As my thirteen-year-old son prepared for his basketball game this past weekend, I asked if he was ready to play. He said, “I’m going to take my anger out on the game.” You see, he has become a die hard Duke basketball fan like I am and our beloved Blue Devils had just been taken behind the woodshed by a very determined St. John’s team. It was a brutal loss and my son was mad about it. I looked at him and said something to the effect, “If you go out there angry, you’ll make stupid mistakes. Getting angry means getting stupid. What part of that do you have control over?” Her replied, “I shouldn’t get angry.” Bingo. We proceeded to have a chat about how letting our emotions get the best of us prevents us from being our best. He was able to calm himself and play a good game.
- Get angry, get stupid.
- You can’t control what happens to you. You can’t control how others respond to what happens. The only think we really control is how we react to what happens to us.
- You teach people how to treat you.
- When Momma’s happy, everybody’s happy. (And the corollary: Happy wife, happy life.)
- Better to be lucky than smart most days.
- If it hasn’t been done yet, that’s probably just because no one has had the guts to try.
- One person with an idea is a dreamer. Two people sharing an idea is a movement.
- Leadership isn’t about you, it’s about them.
- Persistence is a virtue.
Love # 4 and #7.
Thanks Trish. #4 is the most critical to the overall happiness of my life.
All great rules. My addition would be "Never confuse having a career with having a life".
It's really hard to control the game if you're angry while playing. I agree that you can make stupid mistakes inside the court and you always have to pay the penalty. Always stay calm and confident while playing the game.
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