Never Wrestle with a Pig
(from The Power of Positive Habits)
Country wisdom teaches, “Never wrestle with a pig. You’ll both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
There are many who like to get dirty. They want to bait you and get you to jump into the mud with them. The guy who cuts you off on the road and gives you the finger or pulls up next to you and wants to race. The coworker who knows exactly what to say to get you to argue with them. The rude person on the plane. The family member who always picks a fight with you. The neighbor who doesn’t like you and whom no one likes. The person who’s having a bad day and is taking it out on everyone, including you. The troll on social media.
Unfortunately, there have been moments in my past when I wrestled with the pig and got dirty. I regret those moments. I wish I could go back and do things differently. I didn’t like myself for getting in the mud. I let the situation get the best of me and that’s why I’m sharing this.
You’ll never regret walking away from the pig. You’ll only regret getting in the mud with them.
Don’t wrestle with the pig! It’s not in your best interest to do this and you risk hurting yourself. Don’t waste your time and energy. It’s not worth it; you have better things to do. It’s not your job to right their wrong. Don’t get into the mud and get dirty. Don’t let the person or moment get the best of you.
Rise above it. Walk away from the pig. The moment will pass. The anger will subside. You’ll feel better and walk away clean.
Everyone needs encouragement. Never underestimate the impact that random words of encouragement can have on others. They can brighten a person's day and light a fire inside of them.
The best athletes are secure with themselves. They know that their self-worth isn’t determined by athletic success. This self-assurance allows them to take risks and perform well under pressure.
Three ways to overcome fear:
1. Train hard and prepare.
2. Use positive self-talk and body language.
3. Force yourself to face your fears and get used to them.
When people think of Coach Leach’s Air Raid offense, most think of the passing attack, the spread-out formations, and the insane statistics. Which are all true.
But the real secret sauce was the structure: Less is more. Specialize.
Most offenses try to do everything. They want every formation, every play, every answer for every defense. As a result, they become like Applebee’s: they have everything, but they aren’t truly great at anything.
They become: "The jack of all trades and the master of none."
Leach didn’t buy into the norm. He had few formations, few core concepts, and dressed them up to be run over and over again. That allowed his coaches and players to become masters at what they ran.
They specialized. They eliminated overthinking. They executed.
And as a result, his offenses were usually near the top of college football and consistently produced at a high level.
So how does this apply to you?
If you’re a coach, build an identity.
Decide on the core concepts you believe in, then start eliminating everything else. There are a lot of great ideas and plays out there, but it ultimately comes down to execution. And you can’t practice everything.
If you’re an athlete:
Are you trying to work on everything?
A pitcher trying to develop seven different pitches instead of mastering two or three you can dominate with?
If you’re in business, Air Raid your business.
Are you trying to do it all—offering too many services, chasing too many directions?
How can you condense your business so you don’t confuse your audience, dilute your message, or spread yourself too thin?
What actually moves the needle? Double down on that. Cut the rest.
To close this out, I’ll give you one of my favorite Leach quotes when it comes to the Air Raid:
“You have to have a great capacity for boredom.”
You don’t have to do everything.
You just have to do a few things at a high level—and execute them over and over again.
That’s the Air Raid!
#MindStrength #AirRaid
Separate yourself from the pack by having a great attitude every day. While others complain and go through the motions, you can gain a competitive advantage by staying mentally strong!
“How to Speak”
Every coach should spend an hour listening to Patrick Winston from MIT lecture on public speaking.
I guarantee it will make your meetings better.