"It's okay to fail.
It's okay to struggle.
It's okay to go through tough times.
If you don't go through those, you probably aren't trying to accomplish anything that matters."
Scared teams find ways to lose.
Dusty May said it best:
“A lot of failure comes with simply being afraid of the results. We were never afraid of the results.”
Teach them to compete. Let the scoreboard take care of itself.
How do you build fearless competitors?
The toughest opponent you’ll ever face?
You.
Mike Tomlin knows it.
“This is a man versus himself battle.”
Great players don’t wait for competition to push them.
They push themselves.
Every. Single. Day.
Curt Cignetti on his program's philosophy on how not to be average:
🎭 Average is a decision disguised as a default. Make standards visible, measurable, and non-negotiable. Because what you tolerate becomes your identity.
🤝 Most people negotiate with the work; elite teams eliminate the negotiation. The gap isn’t talent, it’s the daily refusal to accept “good enough” in reps, details, and accountability.
🧱 You don’t rise above average in big moments, you escape it in small ones. Every meeting, drill, and conversation is either reinforcing the standard, or quietly lowering it.
“You think every time you achieve something or have success that you’ll be happy. But, then the goal posts move and they keep nudging a little bit further and further out of reach. What I’ve realized is, as long as you can find enjoyment in the journey, that’s the big thing,” @McIlroyRory
You’re talented… but you’re quiet.
And that’s the problem.
No voice = no leadership
No sound = no power
No energy = no impact
Everybody wants to be “nice”
Everybody wants to “do their thing”
That’s not how teams win.
Teams talk.
Teams connect.
Teams bring ENERGY every rep.
“We have a sign in our locker room that says April habits. Since this group got together this summer, we've been trying to develop championship habits."
Championship habits start long before championship moments.
The postseason is where standards show up and excuses run out.
“Hear Me…”
Mike Tomlin GOLD 🔥
“It’s not what you are capable of; it’s what you are willing to do. Plenty of people are capable. Fewer people are willing.”
Potential is common.
Commitment is rare.
“Good players want coached.
Great players you can’t coach them enough, they want more, more, more.
Inconsistent players want to be coached on their terms”
10 @TedLasso leadership lessons:
1 be curious
2 winning is an attitude
3 all people are different people
4 see good in others
5 forgive first
6 stay teachable
7 believe in yourself
8 optimists do more
9 be honest
10 doing right thing is never wrong thing
Kurt Warner shares the lesson that changed his entire career and it applies to everything.
He sat on the bench for 4 years in college. When a friend asked the coaches why he wasn't playing, the answer wasn't what he expected:
"The reason I wasn't playing was because I was not very good in practice."
His first reaction? Allen Iverson mode.
"Practice? What're you talking about, practice?"
But then he did the math.
"In college we play 12 games in 365 days. In the NFL we play 16 games in 365 days."
That's less than 5% of your year.
"95% of our lives are lived in practice. And the biggest impression we make on people, the way people can understand and really realize who we are, is what we do every day in practice."
This is the 95% Rule. And it applies to everything - sports, business, relationships, life.
1: Show Up With Your Best Effort - Compete and give your best every single day. People can't question how you show up - your effort, attitude, and actions. Consistency removes doubt.
2: Trust Is Built In Practice, Not Games - Trust is earned in the thousands of moments before it's given. Before you can be trusted, people want to know you're dependable. Every day. Not just when it matters.
3: Master Daily Consistency - Success isn't about intensity - it's about consistency. Your habits compound. What you do daily defines who you become.
4: Big Moments Are Earned In Small Moments - The little details make the biggest difference. Greatness starts with preparation - it's earned in the boredom of doing the work when no one's watching.
Excellence isn't an event - It's a habit.
Practice is where trust is built.
How you show up daily is who you really are.
(🎥 Passing the Torch Podcast)
(🎥 @kurt13warner)
“Delayed gratification was taught to us by the stoics. It is one of the greatest attributes.”
Another all-time line from Fernando Mendoza—this one on Stoicism 🤣👏
Aiming to be consistent and a little better each day will take you further than aiming to be perfect.
Your future is shaped by the habits you repeat, not the goals you set.