Lesson From The Little League World Series: How to be a free and well developed individual throughout your teen and adult years

 

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Lesson From The Little League World Series: How to be a free and well developed individual throughout your teen and adult years

Lately, I’ve been watching a lot of the Little League World Series.

It fascinates me by how many people love to watch youth sports.

Considering this, today we’ll talk about:

3 Reasons why I believe so many people love to watch youth sports (and kids in general).

And …

How you can implement these same 3 qualities into your sports, schooling, jobs, and entire life to help you …

Be a free and well developed individual throughout your teen and adult years.

1. Feed Your Ambition

First, kids feed their ambition.

As kids, we’re told we can be anything we want to be:

• We can be a professional baseball player
• We can be an artist
• We can be a musician

And everyone around us seems to support our aspirations.

However, as we age and develop …

We are told we need to fit into pre-defined roles.

And as we feel pressured to fit into these pre-defined roles,

We lose our ability to feed our ambition.

2. Be Willing To Make Mistakes

Kids are willing to make mistakes:

• It’s OK if they drop a fly ball
• It’s OK if they fall down
• It’s OK if they get dirty

That is how they learn!!!

However, as we age and develop …

We begin to worry how others perceive and judge us based on our mistakes.

In the process, we stop taking risks …

And we dilute our potential.

3. Find Your Craft

Kids find their Craft.

They discover what they absolutely love to do and they go all in on it …

Without worrying about any external rewards other than the sheer enjoyment of the activity itself.

However, as we age and develop …

We are told we have to do certain things:

• We have to go to school
• We have to go to college
• We have to get a job
• We have to do the same thing day after day

In this process, we do things out of necessity, rather than for the pure love and enjoyment of the activity itself …

And we lose sight of what our Craft is.

However …

You can use these same 3 qualities to be a free and well developed individual throughout your teen and adult years.

1. FEED YOUR AMBITION

What is calling you???

Pursue it with reckless abandon.

2. BE WILLING TO MAKE MISTAKES

It’s OK if you fall down and get dirty … that is how you learn!

Take risks and allow your full potential to rise to the surface and express itself.

3. FIND YOUR CRAFT

What do you absolutely love to do???

What is that thing that you cannot not do???

Identify it, develop the skills for it, and pour into it everyday.

As you implement these 3 qualities into your sports, schooling, jobs, and entire life …

Everything you do becomes more fulfilling …

And you will be a free and well developed individual throughout your teen and adult years.

I wish you well on your journey of feeding your ambition, being willing to make mistakes, and finding your Craft, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

What If You Don't Reach Your Dream??? Opening up to a larger platform to make a greater impact

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What If You Don't Reach Your Dream??? Opening up to a larger platform to make a greater impact

Have you ever worried that you might not be able to reach your aspirations? You’ve worked so hard for something, but still feel you may come up short? If you’re feeling like that, don’t worry—I felt the same way. I had this dream, but despite putting in so much time, attention, and energy into pursuing it, I still fell short.

If 10 to 15 years ago you told me how short I would actually fall of that dream, I would have been heartbroken. I would have felt miserable, perhaps even like a failure. However, as I reflect on it now, I realize that life had a much more profound vision for me. It provided me with a larger platform to make a greater impact and inspire those around me.

My Commitment

In 2008, I made a commitment that one day I would play professional basketball, and that everybody who watched me play would be inspired by the way I played the game. As a kid, it seemed simple: so it is said, so it is done—let’s get after it! Growing up, I was always a very successful athlete. My teams seemed to win every game we played, and there was no doubt in my mind that one day I would play pro.

My First Obstacle

Until a few years later, when I was about 12 or 13 years old, for whatever reason, I stopped growing. For the past 13 to 15 years of my life, I essentially haven’t grown, haven’t aged, and haven’t developed. When this happened, I started to see my dream slipping away. Yet, this forced me to become the hardest worker and the most well-rounded athlete out there. I believed that if I could overcome my lack of size and still play pro, it would make a much greater impact and inspiration to those who watched me play the game.

My First Resolution

So, I buckled down on my training. The summer between my seventh and eighth-grade year, I was in the gym for hours every day: basketball skills training, lifting weights, plyometrics, running around the neighborhood—anything to enhance my physical body. I also watched my nutrition, trained my mind, and ensured I got to bed at a good time every night to enhance my recovery. Any edge I could find, I immersed myself in. As a result, I remained competitive despite my lack of size.

My Second Obstacle

However, this led to me completely overtraining myself and getting burned out. I was so burned out that I had to be taken out of sports altogether to recover. When I was taken out of sports, once again, I saw my dream slipping away.

My Second Resolution

Yet, I decided that if I could overcome my lack of size and now these medical conditions, it would make my story even more inspirational if I still managed to play pro one day.

Once I recovered from my sickness and got back into sports, I went after it again. I remained competitive and believed I could still play pro. But a few years later, when I was preparing to play varsity basketball, I overtrained myself again. At this time, I was waking up at 4:30 AM before school to lift weights and train for basketball. After school, I’d practice, train again, go home, do homework, and then repeat the next day.

My Third Obstacle

This extreme training made me sick and burned out again, to the point where I had to be removed from sports to recover. When I was removed from sports, I felt like my dream was being taken away once again.

My Third Resolution

But I thought, "If I can overcome my lack of size and now these medical conditions twice, it would make an even greater inspiration to those who watched me play." So, I got back after it. Once I recovered enough to return to sports, I continued to be competitive and chase my dream.

The Final Straw

Until a few years later, the third and final time the same situation played out. I was preparing to try out for the college basketball team, training more intensely than ever before. This time, I got injured and burned out to the point where I’m still dealing with the repercussions today. This ended my competitive athletic career. Once that happened, I lost sight of who I was. My dream was gone, and I felt like my platform to inspire others was taken away. I no longer felt like someone who could overcome challenges to inspire others. I felt defeated.

The Greater Vision

Making the transition from being an athlete to being an athlete of life was difficult. But I realized that life had a much more profound vision for me. Looking back now, I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome. Life has given me more experiences, opportunities, skills, and platforms to share my gifts and story, uplifting and inspiring others.

If you are struggling, worried that you might fall short of your dream no matter how much time, effort, attention, and energy you put into it, rest assured. If you do happen to fall short, it is because life has a much more profound vision for your future. Life will provide you with a larger platform to make a greater impact and inspire those around you.

I wish you well on your journey of trusting life and allowing it to show you the platform it has for you … to make an impact and be an inspiration to those around you, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Noah Lyles SAID WHAT??? How to speak things into existence

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Noah Lyles SAID WHAT??? How to speak things into existence

Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles told a reporter that he is a …

Firm believer in speaking things into existence …

After he won the 100 meter dash.

Today we are going to talk about my thoughts on this statement and how you can use it to become the athlete and the person you were born to be.

My Thoughts

Noah Lyles said he is a firm believer in speaking things into existence.

And it’s obviously worked well for him!!!

It’s enabled him to overcome many obstacles and become the fastest man in the world right now.

Although I believe words are powerful …

• They tell the world and others you are ready to take the next step in your development
• They create a story gap in your system that helps your subconscious look for ways to make what you say come true

I don’t believe this statement of speaking things into existence paints the entire picture.

Why?

In this day where talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words,

Words are only powerful to the point where they generate enough momentum and energy for your actions to take over.

And your actions are what bring what you speak into reality.

• Don’t tell me you want to be the fastest sprinter, show me by going to the track
• Don’t tell me you want to be an Olympic gymnast, show me by practicing your handstands
• Don’t tell me you want to be a lineman for Alabama, show me by hitting the weight room, pushing sleds, and working on your footwork

Through decisive, confident action carried over the long haul,

You can bring your dreams into reality.

The same is true in life!!!

You will have this dream, vision, and calling.

You can tell some trusted mentors and peers who will help you to pursue it.

But ultimately, your decisive, confident actions, in alignment with your dreams …

Will provide them the potential to bring them into reality.

I wish you well on your journey of bringing your dreams into reality through your words and actions, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Why Do Olympians Perform Well Under Pressure??? How to get out of your mind and into the moment

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Why Do Olympians Perform Well Under Pressure??? How to get out of your mind and into the moment

Are you amazed by how well Olympians perform under pressure? Do you wish you could rise to the occasion but often find yourself caught up in your thoughts? Today, we’ll discuss three techniques to help you get out of your mind and into the moment, allowing you to unleash your full potential.

1. Focus on Your Breath

Your mind can’t focus on two things at once. By concentrating on your breath, you shift your focus from your thoughts to the sensation of breathing. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly, and feel the present moment. This simple technique helps you get out of your head and into your body, allowing your true potential to surface.

2. Immerse Yourself in Sensations

Engage all your senses. What do you hear, see, and smell? How does the equipment feel in your hands? By fully immersing yourself in these sensations, you move away from overthinking and into the present moment. This sensory awareness enhances your performance by grounding you in the now.

3. Lift Up Your Teammates

When you’re focused on yourself, it’s easy to get trapped in your thoughts. Shift your attention to your teammates. Give them high fives, offer positive feedback, and support them. This outward focus not only builds team morale but also helps you stay present, opening up opportunities for you to perform at your best.

Apply These Techniques to Life

These methods aren’t just for sports—they’re for life. Whenever you find yourself overthinking, remember to focus on your breath, immerse yourself in the present sensations, and uplift those around you. This approach will help you perform at your highest potential and become the person you were born to be.

I wish you well on your journey of getting out of your mind and into the moment so you can perform at your Highest Potential, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Inspiring YOU every step of your way,

Kyle