Wednesdays with Mo...(Mariano Rivera)...

Hey Team...

Hope the week was a great one!

Filled with hard work, health, prosperity, and optimism!

I know mine was extremely rewarding... 

So rewarding I wanted to share!

On Tuesday, I got to spend the day with some amazing kids, that come from some really tough backgrounds, at the Trailblazers Academy in Stamford.

We talked about leadership, the power of making decisions, the importance of being on-time out of respect for others, and how your choices and behaviors will either advance you forward, or hold you back.

Amazing group of kids 6th-8th grade....

I know the message hit them because you could really see their wheels turning!

Then.. I did a really exciting podcast for the world of baseball, called the DAAB Podcast...  where we talked baseball, life, and the importance of taking one step at a time as you build your life, establish yourself as a pro, and embrace the process that will always challenge you... (often in ways you are not ready for)...

And finally, Wednesday, I spent the afternoon with Mariano Rivera at his house in Westchester, NY talking about life, baseball, the Hall of Fame, and his thoughts on how to become a true Champion!

Who better to talk with right?

He is so excited that he may be the first player ever to get 100% of votes to get into the Hall of Fame... 

And when you are with Mo... you always learn something....

And that is what I want to share with you..... 

Today's lesson from Mariano was simple genius.....

"If you want to win... you gotta work." 

Which was then followed by.. "In life.. you have a choice to do the right thing or the wrong thing... always choose the right thing... never run away from conflict and always go after what you believe in with all you got."

Mo and I go back almost 20 years now... and when he speaks, you listen.

It is always about keeping it simple... 

And when it comes to winning in life... you life specifically.. where are you complicating things? Where are you not putting in the work? Where are you struggling?

You see, a big part of what we talked about Wednesday was the power of coaching as well.. and how a big part of his success came from conversations like we were having.... his success came from his conviction... and his conviction came from his faith.. but also the Coaches that were not afraid of him... or afraid to tell him what he needed to hear....

SO many lessons. 

And for the Coaches and Leaders that are a part of the blog- are you challenging your players/ workers?

Are you afraid to tell them what they need to hear out of fear you may "lose" them?

Passive Coaching never works.

Go at them. Challenge them. Challenge yourself. Make them better! The only way we can do that is by getting honest. Selflessly serve them and challenge them to greatness.

As you are taking on the challenge of making 2019 Your Best Year Yet... what steps are you taking each day to make that happen? What steps are you taking to lead you and your team to victory?

Write them down.

Keep the action steps in front of you.

You will be surprised how players like Mo and others document everything...

Your actions are important... never forget that.

Without action you have minimal chance for success in anything you do.

So, as we honor The Sandman, let's not forget that we MUST put in the work...because nothing comes easy. 

COACH DANA CAVALEA