Positive New Year

Happy New Hockey Year. Hope you work to make it a great one!

20 Tips To Help Make 2014 A Great Year

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible. 
2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a “Thank You Walk.” It will create a fertile mind ready for success. 
3. Make your first meal the biggest and your last meal the smallest. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card. 
4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask: “What are the three most important things I need to do today that 
will help me create the success I desire?” Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions. 
5. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself and feed 
your mind with the words and encouragement you need to keep moving forward. 
6. Remember that adversity is not a dead-end but a detour to a better outcome. 
7. Don’t chase dollars or success. Decide to make a difference and build meaningful relationships and success will find you. 
8. Get more sleep. You can’t replace sleep with a double latte. 
9. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. 
Instead invest your energy in your purpose, people and the positive present moment. 
10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone. 
11. Live with the 3 E’s. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy. 
12. Remember there’s no such thing as an overnight success. There’s no substitute for hard work. 
13. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences. 
14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that if you are complaining, you’re not leading.
15. Read more books than you did in 2013. 
16. Don’t seek happiness. Instead decide to live with passion and purpose and happiness will find you.  
17. Focus on “Get to” vs “Have to.” Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation. 
18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 
I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished____________. 
19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants. 

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it. 

Happy New Year Everyone!

Content by Jon Gordon

Believe

Just a little post about the power of believing in yourself.

The Bayonne Bleeder

You have to believe in yourself so strongly that you are willing to bank on it.

Chuck Wepner never learned this lesson. As a boxer he earned the name “the Bayonne Bleeder”, due to the punishment he took even while winning. In the boxing world he was what was called a “catcher” a fighter that uses his head to block the other guy’s punches…..Wepner continually pressured his opponent until he either won or got knocked out. He never cared how many shots he had to absorb until he could deliver a knockout blow to his opponent. His trainer Al Braverman called him, “The gutsiest fighter I ever met. He was in a league of his own. He didn’t care about pain or embarrassment. If he got cut or elbowed he never looked at me or the referee for help. He was a fighter in the purest sense of the word.”

When Wepner knocked out Terry Henke in the 11^th round in Salt Lake City, promoter Don King offered Wepner a title shot against then heavyweight champion George Forman. But when Ali defeated Forman, Wepner found himself scheduled to fight ‘The Greatest’. Mohammed Ali!!

On the morning of the fight Wepner gave his wife a pink negligée and told her she would soon be sleeping with the Heavyweight Champion of the World. 

Ali scored a technical knockout with only 19 seconds remaining in the fight. But there was one moment, one glorious moment in the ninth round when a ham-like paw to Ali’s chest knocked the reigning champion off his feet. Wepner recalled, “When Ali was down I remember saying to my ring man Al Braverman, ‘Start the car we’re going to the bank, we’re millionaires!!’ and Al said to me, ‘You’d better turn around…..because he is getting up….’

After the fight, Wepner’s wife pulled the negligee out of her purse and asked, “Do I go to Ali’s room or does he come to mine?”

That story would be nothing more than an odd boxing footnote except for the fact that a struggling writer was watching the fight. Suddenly it struck him, “there it is!” he said to himself. So he went home and started writing and he wrote for three days straight. 

That is how writer and actor Sylvester Stallone described the birth of the Academy Award winning movie Rocky.

The movie studio offered the struggling writer an unprecedented $400,000 for his script. But Stallone refused the money, choosing instead just $20,000 and the right to play the part of Rocky for actor’s minimum wage, a paltry $340 per week. He felt strongly that this script and part would catapult him to fame and fortune. He was right.

The studio also made an offer to Wepner since the movie was based on his life. He could receive a flat fee of $70,000 or 1% of the movies gross profits. Wanting the guaranteed payday, Wepner took the $70,000, a decision that ultimately cost him $8,000,000.00………

Chuck Wepner retired to Bayonne, NJ and worked as a liquor salesman.

The moral of the story? A few of things I guess……..

1. Marry someone with a good sense of humor.

2. You never know what your individual efforts will lead to or what results will come from your hard work.

3. Be willing to bank on yourself.

Happy New Year!

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

"The gift that keeps on giving the whole year."
Anyone who has seen the Holiday Classic, Christmas Vacation, recognizes the significance of the title of this blog. If you have not you can watch the video clip posted at the end. It never gets old....

Here is a great last minute gift idea for anyone who needs one. This is a unique gift that you can both give and receive at the same time. ...It costs nothing and can last not just for a month, but forever.

Recently I was given this early Christmas gift. I doubt the person even thought they were giving me anything......
I was paid a compliment by someone who I have become very close with. They told me that they appreciate my friendship and advice and that I was a good 'Mentor' for them. The feeling I got from that was as nice a present I have received in a long time, maybe ever. It made me think of all the many 'Mentors' I have had in my life and the ones that are now new to it as well. It really is a great gift. Either being a Mentor or being Mentored is something to be treasured. So this week I decided to look into further.
What exactly is a 'Mentor'?
^{You know you are on to a good topic when the word you are going to focus on is both a noun and a verb.}

¹men·tor

noun \ˈmen-ˌtȯr, -tər\

: someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person

²mentor

transitive verb

: to teach or give advice or guidance to (someone, such as a less experienced person or a child) : to act as a mentor for (someone)

The word comes from the Greek epic poem The Odyssey.
Before Odysseus leaves for the Trojan war, he asks his old friend Mentor to look after his family and his home. When Odysseus returns home twenty years later and needs some divine assistance, the Goddess Athena comes to his aid in the form of that same wise trustworthy man, and offers Odysseus advice and counsel. The idea to which this reliable old friend unwittingly lent his name has been passed on to us in the form that hasn't changed much since those times. And as Odysseus did, we often find those close to us being our 'Mentors'.

You can make a conscious decision to become a 'Mentor'. To sit down with someone and share wisdom, encouragement and experience. That is 'mentoring'. You can also become a 'Mentor' when someone else chooses to learn from you. Both unique, both are forms of 'mentoring' and both are special gifts.
People sometimes never even meet their 'mentors'. They can even be from the past.
That is what is incredible. You can be and also find sources of inspiration and guidance and never have interacted with the other person.
'Mentoring' also involves receiving. It is acknowledging that you need help, guidance and instruction as well. That is one of the wonderful things about aging. You begin to realize that you should have been more open to being mentored when you were younger. I know I sure do. And now there is something you can do about it.
You do not have to be perfect to be a 'Mentor'.
'Mentoring' is not just about celebrating your own insight but about sharing wisdom. When you pass on the lessons of your life with someone else, it's not you who are teaching, but your experience.

'Mentors' are not heroes.  A hero is someone you idolize. While a 'Mentor' is someone you respect. A hero earns our amazement. A 'Mentor' earns our confidence. A hero takes our breath away. A 'Mentor' earns our trust. 'Mentors' do not seek to create a new person, they simply seek to help a person become a better version of himself.
'Mentors' are primarily concerned with teaching. And a teacher is there to inspire.

There are many coaches I played for over the years who are now 'mentoring' me and they don't even realize it.

Over the course of a hockey season so many things happen in practice, during games and yes even away from the rink. Good times. Bad times. Ups. Downs. Challenges. Accomplishments. Setbacks..... It is funny how a hockey season in its' entirety is much like a microcosm of life. Hockey needs coaches, and life needs 'Mentors'.

If you look hard, they are all around us.
It is never to late to be 'mentored' and you are never too old to be a 'Mentor'. Never.

The example of Nelson Mandela and his recent passing comes to mind. I read a lot of the features on him and his leadership over the course of the last week and was inspired by things I did not know about him and his life.
That is the thrill of coaching. To give the advice that took a lifetime of going through things and being able to share it.

Some of the greatest coaches of all time have cited some of their 'mentors' as people from history not just the world of sport. All sorts of unique and special people from all walks of life. People like Abraham Lincoln, Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill, John Kennedy.....etc. And yes, even Clark Griswold......

So I hope this gift idea is one you share with other people and one that you are open to receiving. Give someone the gift of letting them know that they are a 'Mentor' to you. It feels great.
Jelly is good too!!!
Happy Holidays!

Fly Together

Just a little follow up piece on the post from a while ago about teams and people going through difficult times.

I saw a lot of Canadian Geese heading south over the last few days while I was travelling. So of course, originally being from Canada, it made me think of this and how it related to the topic on difficult times and sticking (flying) together:

When you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in a "V" formation, you might be interested in knowing that science has discovered why they fly that way. Research has revealed that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately behind it. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. (People who share a common direction and sense of community get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are travelling on one another's thrust.)

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If we as people have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation and so will those who are headed the same way we are.) When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the "V" and another goose flies the point. (It pays to take turns doing the heavy lifting....)
The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. (Are we positive when we honk from behind?)

And finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunfire and falls out, two other geese fall out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the goose until it is either able to fly again or dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up to their group. (If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that when times are tough......) 

So when things are heading south.....fly together.

And who says nature doesn't relate to hockey???

Have a great week!

We're Not That Bad

"When you play long enough, everybody goes through spells and streaks and slumps of some nature. I think it's just one of the those things where you have to play yourself out of it."
Mark Messier

Losing streaks.
Adversity.
I suck. 
You suck.
He sucks.
We suck.......

Everyone. Every team. Every sport. Every season. 
There always has been losing streaks and slumps and there always will be. Teams lose just a sliver of confidence, coaches and players start to press, and soon 1 or 2 losses becomes losing 7 out of 8 or 10 out of 13........It is just part of the game and one of the challenges both players and coaches must confront and deal with to find a way to get back to winning. Currently, the team I am helping coach is going through one of those tough patches. Things just aren't clicking. But I do know that we will get through it and be better because of it.

 "If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges."

  Pat Riley

Believe me.....I have seen my share of losing streaks. At the time they seemed horrible but looking back I now realize there were tremendous lessons learned from those times. 
That is what this blog is going to focus on today. 
One of the great blessings I have had in life has been to play for some great coaches as well as with some incredible players. They shared a lot of their wisdom when it comes to dealing with slumps. They gave me some ideas as well as some quotes from some legendary coaches.

"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity." Lou Holtz

First some amusing stories about losing streaks, if that is even ok to say....
Once upon a time I played for for the expansion Ottawa Senators. We were very challenged with some young and inexperienced players and simply just not a very good hockey team. At one point of the disastrous season, we were on a 14 game losing streak. One game we were losing after two periods to the Boston Bruins 6-0 and it should have been 12-0.... An older, veteran player on the team stands up amid the chaos of the dressing room and screams the following:
"Guys, guys.....sit down!!! Relax, we have to settle down........We are not that bad! We are not that bad!........We just play in a really good league!!!!!......." Needless to say that broke up some of the tension.

 "How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser." Lou Holtz

Danny Ozark, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies was once asked by a reporter what he thought of his team during a losing streak."It is beyond my apprehension."
One time coach of the Vancouver Canucks, Harry Neale was famous for saying, “Last season we couldn't win at home. This season we can’t win on the road. My failure as a coach is I can’t think of any place else to play.”  
John McKay was the coach of the then expansion team Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL. They were absolutely horrible when they first entered the league and were on a huge losing streak. When asked, "Coach, what do you think of your team's execution today?" McKay quipped, "I'm all for it". These are funny quotes but anyone who has ever coached can surely relate.

"Losing streaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning you got off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, you're in a slump. If you lose at the end, you're choking." Gene Mauch

So what can coaches do about slumps or losing streaks? The common thing that I was told was to try to find a way to re-create confidence but don't over-coach. There is no sense trying to install a new forecheck system or powerplay when the team is not in a good frame of mind to learn anything new. Just try to get back to basics in practice and be as repetitive with simple things as possible. Doing the little things correctly will help build back the confidence that players need to play well. 

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen. " John Wooden

Another tip for the coaches.......Stay calm. If you exude confidence, your team will get its own back. It's just a matter of time, practice and trying to remain patient. Remember coaches, we are not only teaching players how to overcome adversity in the game but also in life.

"If you're going to make every game a matter of life or death, you're going to have a lot of problems. For one thing, you'll be dead a lot." Dean Smith


Now some advice for the players who might be going through some tough times.

 "Slump? I ain't in no slump -- I just ain't hitting." Yogi Berra

It is important to realize the reality of the situation and address it. Yes you are playing bad or the team is struggling but this happens during a season and you will need to do a few things to adjust. But realize that it is only a small snapshot of the entire year.

"You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose." Lou Holtz

One of the common pieces of advice that good players shared with me was that you need to stop pressing. Relax and get back to having fun playing. Easier said than done right?? But remember, that is the reason everyone started playing in the beginning correct? To have fun. Being in a slump is not fun, so combat that by trying to find a way to enjoy the game again. I am not in any way discounting the importance of hard work. That is clearly the most important trait of any great player is their ability to work hard and work their way through tough times. There is no substitute for that. But what has to happen is that work has to become 'fun'. The amount of work must be looked upon as an enjoyable way to fix your problems....... You know you have to work out of the slump but why not have fun doing it? Do you ever remember being six or seven years old and being in a slump? No. You were just playing. Having fun. Strive to get that feeling back. If you can, focus on the times you played really well. If possible watch video of you and your team playing well and having success. Now that is fun!

"You've got to be careful if you don't know where you're going cause you might not get there." Yogi Berra

Much like coaches, players should try to simplify during these times. Get back to some very basic things. Just make the most simple of plays. Over and over and over again until things start to get better and confidence returns. Practice hard, but routinely do something simple with perfection and that will slowly and surely translate into the rest of your game.

"Keep it simple, when you get too complex you forget the obvious. " Al Maguire

                      
I hope this helps both coaches and players out there alike in some small way. Slumps are never fun but they are also never fatal.

I also really hope our players read this blog.........we are running out of places to play! :)

"Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. Sooner or later the man  who wins is the man who thinks he can." Vince Lombardi

And remember, every team goes through stuff.....