.

Patrick Henry’s made his famous speech in 1775 before the Virginia House of Burgesses. Although he was specifically addressing the colonies revolt against British rule, he was speaking to heart of what it means to be liberated. Liberty is freedom; freedom from control. It’s the ability to make choices; choices free from influence.

The opposite of liberty is constraint. Are you experiencing liberty or constraint? If you're experiencing constraint, what oppressive influences are in your life: negative friends, family members, coworkers and/or neighbors? What about self-imposed contraints: negative thinking, negative habits and self-destructive behaviors. Are you allowing these oppressive influences to control your life?

You’ll never be all that you’re capable of becoming if you allow yourself to be controlled by others. Controlling people will rob you of your uniqueness and will shape you into something they desire you to be. If you have controlling people in your life, now is the time to disassociate yourself from these people. If disassociation is not possible, limit your association with these people. If limitation is not possible, stand up to the person and let them know that you want to be loved for who you are and not what they are trying to make you to be. You see, if you try to be something you're not, you'll make two people unhappy in the process: yourself and the controller. Best to make only one person unhappy instead of two. Make it a point to associate with people who accept you for who you are and will support your hopes, dreams and goals.

You’ll never be all that you’re capable of becoming living with self-imposed constraints. Negative thinking produces negative behaviors; behaviors which lead to negative habits. Habits are often unconscious behavioral patterns. A habit once formed is difficult to break. The good news is however, you can break any habit. Because habits are learned through repetition, they can be unlearned through the same process. Don’t allow negative habits to control your life any longer. Since you’re the one that created them, you’re the one who can break them. Don't allow these negative habits to control you any longer. Rather, develop good habits that will assist you in living a happy, healthy and productive life.

Just as Patrick Henry longed for the colonies to be free of British influence, you too, should long to be free of all the negative influences in your life. To Patrick Henry, a life without liberty was a fate worth than death. Patrick Henry recognized the fruits of liberty would be worth the toil. Henry, the revoltionist, fought fiercely for colonial independence. Now is the time for you to put up a fierce fight for yourself. Fight for a life free of controlling influences and start enjoying life for all that it has to offer and enjoying yourself for all you have to offer life.

Its your life: LIVE IT, LOVE IT, CELEBRATE IT!

MJD
***

Faith, Family, Friends and Food

"God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers."
~Jewish Proverb

***
A mother’s life is characterized by giving.  It’s a giving that is truly endless.   It’s a giving that takes many, many forms.  From the very moment of conception, a mother gives of herself.   The embryo is physiologically dependent upon the mother.   It’s the mother who sustains the life of her child.  At birth, the dependency changes from a physiological dependency to an emotional, social, and physical dependency.  Webster’s Dictionary defines dependent as,” Relying on another for support.”  In order to satisfy the definition, it requires that someone receive support and someone give support.  The unbridled support that a mother gives to her child is called “Motherly Love.”  It’s the unselfish giving by a mother that reflects the essence of motherly love. "Motherly love" demands time, attention, and sacrifice.

My mother could easily be the “poster mom” for “Motherly Love.”  Her whole life has been characterized by the giving of herself.  She has put the needs of her children, husband and family well above her own needs.  The love and support that she has provided to us is immeasurable.  She’s always there when you need her and she always seems to say the just the right things at just the right time.  My mother’s presence in a room brings about a peaceful and warm feeling.  It's a feeling that everything is the way it supposed to be.  When I think about it, it shouldn’t be that surprising; being that she’s the one that gave me my life, sustained my life, and has always done her best meet all of my needs, whatever they may be.  No wonder things just seem to be right when she’s around.

My mother has demonstrated time after time that her family always comes first.  Perhaps, the most poignant example is my mother’s support of my father.  My father has achieved great success and accolades as a coach.  If it wasn’t for my mother’s support, this never would have been possible.  My mother has always encouraged and supported my father to pursue has passion.  Perhaps one of the most difficult roles to accept in life is that of a coach’s wife.  Often times, a wife can take the proverbial, “backseat” to the sport or the program.  My mother has never made it about her.  Rather, her life is about her children, husband and family.

My mother has given me so many things, both tangible and intangible, that I couldn’t begin to comprehend the extent of them.  Perhaps one of the best gifts my mother has given me is her value system.  The gift of her values has taught me what is really important in life.  The gift of a value cannot break, nor be replaced with a shiny, newer model.  Mom's gift of values will remain with me and be the focal point of my life for the rest of my life.  Her values, simple: Faith, Family, Friends and Food.

To Mom, the most important thing in life is your relationship with God.  My mother raised us in a home where faith has been the center of our lives.  Mom knew the importance of passing the gift of faith onto her children.

To Mom, your commitment to your family is second only to your relationship to God.  My mother has given to our family unselfishly and tirelessly. Mom has taught us that your family is your “rock.” Mom knew the importance of passing family values on to her children.

Of lesser importance, but still important nonetheless to Mom, is friends and food.  My mother knows the value that friends can add to you life. She loves spending time with her friends.  In most instances, mom is usually the life of a party.  In her mid-seventies, she still has swing in her step and has not lost her passion for life.  It always brings a smile to my face to see a woman who has given so much of herself to make the best of everything and enjoying what life has to offer.

Plainly put, my Mother is one heck of a cook.  She puts the meaning in “Mom’s home cooking.”  To Mom, good food represents the fruits of our labors.  The food serves as a reminder to us to be thankful for our bounty.  Mom has passed on to us the importance of friendship and the breaking of bread with family and friends.

Mom, I will never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me, all the lessons that you’ve taught me, and the love and support you have given to me. Mother, please understand that the very best way for me to describe my love for you is as follows: For as much as you love me, I in return love you same, and maybe just a little bit more!

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY MOM!

To all you mothers, have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
A mother’s love truly does make the world go round.

It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!
MJD

Until Mike Likes Mike...

"You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."
~ Buddha

***
We become what we think about. Our thoughts control our actions. If we think positively, we get positive results. Negative thinking produces negative results. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t, you can’t. Put simply, failure to believe means failure to achieve

Belief is the foundation for all achievement. Belief comes from having self-confidence and/or self-esteem. Self confidence is task related. It comes from repetition and mastery of a specific thing. The more you do something, the better you should get at it. The better you get, the more self confident you become. Self-esteem on the other hand is a way of being. Self esteem is about liking oneself. It’s not a narcissistic, “Hey look at me,” type being; it’s about taking pride in yourself and having self-respect.

Those that posses both high self-esteem and self-confidence are no doubt primed to succeed. Those that possess high self-esteem, but low self-confidence may not necessarily succeed at a given task, but they’ll try anyway, and, will walk away with a positive experience. They know that the outcome of a specific task does not define who they are. Regardless of the outcome, the fact that they tried is personally satisfying. Moreover, they’ll look for the lessons to be learned from the outcome. The lessons will be used for self-development, which in turn fosters higher self esteem.

What about those people who have high self-confidence, but low self esteem. Professional athletes who fall from grace are often characterized by high self confidence and low self-esteem. Perhaps one of the best examples of a athlete falling from grace is Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson was a phenomenal prize fighter (boxer). He had great self- confidence as a boxer. Although Tyson’s self-confidence earned him a heavyweight championship and millions of dollars, his life was in shambles. Mike Tyson did not like Mike Tyson. Tyson did everything possible to sabotage his life. Mike Tyson earned over 300 million dollars over the course of his career; yet, he had to file bankruptcy. In addition, He was convicted and sent to prison in State of Indiana for a sexual assault offense.

When Tyson officially retired from boxing, he was quoted as saying, “My whole life has been a waste, I’m a failure.” Upon his retirement, Tyson attempted to get his life back on track; that is, until he was arrested again, this time for drunk driving and possession of narcotics. The man that people thought had everything; in actuality had nothing. Self-confidence without self-esteem can lead to material success; but will never lead to personal success and fulfillment. Until Mike likes Mike and develops a higher level of self-esteem, his life will continue to self-destruct.

How about you? Do you really like yourself? How's your self-esteem? The first step in developing higher self-esteem is accepting who you are you and where you are at in your life. It's about accepting responsibility for where you're at and moving forward. It's not about placing blame; blaming others or blaming circumstances. Placing blame allows you to shirk the responsibility for the necessity to make a change, and only perpetuates the current state of affairs. Next, it's about letting go of the heavy burdens of the past: the failures, the rejections and the embarrassments. It's about realizing what's done is done and that history cannot be changed. It's about living in the present and having faith that a better future awaits you. Developing higher self-esteem comes from believing that God created you as a unique person. It's impossible to develop self-esteem if your are denying your own uniqueness by trying to be like someone else. Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, when Polonius said to Laertes, his son, "To thine Own Self Be True."

Tyson's rise and fall in the boxing profession teaches us a valuable lesson about life. Self-confidence is a situational belief that results in situational results. It speaks to the "state of affairs." Self-esteem, on the other hand, is a pervasive belief that defines your character, and your character will define your life. Self-esteem speaks to a "state of being."

It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!
MJD

A Lesson on Limitations

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
—Helen Keller
***
Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. Helen lived an active, normal life until nineteen months of age when she developed a high fever and became seriously ill. Although doctors did not offer much hope that Helen would live, Helen survived. Her illness left her blind and deaf.

As a young child, Helen acted out frequently. Her behavior was often so aggressive and violent that her family contemplated placing her in an institution. Helen’s mother refused to institutionalize her, and began seeking out people who might be able to help Helen.

Helen resisted communicating with others until Martha Washington, the daughter of the Keller's family cook, taught Helen how to communicate through sign language. Although Anne Sullivan is referred to as Helen’s “miracle worker,” it was young Martha Washington who first taught Helen that she could communicate with her outside world. Most communication specialists agree that the young Martha Washington’s had a profound influence in Helen Keller’s success.

At the age of six, Helen was introduced to Anne Sullivan. Anne Sullivan was a former student at the Perkins Institute for the Blind. Anne Sullivan, once completely blind herself, was able to gain partial vision after a series of medical operations. Anne was hired to be Helen’s teacher and continued to serve as Helen’s teacher, guardian and close companion until Anne's death in 1936.

At the age of twenty, Helen Keller enrolled in Radcliffe College. Four years later, she became the first blind person to earn a bachelors degree from a college. Helen Keller achieved many other extraordinary things in her lifetime, including: becoming a famous speaker and author; founding the Helen Keller International, a nonprofit organization for for vision, health and nutrition; helped found the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); traveled to 39 countries; and On September 14, 1964, President Lyndon B, Johnson awared her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation’s highest civilian awards. In 1965, she was elected to the Women’s Hall of Fame at the New York World’s Fair. Helen Keller passed away at the age of 87 on June 1, 1968.

It’s true that Helen Keller success can be attributed to those who had an influence in her life; mainly her mother for not giving up on her; The young Martha Washington for teaching her communication was possible; and Anne Sullivan for inspiring her and teaching her that nothing was impossible. One can never overlook the value of mentors, teachers and supporters when looking at the success someone has achieved. No successful person has ever gone it alone. However, all the support and guidance in the world will be to no avail, if no will exists. It was Helen Keller’s desire to learn and her courage to overcome her physical limitations that was the driving force in her success. Helen refused to allow her physical limitation to foster self-limiting beliefs. Ultimately, she knew that her ability to communicate, read and learn depended upon what she believed to be possible.

How about you? Do you have the courage to face your limitations? Courage is acting in the face of fear. You can bet that Helen Keller had significant fears. Helen lived in a world of darkness. How frightful that must be to a young child. Helen’s physical limitations were beyond her control. Yet, she possessed the will to overcome her limitations. All too often, our limitations are not beyond or control. Rather, they are self-imposed. We’ve created these limitations by our self-talk. We’ve talked ourselves into limiting our full potential. Our negative self talk causes us to limit what we can we experience, which in turn, limits our ability to learn new things and grow. Our self-imposed restrictions generally originate from fear; fear that if played out, would be proven to be unfounded.

Helen Keller demonstrated to the world that limitations are only limitations if you allow them to be so. When you begin doubting yourself about whether you can or can't do something, take some time think about a little blind, deaf girl from Alabama who refused to limit herself and in turn moved a nation.

It's Your Life: Live it, Love it & Celebrate it!
MJD

Cutting Down the Nets

"If you stay here and believe, then we can do this."
-- John "Digger" Phelps

March Madness!  The NCAA tournament began March 13^th.   Sixty eight teams began the tournament with their eyes on the coveted prize: the national championship.   Only four teams remain as 64 teams have now been sidelined.  Like any tournament there were favorites and underdogs; there were suspected blow-outs and shocking upsets.  A blow-out is easy to understand; one team is far superior than the other.  But, what about an upset?  The team that is not suppose to win, wins!  How is it that a team that is not suppose to win (the “underdog’) can pull off an upset?   There is one common element in every upset, the “underdog” believes what everyone else doesn’t; that being, the impossible is possible! 

The late Napoleon Hill said, “What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.”  No game exemplifies Hill’s statement better than the game played between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the UCLA Bruins in January of 1974 (contrary to popular belief, this game was not a NCAA tournament game).  UCLA was the number one ranked team at the time and was riding an 88 game winning streak.  The Bruins were coached by the legendary John Wooden.  The Fighting Irish were coached by a young coach by the name of Richard “Digger” Phelps.  Notre Dame had lost their previous four games to UCLA by a total of 128 points.  It was predicted that UCLA would win the upcoming game by more than 30 points.  One might think that the Fighting Irish would accept the fact that they didn’t stand a chance against the best team in college basketball.

Coach Phelps knew that has team did not stand a chance against the Bruins unless somehow he changed the mindset of his team.  Phelps knew that in order for the impossible to become possible, the Fighting Irish had to believe it to be possible.  Phelps contemplated; how could the Fighting Irish pull off the biggest upset in college basketball?   On Wednesday before the game, Coach Phelps was sitting in his office on the campus of Notre Dame.  He glanced at a picture on the wall of former Notre Dame standout, Austin Carr.  The picture showed Carr cutting down the nets after Notre Dame beat UCLA in 1971 (that game marked the last time UCLA suffered a loss in over three years).  

After starring at the picture, Phelps made the decision that his team would cut down the nets after practice.  The ritual of cutting down the nets is bestowed upon the winning team after winning a championship or after a major upset.  Coach Phelps knew his team had to develop a winning attitude.  He wanted his team to begin thinking and feeling like a championship team.  Phelps’ philosophy was think like a champion, play like a champion, and become a champion.  After practice, Phelps instructed each player that they would have a turn at cutting down the net.  One by one, players were hoisted up to the rim by their teammates.  Coach Phelps told his team, “This is what we’ll be doing when we beat UCLA this weekend.”  He went on to say, “Someday you will tell your grandchildren about this.”

After each practice leading up to the game, the Fighting Irish did the same thing; the nets were cut down.   When Phelps first instructed the players to cut down the nets, the majority of the players were skeptical of Coach Phelps’ tactic.   But, by the end of Friday's practice, each player took their turn cutting down the net down with an aura of confidence.  The Fighting Irish’s mindset had changed.  It didn’t matter what everybody else thought, the Irish believed they would beat UCLA and they knew that was all that mattered.

The first half had gone as everyone had predicted.  In fact, at one time, UCLA had a 17 point lead.  With 3:30 left to go in the game and the Irish down 70-59, things dramatically changed.   Coach Phelps called a time out.   With unwavering belief and passion, Phelps told his team, “If you don't believe that we can do this, then leave and go to the locker room right now.  But, if you stay here and believe, then we can do this."  The Fighting Irish believed!  Notre Dame scored the next 12 points while holding UCLA scoreless. The Fighting Irish made history by pulling off one the greatest upsets in sports history.  They put an end to UCLA’s winning streak; a winning streak that still stands today as the longest winning streak in men’s college basketball history.

Coach Phelps would likely tell you that the act of cutting the nets down in and of itself was not the reason the Fighting Irish beat UCLA.  They won the game because the Fighting Irish believed that they would win and they played like they would win.   Coach Phelps and his team didn’t buy into what all of the naysayers had to say.  Notre Dame did not enter the game against UCLA hoping to win, they expected to win.   Coach Phelps emphasized the importance of mental preparation.   He knew that when you go into a game with a defeatist attitude, you’ll come out defeated.   Plain and simple, if you think you can’t, you can’t!

In his book, Tales from the Notre Dame Hardwood, Coach Phelps describes how his players, at their 30 year reunion, talked about the impact that cutting down the nets had on their mental approach to the game.  Coach Phelps’ tactic worked; it created a positive outlook for all of the players and a belief what others thought couldn't be done, could be done. 

How about you?  In the game of life do you practice cutting down the nets?  Do you see yourself as successful?  Do you practice that winning attitude? Or, are you inclined to believe the naysayers?   Understand that when you believe the naysayers, the result is always the same; they’ll always be right and you’ll end up losing.  The cornerstone of achievement is passion and belief.  When you want something bad enough and believe it to be possible, you’ll create an expectation.   Having an expectation and the disciplined practice of pursuing that expectation will create the very results that you expect.

Become a champion and start cutting down your nets!   Today is the time to believe and achieve!

Scissors anyone!

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD

***

Let's Go Team!

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean."
- Ryunsuke Satoro

***
Rick Pitino is considered a successful and well respected basketball coach. He has coached at both the collegiate and professional levels. 1n 1996 he led the University of Kentucky to a national championship. Currently, Coach Pitino is the head basketball coach at the University of Louisville. Throughout his coaching career, Rick Pitino has demanded that his players understand the true meaning of teamwork.

The following story speaks to Coach Pitino’s teamwork philosophy. In 1985, Pitino accepted the head coaching job at Providence College. Many of his friends and colleages attempted to talk him out of taking the job. Because of the basketball atomosphere at Providence, many thought he was committing career suicide. The basketball program at Providence had struggled for years. There was no winning attitude, no sense of pride and no spirit of teamwork. Pitino set out to change all that.

During one of his initial meetings with the new team, Pitino wrote four words on a blackboard: basketball, academics, work ethic, and family. He told his players that these 4 variables were critical to the success of any basketball team.

After finishing writing on the chalkboard, Pitino turned to his players and asked, “How many of you want to be play in the NBA after college?” Immediately, each player raised a hand. Pitino responded, “You had a losing season last year and not one of you averaged more than 10 points a game. He erased the word basketball and told his players, “None of you would not be considered a success in basketball.”

Next, he said, “I've seen your grades, it's also obvious you aren't successful in your school work either. With that he erased the word academics.

He turned to the team’s trainer and asked the trainer how many players had been in the gym every day since the season ended to work on their game. "'Not one, Coach,” the trainer said. Pitino sternly admonished his players about their work ethic. He erased “work ethic” and said, “It’s apparent you don’t have a good work ethic.”

Coach Pitino said, “Let’s see, you would not be considered successful in basketball, you don’t apply yourself in the classroom and none of you have what would be considered a good work ethic… Hopefully, you're a close team and you care about each other.” With that a player by the name of Harold Starks quickly stood up and declared, “We're a close team, coach”

Pitino then asked Harold Starks, if his teammate, Steve Wright had any brothers. He followed that question with what does Billy Donovan’s father do for a living. Starks had no answer and responded, “Coach, I really don’t know.” He posed the questions to all of his players and not one player could answer his questions.

Pitino admonished his players by saying, “You really don’t know your teammates. You’re not a team, you‘re really just a collection of individuals pretending to be a team.” With that he made each player stand up and talk about himself and his family. Throughout the season, Pitino continued to focus on the principles of teamwork. Each player was expected to get to know one another on a personal level. The players began to learn that they were no longer teammates simply by the virtue of being on the same team; they were teammates because they got to know one another beyond a superficial level, they learned to care about one another and they shared a common goal: win basketball games by putting the team first. Pitino’s philosophy paid off: twenty-two months later, Providence College made it to the NCAA Final Four.

Rick Pitino knows that a successful team is a team with members that not only care about the mission of the team, but the members also care about one another. When Pitino inherited his players at Providence, they knew nothing of teamwork. Instead, they focused on what was best for themselves and as a result they were neither successful as a team, nor as an individual players. Once they grasped the true meaning of teamwork, the team became better, they became better teammates, they became better players, and, more importantly,they became better people.

How about you? What teams are you on? Remember, any number of individuals with a common purpose can constitute a team. Think about your family, friends, work, clubs, and organizations. What type of team member are you? Do you genuinely care about your team members? Or, are you on the team for the sole benefit of what best suits your needs. Rick Pitino’s first year at Providence should teach all of us a lesson in teamwork. In order for a team to be successful, each member must be committed to perfecting their talent, pursuing knowledge, displaying a solid work ethic and caring for and supporting one another.

The next time you get together with your team, embrace Pitino’s philosophy for team success. I can't guarantee success on the level of a national championship, but I can guarantee that both you and your team will be better off for trying.

Let’s go team!

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

The Cinderella Man

"I have to believe that when things are bad, I can change them."

- Jim Braddock

***

Jim Braddock, known as the Cinderella Man, made one of the greatest comebacks in boxing history. Braddock was a light heavyweight boxer in the 1920’s. By 1926, Braddock had established himself as fierce competitor with a promising future. In 1929 Jim Braddock was living the good life as a professional boxer. He was offered a shot at the light heavyweight title against the reigning champion, Tommy Loughran. Braddock lasted 15 rounds against the champion, but the decision ended up going to the defending champion.

Two months after the fight with Loughran, the stock market crashed and Braddock eventually lost everything. With boxing as his only source of income, Braddock continued to box. However, the loss to Loughran seemed to have destroyed Braddock’s confidence and passion to box. Lacking confidence and passion, he lost the majority of his fights. After he shattered his right hand in a match, Braddock decided to quit boxing. Without a job, Braddock filed for government assistance. The only work Braddock could find was performing odd jobs on a local loading docks. Out of work, with little food and no heat in their apartment, Braddock was forced to rediscover family values. With a new found focus on his family, Jim Braddock made supporting his family his number one concern. Braddock could no longer dwell on his fall from wealth and fame. He was facing the most important challenge he'd ever encounter in his life; making a better life for his wife and two children.

Braddock’s boxing manager never gave up on Braddock, and in 1934 Braddock got a big break. His manager was able to get Braddock a fight on the undercard for the heavyweight championship between Max Baer and Primo Canera at Madison Square Garden. Nobody gave Braddock a chance to win the fight; he had been out of professional boxing for a few years and he would be fighting in the heavyweight classification; Braddock a light heavyweight by stature was significantly underweight compared to heavyweight fighters. Braddock knew that a victory would be the beginning of that better life he envisoned for his family. Jim Braddock was no longer fighting for himself, he was now fighting for his family. With a rekindled passion for boxing and a compelling reason to fight, Braddock surprised the boxing community when he knocked out his opponent in the third round. Braddock’s victory earned him additional bouts against ranked boxers. Braddock continued to defeat his opponents and earned the nickname, “Cinderella Man.” The “Cinderalla Man” was making one of the biggest comebacks in sports history. His comeback came at a time when a nation needed it the most. The nation needed a national hero. Braddock once down and out was making a comeback. His comeback represented the hope of every American; they too would make a comeback and would emerge from the Great Depression, better than ever.

On June 13, 1935, The "Cinderella Man" entered the ring against heavyweight champion, Max Baer. Baer was favored to win 10-1. The "Cinderella man" pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sports history when he scored a unanimous decision over Baer. The "Cinderalla Man" was now the heavyweight champion of the world.

Braddock story is more than a story about a comeback athlete. More importantly, it’s a story about values. Braddock’s story teaches us about a man’s love for his family. Braddock knew that it was his responsibility to take care of his family. It was his love and commitment to his family that gave him the inner strength to get back into the ring and defy all odds. How about you? Does your love for your family inspire you? Braddock was down and out, yet his love for his family allowed him to maintain his focus on what was most important thing in his life, his family.

Jim Braddock’s story teaches us about that the power that can be unleashed if you believe in yourself. Braddock refused to accept what other people were saying about him; that he was washed up and could no longer fight. To Braddock, only one person’s opinion mattered, and that was his. If Braddock would have bought into the opinions of others, it’s likely he never would have made it back into the ring, let alone claim the heavyweight championship of the world. How about you? Are you letting what others say about you preventing you from reaching your championship potential?

Braddock's story teaches us about perseverance. Braddock refused to "throw in the towel." In boxing, when a fighter throws in the towel, it signifies acceptance of defeat. Braddock wasn’t about to throw in towel. With no job, little money and out of boxing, Jim Braddock refused to fell sorry for himself and blame the world for his unfortunate circumstances. Instead, Braddock accepted responsibility for his current state of affairs and decided to do something about it. Braddock used his adverse situation as a catalyst to resurrect his boxing career. How about you, when things go wrong, do you blame others or do you accept the responsibility for the event that you created. It’s only when you accept responsibility for an event that you can then use event as a catalyst to become a better person.

The best thing a person can do is come to grips with the fact that they are where they are at in their life, because of the choices they made or didn't make, because of the things they did or didn’t do, because of the things they said or didn’t say. When a person accepts responsibility for their life and comes to realize that are the sole author of their own life, it's then and only then that they can begin re-writing the script to becoming a better person.

It's your life: live it, love it & celebrate it!

MJD