The demise of Lance

When Lance Armstrong made the announcement that he would stop fighting allegations regarding doping during his cycling career on August 23rd, I thought he had either evaluated his priorities and realized his Tour victories didn't define him and was ready to move on OR he knew that a mountain of undeniable evidence was just around the corner and he was trying to save face and take the high road before he was pegged a cheater.

There comes a time in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense. - Lance Armstrong, August 23, 2012

That's it. Armstrong quit. The poster child for never give up did exactly that. I'm angry because I believed him and believed in him for so long. "Everyone wants to know what I'm on," he said during memorable commercial. "I'm on my bike busting my ass 6 hours a day. What are you?" The answer his teammates and every other cyclist interviewed gave was, "the same thing as Lance...and our bikes for 6 hours a day, too." His actions over the past two months have been nothing short of an admission of guilt. Quitting the fight says he's guilty of cheating.

The Lance Armstrong that I admired was not a quitter. He was a cancer survivor and became the most dominant athlete in professional sports. People like that don't quit, but this one did. His 'enough is enough' statement came only a few weeks before a gigantic, 202-page compilation of eye-witness accounts of him taking performance enhancing drugs on several occasions. He never failed a drug test (at least what we know), but quitting the fight this way is worth more than 1,000 failed drug tests. The man who didn't quit, who wouldn't quit, when death was knocking on his door quit when allegations pilled so high they couldn't be denied any more. If the allegations were false, he would have fought them forever.

What message do these past few months give to people who looked to Armstrong for inspiration? Cancer patients, cancer survivors and so many others now see a hypocrisy in a man who overcame death only to quit when his personal reputation was on the line. Certainly, Lance Armstrong, the inspirational cancer survivor, and Lance Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist, will be put into two separate categories for some time. His foundation has raised over $500 million for cancer research. Regardless of how he earned his platform, that is commendable. Livestrong will continue to do great things in medical research, but will forever be followed by a cloud of suspicion and scandal. It's hard to imagine that it will be as effective as it was before Armstrong's reputation was permanently damaged.

"You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time." - Abraham Lincoln

Leaders are Lifters

While watching NFL Sunday Countdown, a quote about Eli Manning caught my attention. One of his wide receivers said of the Super Bowl MVP, "leaders are lifters. He picks us up and carries us on his back." I liked the little phrase so I searched the internet for similar quotes regarding leaders are lifters. The only thing that turned up was Manning's head coach Tom Coughlin saying the same thing about him. Leaders are lifters.

Digging deeper, it's clear that Manning has a great rapport with his teammates. They describe his as being very positive and encouraging. He speaks to the potential of each athlete instead of dwelling on the things he cannot control (dropped passes, injuries, etc.). He also demonstrates genuine care for other players. He talks to them, walks off the practice field with them and continues to give people chances. He's easy for players to follow.

It's evident in professional sports that the best leaders are lifters. Aaron Rodgers is another great example of a Super Bowl MVP who lifted his teammates to higher levels in spite of injuries and setbacks to achieve the ultimate goal in professional football.

Here are nine leadership principles that lead to leaders becoming lifters:

1. They believe in others. Leaders who actively empower others to showcase their abilities are able to pull the potential out of those around them.

2. They're passionate. It's easy to follow a leader who cares deeply about the vision and mission. It's just as easy to not follow someone when they're not as interested in the plan as others.

3. They take personal responsibility for the bad and quickly give credit to others for the good. The trick to this principle is it must be sincere. Great leaders credit others because they sincerely believe they deserve the credit. Followers will sniff the fraud who credits others only because they believe it will benefit their bottom line. Additionally, they shoulder the blame when it doesn't go well. They look at themselves first and recognize how they can become better while realizing they cannot do it alone.

4. They control the controlables. Staying focused is a key ingredient to success in all facets of life. When a leader begins to focus on things out of his/her control, the pieces will fall apart. Attitude and effort is always within your control. Start there.

5. They open their mouth only when needed. When words are carefully selected and used only when needed, people listen eagerly. When words are used too much, they become noise and are quickly blocked out. Great leaders lead by example first and with words second.

6. They remain upbeat. Being optimistic allows for a leader to be a positive encouragement instead of a "Debbie Downer." People want to follow individuals who are upbeat, can keep things light and have a healthy perspective. Optimistic leaders believe the best is possible.

7. They choose greatness. You don't need permission to make yourself better. The best leaders set a higher standard for themselves than what they expect of others. They simply demand that what gets done today is more excellent than what was done yesterday. The standard doesn't have to be your standard. Your can set standards higher than the rest. It's your choice.

8. They lead with their heart, not their ego. When maintaining status as a leader takes precedence over winning as a team, success becomes difficult. The best leaders are also humble - they have a proper understanding of who they are and how they relate to the world and others around them. Leading with your heart forces you to care for others.

9. They don't miss the opportunity to publicly praise others. Similarly, they never take the opportunity to publicly ridicule or demean others. Public praise allows for private criticism because trust is established.

How can this type of leadership be applied to our lives? Everyone has access to becoming a leader that lifts others. If you're a husband or wife, parent, friend, coach, athletes, etc., these principles can be used to have a positive impact on others. Make it a goal to assure that others are better for having come into contact with you.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

I'm fascinated by individuals who strive to become the best in the world. I study the mannerisms and nuances that help make them great. Whether if it's the best athlete in the world, the best coach, or...the best sushi chef, there are striking similarities between those who are the best.

I recently watched a documentary about the world renown sushi chef Jiro Ono. His skill and technique is unmatched in the culinary world. His small, 10-seat restaurant requires reservations almost one year in advance and demands $300 per plate. His reviews are impeccable and people travel across the world to sit before the great Jiro.

His presence and preparation makes nearly every one of his customers nervous. They all explain that their experience is worth whatever it took to be a part of the greatness.

In the case of Jiro Ono, one journalist described that a great chef has the following five attributes:

1. They take their work very seriously and consistently perform at the highest level.

2. They aspire to improve their skills.

3. Cleanliness. If the restaurant doesn't feel clean, the food isn't going to taste good.

4. Impatience. They're better leaders than collaborators. They're stubborn and insist on having it their way.

5. They're passionate.

Jiro sets the standard for discipline. He’s always looking ahead. He’s never satisfied with his work. He’s always trying to make the sushi better, or improve his skills. Even now, that’s all he thinks about, all day, every day. He's 85 years old and considered the best sushi chef ever, however he still strives to improve.

All I want to do is make better sushi. I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I’ll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is.

He's obsessed with sushi. It's his passion. It's the only thing he's ever wanted to do and he has always pushed the envelope to be original. He said, "I would make sushi in my dreams. In the middle of the night, I’d jump out of bed with new ideas."

The qualities that Jiro Ono exudes are similar to those of the greatest of all-time in other categories. Individuals like Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, to name a few, will go down in history as being the best in the world at what they did. They demonstrated a passion, character traits and standards similar to best sushi chef in the world.

In the wrestling world, Dan Gable studied other greats like Mickey Mantle and Secretariat. Dave Schultz was fascinated by the great Miyamoto Musashi. The greats study the greats. I wonder if it's because they're the only people they really understand. They cannot identify with someone who doesn't posses the same attributes they do. They might be in a different field or profession, but greatest is often manufactured in the same way.

Burn the Plows

Steven Furtick recently released his second book, entitled Greater. In it, he uses the story of Elisha to describe how God desires our life become greater. The book was released congruent to a sermon series of the same title. It’s profound in wisdom, yet simple in application.

In 1 Kings 19:19-21, Elisha is called to follow Elijah. Elisha was in the field with his oxen and plow when Elijah arrived to bring him on board. Immediately, Elisha knew that there was something greater for him and he burned his plow and had an enormous barbecue for the people serving oxen.

Elisha had a career that was respectable and safe. He knew that pushing a plow supported his family. So when he decided to burn the plows, he left himself with no way out. He was “all in.” He didn’t give himself a back door in case things didn’t work out. He didn’t store his plow for when things became difficult in ministry.

I shared this story with our athletes after practice this weekend because many of us have plows we’re storing in the shed (metaphorically speaking). We hesitate to go all in because the results are not guaranteed. It’s scary to fully commit to something knowing the risks and that it might not work out the way you would like. We naturally hold on to those things that are less than best because it’s safe. We settle for good enough at the expense of greater.

What does it look like in your life to go “all in”? It’s different for everyone. A plow could be something like a change of attitude towards a certain situation, a relationship that might need to end or need boundaries, something physical like a habit to stop, or anything holding you back from what is BEST.

Elisha’s plow symbolized something good. The worst enemy of what’s BEST for you is what’s GOOD for you. Settling for good enough keeps us from being the men and women that God created us to be. You can’t move into greater things until you burn good enough.


Most of us are not in danger of ruining our lives. We are in danger of wasting our lives.

What I learned from Monday Night Football

Opinion about the replacement referees in the NFL is no longer a controversial issue. Everyone who doesn’t own a professional football team thinks it’s time to get the original referees back on the field. For Packers fans, Monday night’s debacle was something they never want to experience again.

As a sports fan, I understand that bad calls happen and can affect the outcome of the game. This isn’t new, however, the subsequent reactions seem to be treading on new territory. Calling out the NFL, phone calls to the commissioner, players tweeting expletives, social media outcries, etc. are happening because the fans are upset.

The dynamic I was most interested in during the fiasco was how individuals demonstrated their capacity to handle adversity. Mike McCarthy, the head coach for the Green Bay Packers, represented all that is right about sportsmanship and standards of excellence during and after that already infamous moment. (I’m an avid Packers fan and stock holder, by the way, so I might be biased).

McCarthy was emotionless while the events unfolded. He never lost his composure. In fact, he had the similar stoic demeanor that he exudes during victories. He was calm and steady. Of course, many of the players lost their cool, but McCarthy stayed the course. He has standards and he walked the talk. He went on the describe that he was frustrated that he hadn’t made a change in the game plan sooner and that he was only going to control what he could control. He took the high road.

The talking heads beat this issue to death on Tuesday. I watched the final play at least 150 times. I was anxious to hear what McCarthy had to say and during his afternoon press conference, he didn’t disappoint. He acknowledged that he was upset, however, he said it was his responsibility to help channel all of the emotion and energy in the locker room towards the Saints this weekend. He didn’t say they were ripped off, he didn’t talk about the replacement referees and he didn’t dwell on what had happened. He buried it in the past and moved forward like a great leader.

The Packers are less than two seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl. McCarthy’s press conference yesterday reminded me of his midseason stance two seasons ago. He found a way to take all of the negative energy (injuries, etc.) and funnel it towards the next game one week at a time. He helped the team carry that proverbial “chip” on their shoulders. Once again, one of the best teams in the NFL has a chip on their shoulder and their commander-in-chief, Mike McCarthy, is steering the ship.

McCarthy is a great example of what convictions and standards of excellence look like in professional sports and leadership. Not only is he admirable in moments of crisis, he’s a role model of character and integrity when things are going well, too. He has clearly turned a setback into a set-up this week.

Why not me?

I've heard many athletes use the term "why not me?" when looking for the confidence needed to achieve their goals. It's a rhetorical question and along the lines of "someone has to win, so it might as well be me" thought process. I'm on board with both.

Last night, I was discussing goals with an athlete and he said he had come to the realization of "why not me?" He was indicating that he had turned the corner in his mind and was ready to achieve the goals he has set for himself. When he said, "why not me?" I instructed him to answer the question. He was stunned and somewhat speechless. I said, "Why not you? Answer that question." Of course he wasn't prepared to answer the cliche question, but it's my nature to push people in those scenarios.

He began explaining why he should reach his goals. He has put in the time, worked harder than anyone else, done all of the little things right, etc. I informed him that's why him. It doesn't answer why not. This is the disconnect. He understood all of the things that should be leading to success, however, he wasn't ready to consider the things that were leading him away from success. It wasn't a case of taking the wrong path or choosing bad things. He was simply being shortsighted in some of the decisions he had made. They looked great in the moment, but more flavor-of-the-month decisions instead of long term planning on how to achieve the goals he had set. The reason he had not reached his goals yet is because he hasn't been completely committed to it in all areas of his preparation and training even if it appeared so from a physical standpoint.

Why not me? Why not? Can you answer that question?

Always make withdrawals, rarely make deposits

We can take this illustration in many different directions. I've shared my concern with the abundance of competitions compared to practices. I've also talked about young athletes are burning out at an alarming rate because of unneeded pressures that steal their margin (margin is the space between load and limit). The truth is, we're a limited resource and we have to be strategic about how we use our time.

If withdrawals exceed deposits, an overdraft is inevitable. We all know this and watch the balance sheet in our checking accounts. Are we doing the same with our life? When someone files bankruptcy, it's too late to start looking at the balance sheet. That work should have been years before the breaking point. The same is true in divorce, giving up, quitting, etc. The breaking point might provide a new perspective, but it's too late to start monitoring the balance. That has to be done well in advance, with foresight and vision, with hopes and dreams, with classifications and priorities.

As a coach, I encourage every athlete to make a priorities list and check it often. I give them permission to classify and prioritize their commitments and relationships. I encourage them to give themselves permission, too. Because some people are useful and some are useless. Some opportunities are build our lives up, others tear them down. When liabilities have out-weigh assets our debt ratio becomes uncontrollable and presents a large number of risks.

In the market place, the higher the debt ratio, the greater risk will be associated with the firm's operation. Like all financial ratios, a company's debt ratio should be compared with their industry average or other competing firms. In the industry of youth sports, the debt ratio of young athletes is running at an unsustainable rate. If the same ratio was attached to an investment firm, a lot of people would lose their money.

Yesterday, an 11-year old athlete told me that his baseball team was scheduled to play 16 games over four days this weekend and into next week. I was shocked by that number and my only response was that he should bring a lot of sunscreen. Our best junior athletes wrestled over 15 matches in four days last week in Oklahoma (down from 20+ matches in previous years). A family friend of ours said they go to soccer games nearly every night. So many athletes are making withdrawal after withdrawal, but not depositing anything. An overdraft is inevitable. When the teenager files bankruptcy on his young sports career, it's too late to offer alternatives.

Classify and prioritize. Is it necessary to participate if it robs your family of movie night? It is worth it to try to impress a coach at the expense of a family vacation, prom, a graduation ceremony, etc.? Why do you do what you do? What's the long-term vision (of your "coach" or your son/daughter or you)? Why not take a night off?

Last night, I took the night off and took my son to the movie 'Brave.' It was awesome to hang out with him. One of the best nights of my life. Much to my chagrin, the athletes that I left at Victory didn't suffer a bit. In fact, many of them went to the movie, too. Maybe they needed a movie night placed into their rigorous sports schedule to actually take some time for themselves (make a deposit). Since leaving the theater, Isaiah and I have been repeating the line with Merida's little Irish accent, "if you could change your fate, would ya?" Well, would YOU?