That being said, I want to share four keys to success that Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach Martin Parks (my Dad) has incorporated into his life for years. These keys have helped Coach Parks reach success personally and with many athletes that he has coached.
These four keys are not the only ideas that Coach Parks teaches to achieve success, but they will help you gain ground in your success journey. Keep in mind that these keys can be applied to every area of life where you desire to succeed, e.g. sports, fitness, work, marriage, and parenting.
Key #1: Dedication
In order to be successful in any venture, you must be dedicated. Dedication separates those who merely talk about it from those who are about it. Dedication requires guts, grit, fortitude, and the ability to stick no matter the circumstances.
When you are truly dedicated, you will show up and get to work. When you are dedicated, you will do your best even when no one else is asking you to do so.
This quote about dedication by legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant says it well...
"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride - and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards." - Paul "Bear" Bryant
Key #2: Discipline
Discipline takes effort, that is why so many people lack it. Discipline allows us to do to the little things right each day. It is kryptonite to the lazy and the secret to success for the achiever.
Discipline will allow the below average to become average, the average to move beyond average, and the above average to become great.
Discipline can start small. For example, make your bed each morning. That is not too much to ask because it's easy and you have total control over it. This is important since as we add one discipline, it becomes easier to add another.
"The pain of discipline is easier than the pain of regret." -Ron Reynolds
Key #3: Direction
The man without direction has no idea where he is going or when he might arrive. The wild part is that there are a great number of people that live like this each day. They wander around aimlessly and then can't understand why they aren't getting better results in their life.
I don't believe you have to plan everything to a tee in life, but I do believe you need direction. Only God knows the plans he has for our lives, but he has also given us responsibilities that we must tend to each day.
Living without any sense of direction is like flying with a pilot that says this to you upon departure...
"Hello this is Captain Lostman speaking, welcome aboard and thank you for flying with us today. I know you are hoping to get to Hawaii this evening and I hope so too. I don't have directions, so I'll just take off and we'll see what happens. Again Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for flying Don't Care Air, where our motto is... Well, we haven't thought that far ahead so it's whatever you want it to be."
I'm sure most of you wouldn't want to be on that plane or fly with that pilot. So why would you live your life in the same manner?
Key #4: Desire
This one is on you. Other people can help you with dedication, discipline, and direction. But, desire lives in your heart and only you can fan that flame.
My Dad has often said this about coaching... "Sometimes you will want it more than your athletes." After 13 years of coaching, I know this to be true in a number of instances. This doesn't only apply to coaching, it applies to life.
Some people have no desire to do what it takes to succeed. They want to, they would like to, it sounds like a good idea, but they don't have the desire it takes to actually succeed.
Desire is that burning passion in your heart that wakes you up each morning and gets you out of bed. Desire creates the voracious attitude that keeps you employing dedication, discipline, and direction each day. Desire makes you keep going when the going gets tough.
When you have desire, you will go above and beyond the call of duty to succeed. Therefore I implore you to fan the flame of desire today!
There you have it, the four keys to success: Dedication, Discipline, Direction, and Desire!
I challenge you to apply the 4 keys to Success in your life and work toward becoming your best you this year!
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God Bless,
Coach P
Discipline is the one I struggle with. Working hard on changing that. Very disciplined in exercise but not so much in healthy food choices. Working on that though. :)
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