Four Rules for Winning

Lets’ be honest, we want to win. Nobody wants to go through life as a loser. Nobody wants to work their butt off just to see someone else hoist a trophy, win an award, or be more successful than us. You can read book after book, watch video after video, and if you want to be successful (a.k.a. win) there are four things you should do NOW to start winning. Whether I am coaching little league baseball, or business professionals, those that embody these principles always do better than those that don’t! Apply these four rules and you’ll start winning… and winning often!

Hustle Makes the Difference

When I am coaching 10-year-old baseball, the kids think hustle means always running. Yes, on the baseball field running is part of it. Hustle also means giving 100% effort to everything you are doing. Hustle means adding a sense of urgency to what you are doing. Nothing motivates most people like a deadline. Do everything like there is a looming deadline, no matter when it has to be done. When you approach your work with hustle, you’ll be more focused and you’ll notice that you’re much more productive. Hustle is the opposite of procrastination. If you want to win, you have to hustle. Keep in mind your competition wants to win too. You have to hustle more than they do if you want that trophy at the end of the game. Believe me, the masses of people would rather quit than put forth that extra effort that sets them apart. Those who hustle will find out how much that little extra means when it comes to winning results.

Listen to your Coaches

Back to the game… On the little league field, we have a team of coaches to help the kids learn and play baseball. This advice goes even further than little league. Successful people have coaches, mentors, peer groups, or an expert they can go to for help and advice. No one person can know everything for themselves. Coaches help bring out the best in us and can help in all areas of your life. They help us be better today than we were yesterday. Understand that listening to your coaches and doing what they suggest are two different things. In little league, sometimes we’ll tell a kid to do something and they hesitate, or don’t do it the way they are instructed. Guess what? They don’t get the results they want. In my business coaching, when my clients don’t take the advice given, they don’t get the results they desire. Find a coach, or a mentor, that you trust, seek their counsel, and do what they advise!

Good Sportsmanship

This is pretty simple. Follow the rules and treat everyone with respect. There are no umpires or referees in life, but there is karma. If you want to be successful, you need to nourish relationships with willing collaborators. Good leaders have people that want to follow them and work with them. If you treat people fairly, you’ll soon find you have many people anxious to work with you. If you are an employee of a company, and you honor rules, have a positive attitude, and are respectful, your value will become apparent. If you are in sales, and you treat prospects with respect, they will be happy to buy from you. Be courteous to everyone… even your competitors, and you will win.

Have Fun

If you’re not having fun, can you really do your best? When I see a kid on my team struggling, the very first thing I tell them is to smile. Have fun. We all have good days and bad days. Sometimes we catch all the breaks, other days we can’t buy a break. We all encourage children with this advice but minimize the importance when speaking to adults. But the truth is… you need to have fun. Having fun is what keeps us coming back when we don’t get it right the first time. Having fun gives us the energy for that little extra hustle. It helps us go that extra mile. When we’re having fun we are more respectful, a better leader, follower, employee, salesperson, coach, EVERYTHING! Having fun is what makes life worth living!

This Week’s Challenge

Listen to your coaches! Write down these four rules and post them where you can see them. I start and end every baseball practice, and every baseball game with the same rules. Start and end your day with the same rules and be consistent in following them. I promise you will start winning. And if you are already winning, swing for the fences, go for the pennant… amaze yourself with what you accomplish!

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Quote of the Week

“Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character.”
– John Wooden