Friday, February 22, 2013

Listening

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” 

Hear ye, hear ye!  Read all about it!
Now hear this!
I hear ya'!
Just hear me out...
Have you heard the one about...?

It is astonishing how much hearing we do.
And how much we’re expected to hear.

She had to appear in court for a hearing.
I hear you loud and clear.
He needs a +hearing aid!

What’s even more amazing is,
while we’re so focused on hearing all there is to hear...
Very few are actually listening.

Having spent the last nineteen years attempting
with my wife to raise three boys,
Seems to me that we need to alter the focus.

Hearing without listening
is like ice cream without the calories,
+Diet Coke without the caffeine:  what’s the point?

To go along with hearing aids,
I think we ought to invent a listening aid.

In this perfect world, the devise would be voice-activated,
and it would provide whispered reminders every 5 seconds.
Examples:
“Listen up!”
"Pay attention."
"Take note."
“Think before you speak.”
“Forget the words - what does he really mean?”

Pay heed, what do you think?
Are you with me?
Hello?
Hello?

Just a thought...

Take Care,
+Coach Curley


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Your Personal Wrecking Ball


Years to build.
Moments to take down... a bit like a reputation (but that’s another thought).

Ever watch a building being demolished?
Not one of those huge, multi-floor monstrosities
they bring down with the carefully placed explosive charges.

I’m talking the smaller assortment given
to the local wrecking crew – you know,
the one with the crane and the big wrecking ball!

Ten years back I happen to spend a couple hours with my youngest boy,
watching the +Winter Park Langford come to ruin.

From what I’ve heard this building grew from nothing to something.
It experienced changes along the way,
changes that were thought to be for the better.

It stood the test of time.
And then –
Wham, blam, slam!

A few shots from the wrecking ball, and it’s gone.

I’ve known some people like that.
They grew from nothing to something.
They experienced changes.
And stood the test of time.

And then, in a matter of moments,
along comes that personal wrecking ball.

I know each of us has our own demons.
Most of us know who and/or what they are.

For many, that demon is self-doubt.
Unchecked, self-doubt can become your personal wrecking ball.

The good news:  YOU are both the tenant and landlord of your destiny.

Remodel or tear it down?
The choice is yours.

And you know what... the rent’s due daily.

Take Care,
+Coach Curley


  
    



Thursday, February 7, 2013

Focus

We know what it is.
But do we do it?

I’m betting that most, if not all of you have heard these words:
“These are the three things I’d like you to focus on for the next couple days...”

Excuse me?
I'm not sure that works.

I spent some extra time with an athlete the other day.
I gave her some "pointers" if you will.
"Put your hand in this way."
"Pull just a bit deeper."
"Accelerate out the back end."
"Keep your core tight."
"Be strong finger tip to finger tip."

She pushed-off and swam a 25.
I stepped back and wondered whether or not I had lost my touch.
She looked worse!

I reiterated my instructions.
She pushed-off.
I just shook my head.
My thought, ouch, this is not good.

I changed my approach.
"Let's work on the depth of the pull only."
She pushed-off.
WA-LAH, I'm a genius.

Focus on the hand, the pitch, the core, 

the acceleration and the depth - not so good results.
Focus on one thing at a time - much better results.

Guess we learned our lesson.

Are you focusing on too many things?

Take Care,
+Coach Curley

Friday, February 1, 2013

Yesterday’s Tomorrow


"A new attitude invariably creates a new result."

The first Sunday in January, the 6th,
My family and I decided to re-up a Sunday dinner time ritual:  
Setting goals for ourselves.

Over the ever present meat and potatoes,
We take turns divulging our week's ambitions.
And my wife writes them down.
The following Sunday, we report back on our successes, and set new goals.

My first declaration for the New Year, though a bit cliche, 
was/is 'to stop sweating the small stuff.'

While browsing my +Twitter account several days ago I came upon a posting:
“Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”
After organizing in my brain exactly what the tweet meant,
I concluded the clever tweet was an appropriate reaffirmation of my first goal of 2013.

Goal One Affirmed, I figured WTH (tweeter speak for "what the heck"), 
this tweet has given me an idea to accomplish my second goal of the year; 'start a +Blog and write something every week.'
instantaneously googled the word "worry".
To surmise, to worry is to feel distressed, anxious, troubled or uneasy.
Simply put, worrying is not good.
Sweating the small stuff is not good.

I am sure there are folks like me that occasionally 
spend some yesterdays worrying about today.
In an effort to help here’s a truth that encourages me...  
"Today is the yesterday you’ll reflect on tomorrow."

Why not make that reflection a positive experience?
Use today to create the yesterday you’ll look back on tomorrow with pride and self-satisfaction.
You won’t have the time to worry about tomorrow.
Or the need.

Take Care,
+Coach Curley

"A positive attitude is a person's +passport to a better tomorrow."--Anonymous