Unleash the Athlete

Everything is Hard. Choose Wisely! Shoutout to Pastor Keith Kraft for his poem, Choose Your Hard

The story of the human race is the story of men and women selling themselves short. - Abraham Maslow Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. - Steve Jobs Music: Chill Out by Sunset Dreams

I recently learned how they trainer those elephants to stay in a certain area. A baby elephant is trained at birth to be confined to a very small space by Its trainer  tying its leg with a rope to a wooden post planted deep in the ground. This confines the baby elephant to an area determined by the length of the rope – the elephant’s comfort zone. Though the baby elephant will initially try to break the rope, the rope is too strong, and so the baby elephant learns that it can’t break the rope. It learns that it has to stay in the area defined by the length of the rope. When the elephant grows up into a 5-ton colossus that could easily break the same rope, it doesn’t even try because it learned as a baby that it couldn’t break the rope. In this way, the largest elephant can be confined by the puniest little rope. Perhaps this also describes you – still trapped in a comfort zone by something as puny and weak as the small rope and stake that controls the elephant, except your rope is made up of the limiting beliefs and images that you received and took on when you were young. How many times have things that were limitations in the past taught us that we cant do it now, or in the future? Do not allow your past to stop you from doing what you want to do today. You’re a different person today than you were yesterday. President Franklin Roosevelt. “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds,” This is true for all of us. You are so powerful. Your greatness is limitless, confined only by the limitations you put on yourself. In short, “Don’t be as naive as an Elephant.”

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

Where FOCUS goes, energy flows! That is a quote from Tony Robbins, a man who has been my teacher for over 25 years. The lesson is simple, what we feel is a result of what we are choosing to focus on. The things we spend mental energy on affects all areas of our life. And the idea of a balanced life is total crap. It is never balanced. Work life balance, what a dumb thing to think is possible. There is no balance. There is always something we are working towards or someone we are trying to become. Every day comes with new challenges, whether it is relational, financial, emotional, spiritual, physical...I mean there are so many things to consider when it comes to what to focus on. Next time you catch yourself focusing on something that leads to anger or despair, change your focus. Decide in that moment to think of something you are grateful for, something that makes you smile. This gets easier the more you do it, and life is too short to live in the negative situations of your past or the hypothetical situations of a future that hasn't happened yet. Where FOCUS goes, energy flows! Choose the right focus.

We all have scripts that we repeat in our minds. We learned these scripts, these beliefs about how the world works from others, and some we came up with them on our own. It’s not easy to replace these things we tell people, and ourselves, but if we become aware of the scripts that do good, we can make sure we repeat them more often than the ones that cause harm. It's that awareness of the things we think and say that creates the reality we see and the types of relationships we enjoy.  When it comes down to it, The quality of your life depends on the quality of your communication with yourself (inside world) and with the others (outside world). The ability to communicate well, especially with yourself and the willingness to challenge what you believe is an art that is worth consideration. Be intentional about what you believe and what you say, because thoughts and words are the foundation of who you are in this life.  Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

Eliminate who we are not, first, then we’ll find ourselves where we need to be.” -Matthew McConaughey A slab of marble became the Statue of David after Michelangelo carved away all the access marble. Every chip that was hammered out are like the mistakes we make in life on our way to becoming who we really are. The difference between us and that statue is that we are in a constant state of change that ends only after we take our last breath. We make mistakes, accept the consequence, dust the marble off our shirt, and move ahead. If we aren’t making mistakes, we aren’t taking enough chances in life. Failures are moments in time, but how we respond to those mistakes is the momentum that keeps us becoming the person we want to become. So get out there, accept the consequence of your actions and eliminate who you are not so you can be proud of who you are becoming.  Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

We don't get what we want in life, we get what we deserve. You can spend your whole life trying to be normal, trying to fit in, success doesn't happen to the mediocre, to the people who strive to be normal. You gotta be weird. You gotta be crazy about your pursuit of a better life, and a better situation. Stop with the excuses. Stop with the wasted pursuits. Put down the video game, pick up a weight, devour a library and consume content that builds you up, increase your skills, and get you ready for the weird future ahead of you. It is not easy, but it is simple, and it is worth it. Don't get angry or depressed...get hungry. The lion doesn't spend all day worrying about hat the sheep have to say. Get up and do something about your life. Be weird, and cut away from that person you no longer want to be. There is a world to be taken out there, and if you want it, you have to take it, you have to fight for it. Now go do something about it. Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

Join me for a moment to focus on the good in your life and help get clarity on what to do next.  “Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.” From 161 to 181 AD, Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome from 161 to 181 A.D.

"From this point, your strategy is to make everyone else play up to your level; you’re not going down to theirs. You’re not competing with anyone else, ever again. They’re going to have to compete with you. From now on, the end is all that matters."

You can't control everything in your life. But whatever you can take ownership of, be the reason for your success, leaning not on the talent of others, but by the character of your best self.   What can you control? Let's start with you Your beliefs. Where do they come from? Early on, they came from your parents and their understanding of the world. Then it friends and other family members. As you get older, you learn from social media and the shows you watch. Your beliefs change. The things I thought were true as a child changed with more information, and that is a habit I keep to this day. It is unfortunate that we live in a society that does not like it when you change your beliefs about things. I want to encourage you to not be married to your beliefs. Seek out different perspectives and be curious. Mark Twain famously said, "It Ain’t What You Don’t Know That Gets You Into Trouble. It’s What You Know for Sure That Just Ain’t So."   How about your thoughts? Your thoughts stem from what you believe. The reason it is so hard to change thoughts about a particular subject is because we see life through the lens of what we believe. I am sure you can think of a time you thought something was absolutely true, but removing yourself from a situation or a group of people and getting around different folks changed what you thought about a particular subject. I believe it is important to be around people who think differently about things and can offer another perspective to help me sharpen my own thoughts. Reading can do this, especially reading books and articles that come from the other side of something I think to be true.   How about your Your destination? These are the goals I spoke about earlier. Be steadfast in your goals, but flexible in your approach. When I teach a new skill to a client, it doesn't change their ultimate goal, but it could help them to get there faster. It may change up their routine and that is okay. If something is working for you, do that until it stops working for you. Then, look for another solution.   Lastly, Your relationships. You cannot control those around you, but you can control those around you. Did you get that? YOu cant change people, but you don't have to hang around certain people that limit your potential. Take inventory of how people make you feel when you are around them. Do they drain you? Do they take advantage of you? Limit or cut off their access to you. People who don't want the best for you should not get a seat at your table of life. If you can't get away from them completely. then limit the amount of time and energy you give them.   So many people out there, fail, not because they don't have the ability, it's because they don't take ownership of the things they can control.   Know that you can do seemingly impossible things if you just take ownership of the things you can control. Life is short. You don't have time to spend life on faulty belief systems, limiting thoughts, goals that are too small and relationships that don't serve you. Know your worth, and know your potential. Press on, stop complaining, and do something about it. Be self motivated, self regulated, and self-determined to get everything you want in life. But, it starts with you.

Your value doesn't change because of someone's inability to recognize it.   Right now, I am holding a one dollar bill. Now if I go into the market and I see something for 89 cents, can I buy it with a dollar bill? Sure. Maybe instead, I see something for 82 cents, and after tax, it brings it up to. 98 cents. Can I buy that item with my dollar? No problem.   Now, let me crumple up this dollar bill. Still worth 100 pennies. I throw it on the ground, stomp on it...still has all its value.   Even if I ball it up, stomp on it, throw it in the trash can, it still has all the value it did before adversity struck. Then I try to give this dollar to someone. It is all crumpled up, its dirty, it has gum on it and some random liquid from being in the trash...and they refuse it. Even though they needed a dollar, they see on the outside it is not hat other dollars look like. But it is still worth a whole dollar! The problem is not with the dollar, the problem is with that person that can't see past what the dollar has been through.   Whatever has happened TO you in the past does not reduce your value in the present and it definitely does not dictate your value in the future.   Maybe you feel like you have last your worth because people have abandoned you, taken advantage of you, or because someone is lying about you. Someone hurt you and that is a part of your history, but it does not reduce your value in any way.   I am here to tell you right now that your value is immeasurable and limitless. Just because some idiot cant recognize the beautiful person you are doesn't mean you are not that beautiful person.   Just like the dollar, you have all the value you have ever had. Hard times come and knock us down, but we get back up. Maybe you want to hurt yourself or sabotage something because that mean you at least have control over an event, but go a different route. Don't destroy, create. You have talents, you gave gifts, you have value.   But maybe You can't see it. Maybe the world is fine with you but the perception you have of that person staring back at you in the mirror is trash.   You are not trash. Believe in yourself and in the times ahead. Have faith that the feeling deep down inside you that you are worthless is WRONG.   Don't give up on yourself. Right now, in this moment, you can make a decision to view life in a better way. Maybe things will take a while to turn around, but they will turn around.   You can do this. Don't give up. Please, don't ever give up.

There is no excuse for not living up to your potential. How much do you value your life? Stop wasting it. Stop making excuses. We all suffer. We all have problems. I didn't get to where I am by making excuses.   Could you demand more from yourself? Of course you can. Do your goals and dream match with your daily action? You want to take over the world and think you deserve more out of life but you can't even get out of be in the morning because you were up last last night watching TV, playing call of duty. You should have been reading, getting some rest, because you were just given another day. What a blessing! What are you going to do with it?   Ask better questions. Instead of asking myself "why is this happening to me?", I asked, "what can I do to get out of this place?" Then I stayed quiet long enough to get my answer. And now, Can't nobody stop me, and more importantly, I will not stop me.

You need three things to find success. Three things. Number one, have faith. You have to decide what you want and have faith strong enough to make that thing happen. Be careful that you don't judge what is possible based. on what is present. If you can't see past what is going on right now, you will get stuck in a temporary reality, one that stays around because you refuse to let it pass.   Second, affirm yourself every day. Every day, first thing in the morning, read over your goals. Put them on post it notes on your mirror, write them on an index card and use it as a book mark. Put them on the dashboard of your car. There are many things vying for your attention. Don't let temporary distractions steal way from you the focus you need to get out of your current situation.   Number three, have patience and continue to take action. Whether massive action or minor action, you have to put in the work. Things don't happen at the speed at which we would like them to come to pass. We want instant gratification, instant success, instant feedback..no no. Can things come quickly, of course. But we shouldn't count on it to do so.   Keep on working! You got this   Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

At some point, everything you thought was right will go south on you. Times will get tough. You will never truly know yourself until you are tested by adversity. No matter how many times you fail Look up. Get up. And don't ever give up.   Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

Live a life of impact. The number of people you know doesn't matter. What matters is the number of hearts you touched and the amount of love you gave. That is a life well lived.   Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

If you give up, nothing else will happen for you. Nothing else can happen for you. Maybe the most important thing I learned as a child came from a speech in 1993 when the late great Coach Valvano said,   Don't give up. Don't ever give up.   Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

Take control of those thoughts and challenge what you believe about yourself. No one can want it more than you. We have a finite amount of time on this Earth. If your beliefs don't line up with your goals, you will never reach them! It is time to rewire your thoughts. Contact James Leath: https://linktr.ee/jamesleath

Leadership is INFLUENCE. Your voice is more about talking. You can speak through your actions when you haven't yet earned the right to share through using words. 

In a virtual workshop with College Athletes, the question was, "How can I set my self up to constantly improve?" Great question. It is a matter of being comfortable with being uncomfortable. Comfort Zone. This I where you are relaxed, and content. Fear Zone. In this zone, your thoughts are on failure and the consequences of thinking you are not enough Learning Zone. Your eyes are opened because you silenced the voices in your head trying to keep you “safe” Growth Zone. This is where you feel up. You have overcome the haters in your head and now your possibilities are limitless.

Financial debt is not the only kind of debt that can keep you from achieving your goals.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

Actually, yes I do. I care what a lot of people thing. I just don't care what most people think. Here is why.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

You are what you eat, literally. Consider the food you eat and the time at which you eat it so that you have enough mental focus to be your best self. Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

Today is the first day of March, and the first day of the week. What is the one thing you will accomplish? Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

Take control of the visual notifications on your phone right now! Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

How can you possibly get anything done with all the noise pollution? Take control of the alerts that steal your focus.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

Success leaves clues, and your life is worth remembering. Keep a journal and your future self will thank you for it.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

When anxiety has taken over, this one thing can help you take back your focus and calm your heart rate.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

This is a breathing technique called 4x4 breathing that can reduce your anxiety and slow down your heart rate in just a few seconds.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to  (972) 236-5924.   If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

"I don't say this often enough, but..." Think of someone important to you who may not know how important they are to you. Copy the line above and complete the sentence and send it to that person

Let's talk about the difference between takers and those whom you give to.   Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "hello" to (972) 236-5924. If you are an athlete or a coach, text "athlete" or "coach" instead of hello. 

How to find internal happiness.  Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "athlete" or "coach" to (972) 236-5924.

You can follow Coach Jackson on Twitter @CoachJacksonTPW and see his work at coachrandyjackson.com

Hang out with people who will inspire you to think outside the box, respond with intention, and dream bigger! Connect with James: linktr.ee/jamesleath Join the UTA Text Community by texting "athlete" or "coach" to (972) 236-5924.

Do the things today that your future self will thank you for. linktr.ee/jamesleath Text "athlete" or "coach" to (972) 236-5924.  

Website: https://jakeathompson.com/ Instagram: @jakethompsonspeaks

Here are three ways to have more energy… plus a bonus. 1. How much sleep you get. 2. What types of food you eat and when. 3. Who you spend time with. 4. How do you spend your attention. linktr.ee/jamesleath Text "athlete" or "coach" to (972) 236-5924.

Casey is a Registered Dietitian with over 16 years experience in the health & nutrition field. Casey holds a Master of Science Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics from Central Michigan University. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and a Certified Diabetes Educator.   Casey is married, and is a mom of 3 active boys. She is a self-proclaimed fitness fanatic and enjoys running, biking & strength training. She also enjoys coaching & watching her boys in various sports. She is a HUGE fan of country music and loves spending time at the beach.   Website: https://inspirehw.com/ TicTok @fit.nutritionist Instagram @fit.nutritionist Facebook @fit.strong.nutritionist

This is a snippet from a conversation I had with my friend Travis Thomas from liveyesand.com. linktr.ee/jamesleath Text "athlete" or "coach" to (972) 236-5924.

Every year, I select a word or phrase as my theme for the year. 

Travis Thomas is the Leadership and Team Development Specialist with US Men's National Soccer and founder of liveyesand.com Instagram: @liveyesand

Adam Vasilovich is an Entrepreneur and former collegiate basketball player that would show up for Cheer Competitions. 

Myriam Glez is a Two-time Olympic synchronized swimmer and founder of Athlete Soul, a non-profit that supports athletes as they transition out of sports and raises awareness about the challenges of athletic retirement. Connect with Myriam: Athlete Soul: https://www.athletessoul.space/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/myriam-glez-8682422/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athletessoul/

Cletus Coffey is a former professional and world champion track and field athlete and host of the Recovering Athlete Podcast. Connect with Cletus: Website: https://www.cletuscoffey.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CletusCoffey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cletuscoffey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cletuscoffey/  

Terry and Tina Shorter are the creators of R.I.P.P.E.D. – The One Stop Body Shock® Since 2008 they have amassed over 15,000 global instructors teaching at over 1,000 gyms nationwide.  They are awesome. Enjoy.  Connect with Terry and Tina: Website: https://www.rippedplanet.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RIPPEDFans/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rippedfans

Mac St Onge is a former Dartmouth Dual-sport Athlete (Ice Hockey and Rugby) and host of the Sideline Perspective Podcast. Connect with Mac Website: https://thesidelineperspective.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.stonge12/  

The Mind Leads Performance is a podcast focused on mental skills and performance. Through engaging in conversation with their guests, the hosts, Jon Gold and Andy Harris, dive deeper on all things peak performance.  On this episode, we discuss the importance of storytelling, life as a collegiate athlete, struggling to find identity when sports doesn't work out the way you want it to, my lifelong joy of learning through classic literature, distancing yourself from the past through the breath, and a deep discussion about a purple duck.  iTunes Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-41-james-leath/id1504376831?i=1000482855315

Robyn Webster is Director of Performance Development and Talent Optimization Program at Athletics Alberta. We discuss her career as a professional pole vaulter and overcoming adversity.  Instagram: @robynwebster88  LinkedIn: Robyn Webster

Paige Tonz is Girl Athlete Mindset Mentor and former collegiate athlete.  Instagram: @paigetonz LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/paigetonz  

But I don’t understand why they treat me that way. linktr.ee/jamesleath   Be curious without judgement.  Be kind without ulterior motives.  Be empathetic, without being condescending.    Text "PODCAST to (972) 236-5924 to join the UTA Tribe