WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSED ON?

I get a variety of newsletters and emails from various coaches and programs each week, and the one I look forward to the most is from Dr. Kevin Elko.  Dr. Elko is one of the most requested motivational and success speakers in the country and has worked with numerous sports programs including the Miami Dolphins and the Alabama and Florida State football programs.


His latest newsletter does a great job of pointing out the importance of focusing on the spiritual side of sports, not just the physical.


The book of Exodus has the story of Moses going to the warrior Joshua to tell him to fight the Amalekites with the sword in the valley while he goes up on the mountain to raise his hands to the sky.  As the fight is being carried out, Joshua is winning by the sword until Moses tires and drops his hands.  Then Aaron and Hur hurry up the mountain to help Moses raise his hands.  Joshua eventually wins by the sword.  With this story one can see that to win, there are two fronts: the physical, or the fighting with the sword; and spiritual, or the raising of the hands.  Without both you will not win.


I have been around a lot of college and pro football teams that will tell you, when the players do not trust the coach, or the coach does not trust the players, it does not matter how hard the team practices or plays, they will get beat.  That lack of trust poisons the team and ends up pulling down the raised hands toward the heavens.

You can work hard and do all the right things, but if your focus, motivation and spirit are not right, you’re just going through the motions.  You are cheating yourself and your team.

There is more to winning than what you see: believing good things will happen, believing in people around you, although not perfect, and seeing good and knowing that there is a plan that will work.  This raising of the hands matters every bit as much as the physical part.

(Thanks Dr. Kevin Elko)