I Believe In You

For some reason this is still a touchy subject… Most people are afraid or confused by what they don’t understand. I believe one of the largest problems we have today is that lack of awareness to our own inexperience. While it is impossible to see the world through someone else’s eyes, we can discuss and have conversations to better understand how they see the world. That saying, “Knowledge is powe...

Team Bonds naturally improve individual performance. One of the beautiful things about a bonded team, is the organic creation of purpose for teammates to look after and work hard for one another. Maximum performance in a team environment I not possible if a teammate isn’t giving their best for the team AND themselves. GREAT teammates make everyone around them better. GOOD teammates just do their p...

How do you make being uncomfortable, comfortable? It is absolutely normal to avoid discomfort and failure. That's our basic survival instincts kicking in, but there's a level beyond that we can all tap into. I learned this from watching a documentary of the Navy Seals going through hell week at BUD/S. The candidates are put through mental and physical training that push them to their abs...

Looking back, I was EXTREMELY blessed to have two great professional loves in my life in hockey and broadcasting. I knew from a young age that I wanted to pursue both and, if possible, merge them together. While there were times in my career that the see-saw would tip more towards one profession than the other (or sometimes I was off the ride all together), it was all part of the journey towards w...

Patience is a virtue! It’s true. The thought of being patient isn’t always easy. But what I have learned to respect is the tremendous outcomes that are gifted through patience. In my life, I have found that when I rush or drag my feet (or leave the present moment), that is when most mistakes or unfavorable outcomes tend to live. When I am patient and analyze a situation, good things tend to happen...

Slumps in sport and life typically last because we aren’t asking ourselves and each other the right questions. Great questions demand great answers. Here’s a few great ones (from Coach Todd Bowles) you should take into consideration if you or someone you know is going through a slump: Do you know your job inside and out? How good do you want to be? How much did it take for you to get here? How muc...

You don't need much to create a team building exercise. Physical metaphors for team building are some of my favorite things to do when working with a team. For that reason I keep an arsenal of drills to do with my teams weekly throughout the season. More often than not, the drills seem like easy, mundane tasks that should take very little time to complete. However when you add in 20 personalt...

Nervousness is part of the game; you can train for it like most things. Emotion and sports have always been tied together. While some deal with the nerves that come in high-tension moments by burying them or shutting off their emotions altogether, I take the approach of getting very in touch with them, calling them out, and getting as present as I can in the moment. Like most anxiety, when you fee...

For the past ten years, I have practiced being present as much as possible. I fail often! When I started doing the exercises I talk about in this video, I could barely get through two minutes without my mind wandering uncontrollably. I would get pissed at myself for not being able to stay focused. Through practice and instruction, I realized that our mind's wandering is a completely normal an...

Having a role is more important than having a job title. I’ve seen many young people identify and obsess over the job title on their business card. With our companies & teams, we wanted to change that, so we tried something different. Unless required for an event, call, or another reason, we don’t have distinct job titles at our place of business - we have roles. Each person who works with me...

My greatest sports injury taught me more about myself than any practice. It taught me that I am more than just an athlete. It taught me there are other ways to stay “in” the game other than just playing. It taught me how to overcome massive adversity. It taught me patience. It taught me resolve. It showed me how much I really do love the sport. Injuries are adversity and adversity (although someti...

As athletes, we all know the feeling of “being in the zone.” But did you know this is something you can practice? “The zone” is nothing more than complete present moment awareness. You are not worried about the future or the past, but what’s right in front of you. Present moment awareness is something you can practice in your daily life through many different methods including meditation, focusing...

Hard work creates opportunity and results, restlessness creates stress and anxiety. I used to think restlessness, or the need to find excitement in many activities, was an ally. In my 20’s, the result of this thinking was often working two full-time jobs and throwing projects on top of those to “get ahead”. Now don’t get me wrong, hard work was an asset. Those years allowed me to gain lots of expe...

It's very common for teams to go through a mid-season lull, especially if you play a winter sport. However, with that said, not many teams take action to prepare for it. If you're a coach, take the time to talk to your team about trust, communication and plans for the holiday time of year BEFORE the holidays arrive. Make them aware that "getting a little sick of each other" is...

The probability of you being a human being is about 1 in 10 to the 2,685,000th power, or 10 followed by 2,685,000 zeros (look this up, its true). I try to start and finish each day by grounding myself in gratitude. It's an exercise that has gotten me through some extremely hard times in my life by providing some perspective of my place in the world and universe as a whole. Its a pathway to se...

I’ve met a lot of people that want to “sign a pro contract.” The ones that succeed signed a contract with themselves years before. No piece of paper, trophy or award was ever achieved without a contract first being signed by the recipient with themself. Explore what you want to achieve, write the contact, and never compromise it. If you want it, you’ll make it happen. I believe in you, you should...

Imposter syndrome is a real struggle for all of us at times. Beating it just takes a simple shift in mindset… Listen in to see what I’m talking about. I believe in you. You should too. Share this episode with someone who you think should hear it, and let others know that you believe in them when deserved. It’s a small thing we can all do to leave this place better than we found it. I believe in YO...

We're all guilty of it at some point – waiting for that 'perfect' moment to kickstart our goals. Whether it's in sports, business, personal life decisions like having kids, or even starting a workout routine, we often wait for the right time. But here's a truth bomb: the perfect moment is right now. In my experience, both in sports and business, I've seen countless in...

When I was young, I struggled with a victim mentality. Teasing, problems, and a constant worry about others' opinions weighed heavily on me. However, a pivotal shift happened around middle school when I decided to stop worrying about these external judgments. I began to work tirelessly, focusing solely on my efforts, not fearing judgment. This change in attitude led to a profound transformati...

It's a profound realization I had, one that took far too long to dawn on me: I am not defined solely by the sport I play. Yes, I choose to be involved in that sport, to play, work, and dedicate a significant part of my life to it. But it is just that - a part, not the whole. This eye-opening moment reshaped my perspective. I see many young athletes defining themselves solely by their athletic...

When Hockey legend Gordie Howe signed with the Detroit Red Wings, his signing bonus wasn't a check with many zeros; it was a team jacket. This anecdote resonates with my own experiences in sports and beyond. When I first joined a team, my reward, much like Howe's, was a team jacket. This jacket, which I've held onto for over a decade, is more than a piece of clothing. It's a sy...

You have to take risks if you want to succeed. The secret is that these should be calculated risks, and they are something you can practice and prepare for.  Taking a risk is the equivalent of jumping off a cliff. No matter what kind of risk it is, it’s gonna be scary and there is ALWAYS a chance you might not make it. WITH THAT SAID, the key to taking risks effectively is to “prepare for the jump...

I don't have many trophies in my office; I have many photos of teams I have been a part of in championship moments. It's a special time, the seconds after a championship. It's the culmination of a group of people coming together to accomplish a common goal. It's a time when miracles are possible. As wonderful as it feels, it will pass. Over time I've come to realize that t...

Transitioning from blame to recognizing opportunities is a skill crucial in both sports and personal development. This journey from blaming to learning is about seeing challenges not just as setbacks, but as invaluable lessons. In my own life, I've encountered numerous instances where I felt wronged or deeply hurt. However, with time and reflection, I realized that these moments were, in fact...

Are you feeling pigeonholed, limiting your identity to just a single facet like a sport or a hobby? Understandably, devoting yourself to a passion is fulfilling. Yet, it's crucial to acknowledge that your identity encompasses more than this singular focus. This is a vital step in personal development and self-improvement. This epiphany struck me in my twenties, a transformative period, when I...