WIN FOREVER
Win forever. It conjures up a lot of emotions, especially if you are a die hard Seahawks fan like I am. It’s a philosophy our beloved Coach Pete Carroll eats, lives, and breathes. And, it has certainly worn off on many of us in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
So what is it? It’s a belief system that simply states: Do things better than they have ever been done before.Sounds so simple, right? In my opinion, it IS simple but the work comes when you decide to buy in and work for it. Pete states: “If you want to win forever, always compete.” I couldn’t agree more.
I was raised in a very athletic family. My mom came from a long line of swimmers, divers (Junior National Champion, 1959), dancers, and acrobatics. She even went on to be a SeaGal in 1976 (the first year of the Seahawks). My dad was as competitive as they come. From football to diving, swimming and running, he found himself on the United States Modern Pentathlon team while serving in the Army. So, you can imagine what it was like growing up in our household. No whining, no complaining, no excuses. (#2 on Pete’s rules). If we wanted to quit, it simply wasn’t an option. If we really wanted to quit, our parents reminded us that if we walked out, that was it. No more. That idea always woke me up so I would get my attitude together and hit the gym like never before. When you realize that all your hard work could vanish because it feels too hard, because you fall every time on that one, most important gymnastics stunt, because you are afraid and tired of the pain…you step back and realize the most important thing: YOU are a champion. Yes, YOU!
A champion is born from working hard and never giving up. A champion doesn’t complain, rather figures out the problem and fixes it. A champion is a leader and is not afraid to voice his or her opinions when standing up to what they believe. A champion knows they will win because a champion will focus only on a positive outcome.
If we all could take this approach – even a piece of it, we would find ourselves happier, motivated, ready to take on anything and go forward no matter how hard it may feel. So the next time the word “can’t” enters your mind, or the insecurities creep in, stare it right in the face and say NO! Instead, shout WIN FOREVER in the loudest 12th Man voice you can muster.
#GoHawks #WinForever #AlwaysCompete
//KT