part0012

Once locked into dream mode, make a list of everything you would like to achieve before you die. It’s sometimes called a bucket list. Be daring. Don’t worry about the price tag yet—you’ll vet your list with a reality check later. Now is the time to just dream.

Everyone’s bucket list is different. For some, it might be learning how to play guitar. For others, it might be climbing Mount Everest. Some want a tiny cabin in the Adirondacks; others want a 1,000-acre ranch in Utah or a beach house in Malibu. Some want to launch a new business; others want a promotion at work. Some want to lose a few pounds; others want to try out for the Olympics. It’s about you and what you want.

Dennis’s desire to become a professional athlete began in elementary school. Jimmy Kelly, a neighbor, played football at Clairton High School in Pennsylvania. Jimmy lived in a row home on Connecticut Avenue, four doors down from the Franks, and received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. He was the talk of the town and Dennis’s hero:

My dream was to be like him. I envisioned myself playing football in high school and getting a scholarship to play in college.

One day, Jimmy drove up the alley behind the row houses in a brand- new burgundy Bonneville he had purchased with his draft bonus after signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wow! My dream got bigger. Jimmy Kelly showed me that a kid from Clairton could make it in the pros. I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to have what he had. I was going to play in the NFL.

Coincidentally, Jimmy Kelly finished his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, making us fellow Philadelphia Eagles Alumni. At a recent alumni gathering, Dennis had an opportunity to share with Jimmy’s grandsons how their grandfather inspired him to go for his dream.

Vince’s dream was inspired by wide receiver Tommy McDonald. McDonald was just 5’9” and only 176 pounds, but he was a giant on the field. He was rarely hurt because no one could catch him, and if they did hurt him, it didn’t stop him. He was tough, fast, fearless, and cocky.

After games, I would pretend to be Tommy McDonald. I’d lie on the living room floor, throw a football into the air, and try to roll over and catch it before it hit the ground—just like Tommy did. McDonald wore Riddell cleats, so I had to wear Riddell cleats. He wore a helmet without a face mask, so I wanted to wear a helmet without a face mask. He would sandpaper his fingertips before games to make them more sensitive. I planned to do that, too. I like the way he talked and walked and ran. I liked the way he caught the ball. I had a vision of being McDonald. I was going to play wide receiver for the Eagles.

There is no right or wrong way to create your bucket list. It can be as detailed and descriptive as you want. Just keep writing until you have exhausted the possibilities.

Let’s shift gears now. There’s a lot of talk about the power of positive thinking. You know the philosophy—if you think hard enough and long enough, your brain will figure out a way to achieve it. But what about the power of negative thinking? What about the power of pain?

Look at each item on your bucket list. Take some time to think about what life will be like if you don’t reach that goal. Envision what life will be like if your waistline continues to grow, your income continues to shrink, or that business deal doesn’t come through.

Is the thought painful to you? If not, then you are unlikely to sustain the energy needed to achieve it. If it’s “no biggie,” take it off your list.

Let’s whittle the list down even further. Review each of the remaining items on your bucket list and ask yourself the questions below. There are only two answers: yes or no. Maybe is not an option. A maybe is a no.

The items that you answer “100% Yes!” represent your goals. The sum total of those goals is the big picture—your vision. Write these items on a new list. They made the final cut.

Congratulations! You have just created a compelling list of things you want to accomplish. It’s okay if you ended up with only one or two things. Laser-focusing on a few goals is better than getting overwhelmed and off-track by having too many.

Having trouble answering these questions? A great short cut is to ask someone who has done what you want to do. Schedule a time to interview them and ask those questions. Most successful people, if they have the time, are willing to share what they have learned. Another option is to read books and listen to podcasts relevant to your goals.

Create a timeline for achievement. Set a deadline for each goal. Make it realistic. Identify the sub-goals that serve your end goal. Set deadlines for them—this will help you stay on track.

EXAMPLE: Let’s say you’re out of shape, but you dream of running the Boston Marathon. Working with a trainer, you’ve identified other goals that need to be reached before you buy that ticket to Boston. Your couch-to-marathon journey might look like this.

Vision is not something mystical and distant. You must envision yourself there NOW! Committing your goals to paper and reviewing them daily will provide the motivation you need to stay the course. It will give you that tap on the shoulder (or kick in the pants) when you slack off. Hey guy. Look around. You’re not there yet. Get back to work.

Write out a statement for each goal in the present tense. Make it as descriptive as you can (but don’t let your lack of poetic ability stop you).

EXAMPLE: It’s 2025. I’m waking up in my eight-bedroom beach house in Malibu. I’m going for a morning swim, followed by a delicious, healthy breakfast prepared by our gourmet chef. I will enjoy breakfast with the love of my life. Our marriage is better than ever. We’re having a relaxed conversation about our future under our vine-draped pergola, surrounded by beautiful gardens.

EXAMPLE: I am crossing the finish line at the 2020 Boston Marathon. I hear the cheers of my friends who are lined up to see me finish. The sweat is pouring down my face. I feel energized and victorious. I made it!

If words aren’t your thing, create a vision board. Find pictures in magazines, brochures, or online that depict each of your goals. Paste them to a poster board with your dates for achievement. Not crafty? No problem: find pictures and save them to a gallery on your phone or computer. These pictures will keep your dream alive. They will trigger the emotional and mental experience of what attaining your dream will feel like.

Actor and comedian Jim Carrey envisioned becoming a millionaire. In 1990, the struggling, almost-penniless young comic wrote himself a check for $10,000,000. He put in the notation line, “For acting services rendered,” dated it Thanksgiving, 1995, and stuck it in his wallet. By 1995, Carrey had starred in Ace Ventura, Pet Detective ; The Mask ; and Liar, Liar . His per film fee? $20 million.

Start your day by reading your statement or looking at your vision board. See yourself doing the stuff necessary to make each goal a reality.

Sometimes circumstances shift: obstacles and opportunities present themselves in equal measure. You need to be flexible and adjust course to accommodate these changing conditions.

In Invincible , there’s a scene that depicts a successful audible. Dennis demonstrates to Vince how to read the stance of an opposing player.“Read the knuckles!” he says. The knuckles predict the weight displacement of an opponent. Weight on, the knuckles become a bloodless white or ashy color. This means the opposition is positioned to charge directly at you. Weight off, the blood comes back and the knuckles darken to a reddish color. The opposition is positioned to angle around you.

That “read the knuckles” tip changed the course of one pivotal game. The Eagles were playing the Giants and the score was tied 14–14. At the line of scrimmage, Vince noticed the cover man’s knuckles were white. He was positioned to hit Vince at the line of scrimmage.

Vince called an audible and changed the play to Check Zorro. He sprinted to the punt returner and made a great hit. The punt returner fumbled the ball, and Vince grabbed it and raced to score the winning touchdown. The Eagles’ losing streak was broken. In the movie, Coach Vermeil says, “Now that’s the sound we’ve been looking for.”

That is the impact of a well-called audible. It can change the course of a football game or the course of your life. When confronted with new opportunities or obstacles, Triple A it.

Dennis was recruited to play linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines—his dream position. The plan was to team up with linebacker Steve Strinko—a big guy with brains and talent. This was going to be a tandem made in heaven.

Then suddenly my best laid plans fell apart. Coach Bo Schem-bechler decided to move me to offensive center. What? Linebackers stand and run. Centers crouch and block. It meant learning a whole new skill set: how to snap the ball, call blocking schemes, and implement blocking assignments. This meant starting at the bottom and working my way up the chain of command. I was not happy. I strongly considered leaving the team.

Dennis eventually accepted his fate. He learned the new position and eventually loved it. As offensive center, he helped Michigan win three Big Ten championships.

Sometimes you don’t like the audible that has been called. Sometimes it messes with your plans. Roll with it. Don’t give up on your dreams. That audible just might open doors that lead to some of your heartiest last laughs.