KIDS: Not every player can be Nathan MacKinnon on their team. But you can be Parker Kelly.
Check out this 6on5 sequence where Kelly blocks five shots. Thatβs not a typo. Five shots in one shift.
Parker Kelly is not going to play on the Avs' first line. But you better believe he's earned the trust from his coaches and his teammates to play a role somewhere on the team. Turn the volume up and listen to the Avs' bench after he blocks a few of his shots. Amazing.
If you can't lead your team in goals or points, you can lead your team in gritty plays and heart. It's a way to get in the lineup, stay in the lineup, and play a big role for your team winning a championship.
Mike Tomlin said, "It's not what you're capable of. It's what you're willing to do. I know plenty of people who are capable, but few who are willing."
You can't just talk about it, you have to be about it.
It means discipline, commitment, and sacrifice.
To be great in anything, you have to will yourself there.
You have to be persistent, resilient, and perseverant.
It means dedicating yourself to personal excellence.
The Disciplines You Need for Personal Excellence π
Commitment: Full commitment involves sacrifice and dedicating yourself to expertise and mastery. It means you are unwavering in your focus and what you want to achieve. It shows prioritization and reminds you what matters to you.
Sacrifice: When you sacrifice, you acknowledging that success comes at a cost. Making sacrifices means prioritizing long-term benefits over short-term pleasures. It prepares you for the inevitable trade-offs required for success, ensuring you value and make the most of your achievements.
Willingness to Act: You can say whatever you want, but it comes down to what you are willing to do.
β’ Are you going to get up early?
β’ Are you going to work hard?
β’ Are you going to give your best?
When you're willing to act, you transform potential into reality. It's about turning plans into achievements, and creating results.
Discipline: Discipline means holding yourself accountable and making the tough choices. it is something that you choose for yourself. Discipline helps you establish strong habits and maintain focus on your goals. It allows you to manage time and resources effectively, leading to greater productivity and success.
Perseverance: Perseverance is about maintaining your effort and commitment, even in the face of difficulty or slow progress. It is important for overcoming challenges and achieving long-term goals because excellence requires more than talent, it requires grit. Albert Einstein said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
Resilience: Resilience enables you to bounce back from failures and adapt to change. Be willing to walk into each day and face challenges head-on. Resilience is important when you think about achieving long-term goals. It helps you maintain focus, it improves your attitude, and allows you to manage stress.
Self-Motivation: All successful people have the internal drive and motivation to get better, commit, and grow because they want to. They don't rely on external encouragement and validation to be their sole motivation. They know that the effort must be the reward, and they live with a growth-mindset.
This decision has stripped clubs of a powerful community outreach tool and removed meaningful support for Special Initiatives, all to protect a select few who do not want to answer any questions about their choices. I hope the NHL reconsiders in order to remain a leader in DEI.
The first film footage ever taken of hockey. A group of railway workers from Montreal playing on Crystal Lake in New Jersey on Feb 24th, 1898. credit: Thomas Edison