Commitment

“A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determinations, the dedication, the competitive drive, and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done. Once a man has made a commitment, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. Its something we call heart power. Once a made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.” 

– Vince Lombardi 

Sacrifice For Your Goals

Follow your goals and not the crowd. Former Olympic swimming champion Janet Evans said, “Sometimes I feel envious when my friends go to parties, and I have to go to bed. But my friends always tell me that the parties really aren’t that much fun anyway. Whatever I’ve miss, I’ve made up for. Most kids don’t get to go to the Olympics and win three gold medals. Its definitely been worth it.”

As a teenager, basketball star Kevin Johnson went to the gym every evening to practice. One evening the janitor said to him, “Kevin it’s Saturday night. Why aren’t you out at parties, like everybody else?” “Parties,” Johnson replied, “wont take me where I want to go.” 

From "Mind Gym" by Gary Mack and David Casstevens 

Great Thoughts From Great People: Persistence

“Very few people are willing to do what it takes to do extraordinary things. They talk about what they want, but to be the best, you have to pay the price to be the best. And you have to be willing to pay the price everyday. It isn’t easy, but it is absolutely worth it.” – Tom Izzo

“How many times have you seen a player collapse because of exhaustion? Never, really, You can push through it. I would not give in to fatigue, and I never let fatigue get the best of me.” – Mark Alarie 

“It isn’t always easy being pushed to that edge. Nothing is guaranteed, but if you get it, if you succeed after putting in all that effort, preparation and work, there is so much more pride and accomplishment that if it just dropped in your lap.” – Mia Hamm 

“Hard work is not punishment. The toughest players go as hard as they can for as long as they can, and soon they increase their capacity to do more. And when you see nothing but hard work from your teammates, it raises your standard and your level of expectation for yourself.”  - Grant Hill 

“Toughness, discipline, commitment, and wanting to win, that is mental toughness.” – JulieFoudy 

From Toughness by Jay Bilas