In 1998 when we were let go at Texas A&M I made a conscious decision to get away from coaching and to see what else was out there in the world where I could make some real money and have a better quality of life (Now, mind you… this is before the current contracts that college coaches have and the staffs with 5 assistant coaches). It was something that weighed on me heavily during the last half of the season, yet I did not put a lot of deep thought into it as I minimized the impact it would have on my life.
Or, maybe I was afraid to ask myself the hard questions.
- Who am I?
- What is my Why?
- What is my purpose…. what gets me up in the morning?
- What is my passion?
- What matters?
- What steps do I need to take so my skills and strengths do not become obsolete?
These questions help you explore the depth of who you are and help you come to grips with who you are not.
The story I was telling myself was simplistic…”you are young and a relationship builder… you will be fine.”
As the years went on and my values shifted to transformation, fundamentals, compassion, mental toughness, and vision I realized the opportunity I missed to honor my dreams, aspirations, and true strengths back in 1998.
Get outside your comfort zone and ask yourself the tough questions and then go deep with the answers because that is where the opportunity for transformation and growth lie.
You may be facing a career choice in terms of what path to choose, or you may be entertaining the idea of changing industries.
Maybe, you are simply trying to figure out what skills you need to develop to perform and lead at a higher level.
Remember, if you are not planning your future, you will become a part of someone else’s vision of it.
Never Forget
Life can be too short and there is no better reminder of that than today 9/11.
I want to send a huge shout out to a recent guest on The Athletics of Business podcast, “Fireman” Rob Verhelst who completed the Quell Foundation 9/11 Ride of Hope.
The 9/11 Ride of Hope is a 5-day cycling journey to honor those suffering from the physical and emotional exposures associated with September 11th, 2001, and its aftermath. Each mile of the journey between the World Trade Center in N.Y. and the Pentagon in Arlington, VA, pays respect to those who lost their lives and demonstrate our commitment to the mental health of our First Responder, Emergency Response, Government Agencies, and Military communities. The event culminated with the national premiere of The Quell Foundation’s documentary Lift the Mask – First Responders Sound the Alarm on Friday and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon on the anniversary of 9/11.
This event aims to educate, inspire, and empower first responders to recognize mental health crisis warning signs amongst their own. Americans in public service are more likely to die by suicide than performing their line-of-duty life-saving roles. In 2019, at least 114 Firefighters died by suicide, compared to the 52 that died in the field. In the same year, 228 Police Officers took their life while 132 died in the field. We have lost 22 as of February 15th, 2021. The reality facing our country’s first responders is at a critical point.
This Week’s Takeaways:
- Commit one hour to asking yourself the six questions mentioned above?
- Which one do you think you will struggle with the most and why? Then….start with that question and get to work!
Keep Doing Great Things
This was originally published as a weekly newsletter from Ed Molitor, with The Molitor Group. If you’d like to receive the weekly newsletter, follow this link to subscribe.
