Thoughts from Lou Holtz

I received this e-mail this morning within our bank.  I loved it, as it is great words to live by.  We have all been taught these things but in the business world it's easy to always have your guard up. 

Enjoy!

Attitude - (Referencing his coaching experience with the New York Jets) You can have the greatest job in the world but if your attitude is not good, you will not enjoy it.

• Look for reason to legitimately have fun in your work.
• You can't let other people control your attitude.

Passion to Win -

• You have to sacrifice (Losers call this punishment)
• You have to refuse to believe it can't be done.
• When you actually win is in the time of preparation before you play.
• Get rid of excuses.

Focus on your Purpose - There are only two reasons to be in business

• To satisfy the needs of your customers.
• To make a profit.
• Titles come from above, leaders come from below.
• You are going to get knocked down, it is your decision if you get back up.
• You have to have a vision and a plan.

Teamwork -

• We need each other.
• A team accomplishes things that no individual could do on their own.
• Each team member has a role, whatever role you play do it to the best of your ability.
• You may make mistakes but you don't have the right to make the team fail.
• The more competitive the business, the more you have to work together.
• Ways to improve the team is to add good people and remove bad people.
• Only conduct positive coaching.
• Never critique the performer only the performance.
• Any change you make to the team must be done to either satisfy the need of the customer or help you make your profit.

Be a dreamer -

• Martin Luther King made a speech "I Have A Dream"...he did not write a speech titled "I Have a Strategic Plan".
• Everyone needs four things -
1. Something to do
2. Someone to love
3. Someone to believe in
4. Something to hope for
• Decide what you want to do and ask yourself 25 times a day " What's important now"
• You are either growing or dying.
• There is no age restriction on goal setting.

Have Meaningful Relationships -

• There are two types of people, ones that lift you up and those that pull you down.
• You have to add value to people's lives.  Example : If United Airlines went out of business, it would be no big deal you would simply fly another airline, but you would miss Disney if it closed.
• Three simple rules to live by:
• Do what is right - Don't do wrong. Sometimes happiness is simply having a poor memory.
• Do everything to the best of your ability - you can't pretend to be an impostor.
• Show people how much you love and respect them because these are three questions everyone has of you.
1. Can I trust you?
2. Are you committed to excellence?
3. Do you care about me?

And Lastly -

• With children, when they need you most is when they want to be around you the least.