Mike Tomlin said 2 sentences that explain why most people never achieve their potential.

Those same 2 sentences transformed how I think about success and the costs of success.

Here's what he said and why it's so important:🧵 Mike Tomlin said, "It's not what you're capable of. It's what you're willing to do."

It reframed my entire mindset.

I stopped asking: "Can I do this?" and started asking: "Will I do what it takes?"

Most people won't. Here are the 4 costs they refuse to pay:

Andy Reid gives every player the same advice - 4 rules for how to win at football and life.

Not just football. Life.

It’s simple. It’s powerful. And it works everywhere: sports, relationships, and business.

Here’s what he teaches - and why it works: 🧵 1: Eliminate distractions
It means learn how to focus on what matters. The biggest battle we fight every day is where to focus.

You can’t win if your focus is scattered.
Phones. Drama. Excuses.
Clear out the noise so you can lock in.

Focus on the process and giving your best.

John Harbaugh says every team fights 4 silent forces - every single day.

He and his brother named them years ago.

You won't always see them - but they shape your culture and define your team.

Here are the 4 hidden threats every organization faces:🧵 1: Division from Within → Trust Erodes
This is gossip. Blame. Complaining. Negativity.

When teammates complain or isolate, it starts to fracture trust.

Great teams don't let bad habits creep in.

They know the importance of connecting, communicating, and accountability.

Brad Stevens was asked, "What advice do you have for young leaders?"

He didn't hesitate.

He gave 3 things every leader must master.

Here’s what he said - and why it matters:🧵 1: Be Yourself - "Be yourself, number one."

People don't buy what you say, they buy who you are. They know when you're being fake.

When you aren't authentic - you lack the confidence, passion, and ability to connect.

You have to lead your way with your personality and style.

Kirby Smart calls it a "DISEASE" that creeps into your program.

Dan Campbell won't tolerate it.

This mindset is the enemy of hard work. It's the delusion of expectation without earning it.

Here's how this mindset destroys teams and the 5 shifts that eliminate it:🧵 Entitlement is the enemy of hard work.
• It's the delusion of deserving without earning it.
• It's demanding success without sacrifice.
• It's lacking in gratitude.

It's an attitude that stops growth.

Accept that everything is earned.

5 Ways to Eliminate Entitlement👇

This man is one of the greatest football coaches ever.

• He won 11 national championships.
• He had a national record 151-game winning streak.
• He built a culture and dynasty that lasted beyond him.

Here are 6 of Bob Ladouceur’s winning secrets that any team can use:🧵 In 1979, a 25-year-old Bob Ladouceur took the helm at De La Salle HS in Concord, CA.

They were a team with no winning history.

He turned them into a national powerhouse, winning 16 straight 3A/4A championships (1992-2007).

Discover 6 of his winning secrets:

Steve Kerr played for Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich - two of the best coaches in NBA history.

He was asked: "What made them both great?"

His answer was just TWO attributes. Simple and powerful.

Here's what those TWO attributes are and why all great leaders have them:🧵 Kerr's answer was:
"You could feel that they loved you and they cared about you, but you were a little afraid of them. You didn't want to disappoint them."

It was about respect.

Great leaders hold you to a high standard.

They balance care with demanding.

Let me explain...

The biggest threat to excellence is complacency.

Everyone tells you to "stay hungry" and "work hard", but no one shows you how to actually fight it.

Most people think it's just about effort - it's not.

Here's how elite teams eliminate complacency and why it matters:🧵 Complacency doesn't announce itself.

It creeps in through small compromises after you've had a few wins.

Success breeds comfort.
Comfort breeds carelessness.
Carelessness erodes standards and what you've built.

Here's how it shows up and what to do about it...

Most players rely on talent to succeed - Tony Gwynn said he couldn’t.

Yet he finished with 3,141 hits and a Hall of Fame career.

His success was based on a system. A system that turned him into one of the greatest hitters ever.

Here’s what it was and how to use it:🧵 Tony Gwynn said, "I wasn't talented enough to just get by on ability. I really had to work at it."

This humility became his superpower. He was obsessed with the game and getting better.

That obsession led him to build a systematic approach to excellence.

Here's his approach:

Everyone tells you to "stay humble" and "be coachable."

But here's the problem: No one actually shows you what humility looks like.

Most people think it's just an attitude. It's not.

Here are the 5 specific behaviors that separate truly humble performers:🧵 The problem: We treat humility like it's just an attitude.

But humility is actually a skill you develop through specific behaviors.

This isn't about being weak - it's about being confident enough to keep growing.

Here's what it actually looks like...

Shaka Smart gave the simplest definition of culture I've ever heard.

Just 3 actions that explain everything about how great teams operate.

It sounds easy, but most teams never master it.

Here's what he said and why it's so powerful:🧵 "Culture is simply how we act, interact, and respond. That's it. Our job is to bring it to life, and the most important component of that is the people in our room."

Culture isn't mission statements or posters.

It's these 3 behaviors lived out.

Let me explain:

Everyone says leaders should:
"Care about people" and "Push people."

But no one teaches you how to do both - at the same time.

5 Signs You're Leading with High Standards and Compassion:🧵 1. You challenge people to be their best, not just do their best - It means you encourage your team to stretch beyond their comfort zones.

You coach character and growth.

You're no longer satisfied with "good enough" because you believe in people and their potential.

Don Meyer retired as the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history.

It wasn't the X's and O's that made him legendary - it was the culture he built.

And he built it through one acronym: TEAMS.

Most coaches miss this.

Here's what it means and why it matters:🧵 TOUGH
Being tough means being physically and mentally tough. It's being adaptable to your environment.

It doesn't mean ignoring how you feel, it means recognizing how you feel and being able to endure.

It’s a mindset to choose that takes self-awareness, focus, and resilience.

Last year, Nick Saban quietly went viral 4 weeks in a row on College Gameday.

Not for football. But for brutal truths about leadership, discipline, and standards.

Most people saw the clips.

But the full versions are even better:🧵 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Nick Saban said, "People have to know that you care."

"If they think you only care about yourself...they're going to think you're a manipulator. And that's not really leadership."

Great leaders look to serve others.

They connect. They build trust.

Andy Reid gives every player the same advice - 4 rules for how to win at football and life.

Not just football. Life.

It’s simple. It’s powerful. And it works everywhere: sports, relationships, and business.

Here’s what he teaches - and why it works: 🧵 1: Eliminate distractions
It means learn how to focus on what matters. The biggest battle we fight every day is where to focus.

You can’t win if your focus is scattered.
Phones. Drama. Excuses.
Clear out the noise so you can lock in.

Focus on the process and giving your best.

Everyone remembers MJ’s shot.

But the timeout before it - that's when Dean Smith won the game.

Roy Williams called it the "greatest timeout in the history of sports."

Here’s exactly what Dean Smith told his team and why it matters:🧵 It's the 1982 national title game.

UNC trailed Georgetown by 1. Dean Smith called timeout.

As the players walked to the bench, Roy Williams saw fear in their eyes.

For the first time all year, he thought: "Oh my gosh… we might lose."

But Coach Smith didn’t flinch.

Nick Saban said the biggest threat to excellence isn't failure.

It's complacency.

He called it part of the "human condition" and said you said you have to fight it every single day.

Here's how he did it and and why it worked:🧵 1: Focus on Discipline

Saban's definition of discipline: "Doing what you're supposed to do, when you're supposed to do it, the way it's supposed to get done."

• It means choosing commitment over comfort.
• It means consistency in your habits.
• It means mental toughness.

Tony Dungy didn't just win a Super Bowl.

He built men of character and integrity.

He believed success isn't just what you do - it's who you are.

Here are his 6 character principles everyone should know:🧵 1: It's How You Do Things
Be a person of integrity. Be honest and upfront with people.

Treat people the right way and choose to do things the right way.

When you have integrity in how you do things, people know that you care about them and that they can trust you.

After winning the national title in 2017, Dabo Swinney gave a speech at the White House.

It wasn't about football - it was a blueprint for greatness in life.

He shared 4 principles. Simple and powerful.

Here’s what they are and why they work:🧵 1: Be All In
It's choosing daily discipline and commitment over how you feel.

Be relentless in how you attack the day. Give it everything you have and show up with intention.

It means choosing to commit, compete, and show up with a purpose.

John Harbaugh says every team fights 4 silent forces - every single day.

He and his brother named them years ago.

You won't always see them. But they shape your culture and define your team.

Here are the 4 hidden threats every organization faces:🧵 1: Division from Within
This is gossip. Blame. Complaining. Negativity.

When teammates complain or isolate, it starts to fracture trust.

Great teams don't let bad habits creep in.

They know the importance of connecting, communicating, and holding each other accountable.

Jay Wright said the greatest trait a person can have isn’t talent, toughness, or intelligence.

"It's attitude."

It's a choice - every single day.

A negative attitude will steal your energy, progress, and joy.

6 Mindset Shifts to Help You Eliminate Negativity:🧵 1: Take Ownership for Your Thoughts and Actions - Take responsibility for yourself.

By taking responsibility, you shift from passive to active. You can better manage your emotions and this leads to a more empowered and positive outlook.

Your thoughts shape your reality.