Today is Monday, so this post is on self confidence.
The other day, I came across a quote from Herb Elliot that sums up self confidence quite well. In case you don’t know Herb Elliot (and I didn’t until I read this quote), he was the world record holder in the mile run from 1958 to 1962.
Read on…
Mr. Elliot had this to say about being the world record holder in the mile:
- "To be a world-record holder in the mile, a man must have the arrogance it takes to believe he can run faster that anyone ever has at the distance; and the humility it takes to actually do it.”
To me, the dichotomies in this quote – arrogance and humility – capture the essence of self confidence. Arrogance – ego, belief in yourself that you can accomplish the goal you set for yourself. Humility – the willingness to do the work that necessary to reach your goal. Both are present in stars.
I watched Roger Federer win his third straight US Open Tennis championship yesterday. Andy Roddick was a formidable opponent, but Mr. Federer won in four sets. When I watch Roger Federer play tennis, I’m amazed at how he approaches the game as if it is a chess match. He is always thinking two or three shots ahead. Time and again, I watch him hit a shot that is nothing special only two see him hit a winner two shots later. This type of ability comes from hours spent practicing – the humility to do the work required to become a champion.
Tiger Woods, the world’s best golfer, was in Mr. Federer’s box yesterday afternoon. Mr. Woods has won the last five tournaments in which he’s competed – including the British Open and PGA Championship – two of golf’s four major championships. Mr. Woods is well known for his work ethic – his humility to do what it takes to be a great golfer.
Currently, I am reading a book by David Halberstam called The Education of a Coach. The book is a biography of Bill Belichick, Head Coach of the New England Patriots, one of the most successful pro football coaches today. In describing Mr. Belichick, Mr. Halberstam says:
- "This does not mean that Bill Belichick is without ego – far from it. His ego is exceptional, and it is reflected by his almost unique determination. He likes being the best and wants credit for being the best, a quiet kind of credit. But his ego is about the doing; it is fused into a larger purpose, that of his team winning. It was never about the narcissistic celebration of self that television loves to amplify."
If you reread the above quote, you’ll see that Mr. Halberstam is echoing Mr. Elliot’s thoughts on arrogance – the will to be the best and the belief that one can be the best; and humility – the doing, the hard work and focus on the ultimate goal.
While I am speaking about football coaches, I’d like to tell a story of a young man who also exemplifies the merging of arrogance and humility. Chris Reese is a graduate assistant football coach at Ferris State University in Michigan. After playing and starring for Western State in Gunnison, CO, Mr. Reese spent a year working as an assistant coach for his alma mater.
However, he new that if he is to reach his dream of being a head coach, he was going to have to move on – to go with a bigger program. The way to do this is to become a graduate assistant. Graduate assistants get free tuition and a small stipend to cover living expenses. They attend classes, most usually studying for a degree in Educational Administration, and work as an assistant coach for the football team. If it doesn’t sound very glamorous, it isn’t. However, it is the entry level position for those wanting to be a college football head coach. Joe Paterno, head coach at my alma mater, Penn State, began his career as a graduate assistant at Penn State in the early 1950s.
Competition for these positions is intense. Each school can carry only two graduate assistants in any given year. Most Master’s programs take two years to complete, so this means that each school has only one slot for a graduate assistant each year. Mr. Reese had the arrogance to believe that he would and could obtain a graduate assistant coaching job, and the humility to do whatever it took to get one. He threw himself into the application process, like he threw himself into opposing receivers and running backs when he was playing Safety for Western State. He landed a job at a school whose head coach is well known for placing his graduate assistants in NCAA Division 1A schools. Who knows, maybe someday a writer the caliber of David Halberstam will write a book detailing Mr. Reese’s education as a coach. Good luck to you, Chris Reese.
The common sense point here: arrogance (belief in oneself) + humility (the willingness to do the work necessary to reach your goals = self confidence. You can believe all you want, but you have to do the work. You can work your tail off, but if you don’t believe in yourself, you’re unlikely to reach your goals.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my other blogs: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a business, and www.CommonSenseDay.com to learn more about Use Your Common Sense Day -- November 4, and to read stories of common sense in action; and my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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