Last night I was watching a kids’ wrestling practice. About 50 kids were in the room, from age four to 13.
After a few minutes a couple of the parents recognized me and introduced themselves.
One had just bought a copy of the Gladiator magazine featuring me on the cover – and he asked if I was the same person.
I nodded.
Then another guy approached who went to a camp I worked in 1986. Each parent had two kids on the mat, practicing.
They pointed them out to me.
I watched and noted how one parent had kids who were aggressive. The other parent’s kids were much more passive.
All four of the boys have talent and skill. Even so, I explained to the two men that the one thing you must have to be successful is a willingness to attack, to be aggressive.
“The rewards in life go to those who attack,” I said. “Aggression rules. Show me a kid who is aggressive and he can be turned into a champion. The reason is simple. Someone who is aggressive makes lots of mistakes. And if you’re making mistakes – you learn faster because you know what to correct.”
“Never thought of it that way,” said one father. “But you’re right. All the great champions are aggressive.”
I added: “Think of it in terms of repetition. You know that the more you practice something the better your skills will be. Well, who gets more reps in. The passive kid or the one who’s aggressive.”
“The aggressive one,” said both parents.
“Right. So make sure you have plenty of conversations with your kids about being on the attack, about being aggressive.”
What I have just described is a true conversation – and it applies to all facets of life. Whenever you see someone succeeding, you can count on one thing: He asked more, tried more, took more chances, faced more rejections, got told ‘no’ more often and made more mistakes than anyone else.
Many people call this taking action.
I never liked those two words for some reason.
ATTACK is so much simpler. So much easier to understand.
Don’t pout about your problems – ATTACK.
Don’t cry about your chances – ATTACK.
Don’t tell me it can’t be done – ATTACK.
If you’ll remember this and do it – you can rise to the top – in anything.
Matt Furey
P.S. For the ultimate opportunity to learn this mindset and way of being – make sure you attend my Get Tough Seminar this May. Each day more and more people are enrolling because they know the lineup I have is unbeatable. Everyone teaching is a master. Learn what they know and use it in your own life.
