On Saturday night the NFL enshrined seven new members into the Football Hall of Fame.
I watched the ceremony and was inspired by the speeches given by these sports greats. While they all had one common purpose, they all took different journeys to get to this destination.
In honor of the seven inductees, I want to share seven messages that came through loud and clear from each of their remarks.
You don’t have to play football or even be a fan. These points apply to anything in life.
- Have a dream and a vision for yourself. Follow your passion.
- Motivation is different for everyone. It comes from unexpected places and is a necessary component to fulfilling your dream. Terrell Davis’ came from wanting respect from his dad. Kurt Warner’s came from seeing Dan Marino’s face on a cereal box. Kurt wanted to be the hero on the box.
- Character matters. Who you are on and off the field makes a difference. How do you shape others? Kurt Warner thanked Trent Green for, “Sharpening my character with your own.”
- How you deal with setbacks will impact your ability to accomplish your dreams. Life is not a straight-ahead trajectory. Obstacles, barriers and self-doubt will appear. Having supporters and belief in yourself are essential.
- No great accomplishment is achieved on your own. Everyone needs someone to believe in them. We all need behind the scene supporters. It starts with someone willing to take a chance on you. Who took a chance on you and who have you taken a chance on lately?
- Don’t miss your moment. What do you do with the moments you get? They are precious, and we don’t know how many we have. Cherish them and make them count.
- Express Gratitude. Appreciate what has gotten you to where you are. Acknowledge the role others have played in your life. The players thanked both their own team members and those from opposing franchises. They thanked family, friends, coaches and those who came before.
In addition to talent, these seven men made it to Canton because of passion, persistence, and people. Teamwork is what allows individuals to excel. While everyone has differences, magic happens because all are working toward a common goal.
As individuals and leaders, we can incorporate these messages in our own game called life.
If you’d like to see more from the ceremony, click here. |