The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field.
—VINCE LOMBARDI
My baseball career was a long, long initiation into a single secret: At the heart of all things is love.
—SADAHARU OH
Early in his career Shaquille O’Neal and his United States teammates traveled to Athens, Greece, to compete in the World University Games. A writer asked the seven-foot-one center if, during his visit, he had checked out the Parthenon.
“No,” O’Neal replied. “I haven’t been to all the clubs yet.”
Since that time the world has seen basketball’s manchild mature as an athlete and a person. Shaq’s biggest growth spurt came at age twenty-eight during his eighth pro season, when he led the league in scoring, finished second in rebounding, placed third in blocked shots, and led the Los Angeles Lakers to a league best 67—15 record and the National Basketball Association championship.
During the season O’Neal thought of a boat trip in Montana he took with his uncle the previous summer. Shaq knew his new coach, Phil Jackson, had a vacation residence near the river, and during the trip he found it. In a window overlooking a dock, O’Neal spotted the championship trophies that Jackson’s Chicago Bulls teams had won. “Six gold balls,” O’Neal recalled. Gleaming in the sunlight. “They blinded me.” In truth, their sparkle opened his eyes.
On the day he received his own shiny trophy, the 1999-2000 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, the most dominating player in the game said he wanted to be nicknamed “Big Aristotle” because, in his words, “It was Aristotle who said, ‘Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.’”
Obviously not everyone who reads this book is going to become a world-class athlete like those quoted in these pages. But each of us can be an MVP—a Most Valuable Person.
It doesn’t take exceptional talent, education, or wealth to become an MVP. One becomes an MVP by achieving excellence within. Inner excellence is a way of thinking and a way of acting. It is a quality of mind, a mentality that says no matter how difficult things become, you are responsible and accountable for your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Inner excellence is staying positive in negative situations, and it is dealing with adversity in an optimistic way. It is finding love and joy in what you do and remaining steadfastly committed to your goals, values, and dreams. It’s staying cool when the heat is on.
People with inner excellence look at competition as a challenge. They are motivated by a desire to succeed rather than by a fear of failure. They possess an unconditional, high self-esteem and self-image. They have a can-do attitude and a will to prepare to win. They believe the harder they work, the harder it is to surrender. They don’t quit or play the blame game, and they look after the smallest detail to go the extra mile. They are big enough to back down from trouble and strong enough to be kind, fair, and honest.
Excellence goes beyond winning and losing. Inner excellence can’t be taken away by a referee or an opponent or the final tick of a scoreboard clock. Western society is externally oriented; we’re always going outside of ourselves to find validation and heroes and to measure success. We look outside for what only can be found inside. An MVP works on the inside, knowing that it will show on the outside.
Let’s review ten qualities of inner excellence.
The person who is a winner within has a dream. Eleanor Roosevelt said the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Remember Dwight Smith’s sensory-rich dream of playing for the Chicago Cubs? Imagination is like life’s previews of coming attractions. Pursue your dream. Turn that dream into action through goal setting.
Commitment. MVPs are committed to their goals. They live their lives on purpose. They are Ted Williams as a boy, wishing upon a star and dedicating himself to reaching that sky’s-the-limit goal of someday being known and honored as the best hitter ever to play the game. “I hated every minute of training,” Muhammad Ali said. “But I told myself, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” Joe Frazier, Ali’s opponent in three epic bouts said, “You can map out a fight plan or a life plan, but when the action starts, it may not go the way you planned, and you’re down to your reflexes—your training. That’s where your roadwork shows. If you cheated on that in the dark of morning, you’re getting found out now, under the bright lights.”
Responsibility. Those who achieve inner excellence are response-able. They don’t let what they can’t do interfere with what they can do. Like Notah Begay, they take responsibility for themselves and their actions. There is a footnote to the story about losing my job with the NFL Cardinals. After Buddy Ryan was fired after only two seasons, the organization invited me back. If I hadn’t swallowed my anger and disappointment—if I had burned my bridges—that probably wouldn’t have happened.
Openness to learning and growing. An MVP turns weaknesses into strength. Remember from Mr. Baseball the Japanese word kaizen, which means constant daily improvement? Learn how to play with the paradoxes of sports. We don’t grow old. We get old by not growing.
Optimism. A positive mental attitude is essential to becoming the hero that is within you. Chris Chandler could have quit football, but he never lost faith in himself. An optimistic spirit helped Andre Agassi climb from the bottom of the world rankings to number one in 1999. “I’ve always learned so much more from my downs than my ups,” Agassi said. “They’re really who I am.”
Self-confidence. No one can outperform his or her self-image. Athletes with inner excellence, like Tiger Woods, believe in themselves and their abilities. They know how to do within when they’re doing without. Part of responsibility psychology is knowing that no one can take away your self-esteem without your permission. Have the courage to growup and fulfill your potential.
Emotional control. In coaching life skills to professional athletes I am careful not to come off sounding judgmental. Rather than make accusations, I pose questions: “Do you think that was appropriate? Does thinking like that serve you well? Do you think that was a real mature thing to do?”
The adversity quotient. An MVP looks at obstacles as opportunities and views setbacks as springboards for comebacks. MVPs see stumbling blocks as stepping stones. “Keep your head up,” Paul “Bear” Bryant advised his college players. “Act like a champion.”
Those with inner excellence possess the backbone of character. They practice good sportsmanship. “Success without honor,” Joe Paterno said, “is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.” Former coach Gene Stallings said you can’t go wrong by doing right. While that may sound trite, it’s true. Pick people up; don’t put them down; walk your talk; live by your principles. If you don’t stand for something, you can fall for anything. If you stay in the middle of the road, the chances of getting hit are doubled.
An MVP is persistent and patient. Don’t give up on your dream. Don’t let others dissuade you. Hang out with people who stoke your fire, not soak your fire. When times are good be grateful, and when times are bad be graceful.
Working on the inside shows on the outside. What lies ahead of us or behind us is of little matter to what lies within us.