August 12, 2018
Sunday night, a guy named David Bote, a 3rd basemen for the Chicago Cubs hit a walk off, grand-slam home run against the Washington Nationals to win the game. He ran the bases like a little league kid. Arms out. Like he was flying. He signed with the Cubs for just $100,000 and his college tuition. He’s had just 76 at bats in the majors. He was only up there to pinch hit. To fill a slot. Like, “hey Bote get in there and hit.” Then he did something that hasn’t been done since 1979 and only 3 times ever. A pinch hitter hit a walk off grand-slam homer to win a game. Because he believed he could. The second the ball touched his bat he knew it. No one else in the park did. But he did. Because he believed. The first step in accomplishing anything is believing you can.
And that’s the point for the week.
What we are about to endeavor to do here is not going to be easy. Growing anything is hard. It takes dedication, commitment, teamwork, grit, and a whole lot of effort. But it first takes belief. A fundamental conviction that what we are setting out to do is achievable.
And it doesn’t just apply here. Whether it’s a business, a family, or a community organization – accomplishing anything will be made infinitely more possible by believing it can be done. Like David Bote believing he could hit that ball over the fence.
I want you to know that I believe in you. Most importantly, I want you to always believe in yourselves.
Because when you do, you will accomplish more and, in turn, we will accomplish more.
See, life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe you are a winner, or if you believe you are a loser, you are right.
By believing you can win, you more often will.
And when you win, when we win, I want you to run around with your arms straight out like you are eight years old.
Like David Bote.
Like a winner.
So believe.
And win.
If you like the blog, you’ll love the book. To purchase a copy of Phillip’s book, The Not So Subtle Art of Caring: Letters on Leadership, from John Hunt Publishing, London, please follow this LINK. “Letters” is based on 85 story-backed lessons Phillip used while leading actual teams to accomplish extraordinary things. It is an outstanding resource for those who wish to commit to becoming the sort of leader that people WANT to follow.
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