Montgomery HS Softball

Mike Tomlin said, "It's not what you're capable of. It's what you're willing to do. I know plenty of people who are capable, but few who are willing." To be great, you have to have the drive to get there. You can't just talk about it, you have to be about it. It requires discipline, sacrifice, and commitment. Excellence is not the goal, it's the standard you set. You achieve excellence when bringing your best becomes a habit. The 7 Habits of Personal Excellence: Discipline - Discipline means holding yourself accountable and making the tough choices. It's something that you choose for yourself. Discipline helps you establish strong habits and maintain focus on your goals. It allows you to manage time and resources effectively, leading to greater productivity and success. Commitment - Full commitment involves sacrifice and dedication. It means you are unwavering in your focus and what you want to achieve. Full commitment means always looking to improve and give your best. It shows prioritization and focuses you what matters. Willingness to Act - You can say whatever you want, but it comes down to what you are willing to do. • Are you willing to sacrifice? • Are you willing to work hard? • Are you willing to push past adversity? When you're willing to act, you transform potential into reality. It's about turning plans into achievements, and creating results. Sacrifice - When you sacrifice, you acknowledging that success comes at a cost. Making sacrifices means prioritizing long-term benefits over short-term pleasures. It prepares you for the inevitable trade-offs required for success, ensuring you value and make the most of your achievements. Perseverance - Perseverance is about maintaining your effort and commitment, even in the face of difficulty or slow progress. It's important for overcoming challenges and achieving long-term goals because excellence requires more than talent, it requires grit. Albert Einstein said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." Resilience - Resilience enables you to bounce forward from failures and adapt to change. Be willing to walk into each day and face challenges head-on. Resilience is important for achieving long-term goals because it helps you maintain focus, it improves your attitude, and allows you to manage stress. Self-Motivation - All successful people have the internal drive and motivation to get better, commit, and grow. They don't rely on external encouragement and validation to be their sole motivation. They know that the effort must be the reward, and they live with a growth-mindset.

Kirby Smart said, "The disease that creeps into your program is called entitlement...We have a saying around our place, we eat off the floor. If you're willing to eat off the floor, you can be special." Entitlement is the enemy of hard work. It's the delusion that you deserve something that you haven't earned. • Entitlement is the enemy of progress. • Entitlement means you're lacking in gratitude. • Entitlement means you're not living with a growth-mindset. When you realize that you have to earn everything, you don't have a single ounce of entitlement in your bones. How to Get Entitlement Out of Your Culture 1. Lead by Example - Leaders should demonstrate humility and a non-entitled attitude. Leading by example is not about your position or title, it's about your behavior. When leaders show they don't consider themselves above others, it sets a tone for the team, discouraging entitlement. 2. Create a Culture of Growth - When you have a mindset of excellence and improvement then the growth will never stop. Encourage a place where learning from failures, continuous self-improvement, and personal development are valued. This promotes humility and helps people understand that effort and learning are key to success, not just inherent talent or privilege. 3. Set Clear Expectations and Accountability - When people know what to expect, they know how to act. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and goals. When team members know what is expected, they understand that success is a result of meeting these objectives, not just a default outcome. 4. Foster a Culture of Gratitude - Create an environment where gratitude and humility are valued. Encourage people to appreciate what they have and the efforts of others. You can be entitled when you are grateful for every day and every opportunity. This mindset will reduce the feelings of entitlement and promote a more cooperative and appreciative culture. 5. Encourage Service and Empathy - Promote activities that involve serving others or contributing to the team. When people know each other and care for each other, they connect and lack feelings of entitlements. It helps drive collaboration, empathy, and service to the team. People understand the value of contributing, as opposed to expecting things without effort. 6. Regularly Assess and Adjust - Continuously evaluate the team's culture and make adjustments as needed. Regular assessment helps identify entitlement issues early and allows for timely interventions to maintain a healthy, collaborative team environment. "We don't run from hard work; our kids don't run from work. As long as you don't have entitlement in your program, you got a shot." - Kirby Smart - - - Follow @coachajkings for more posts like this!