Posts by Joan Courtney
Spider Webs and Your Mind
Spider webs have a special significance for me. As they glisten in the sun, the beads of dew sparkling in the light like asymmetrical diamonds on a necklace, they carry a message. Their thin structure belies their strength. Even though they are spun from thin strands of silk, they can support the weight of the…
Read MorePersistence Pays Off
Sometimes stamina and endurance is what it takes to succeed. Since she was a little girl, 4’8″ Felicia Perez had wanted to play football. Not just as a kicker. Or a safety. She wanted to be a middle linebacker and fullback, which would put her in the pileup every time she’s on the field. Felicia…
Read MoreGive Up? Or Keep on Going?
It’s a few games into the season. Some teams have yet to win a game. Players on these teams are less and less confident in their skills and abilities. And it shows in their playing. Coaches wonder if they should throw up their hands and begin to plan for the next year. Fans are disgruntled.…
Read MoreInternal Motivation
It’s easy to push myself when I’m challenged, when I’m disrespected. When I was in my 20’s, a co-worker bet I didn’t have what it took to run 2 miles a day over lunch for 30 days. That I didn’t have the internal fortitude. He threw down the gauntlet. I was off and running the…
Read MoreMake Something Out of Nothing
When Saquon Barkley was playing football at Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania, he was the same size when everyone else was growing. His 5’7″ 155-pound body was not exploding with growth as his fellow teammates. He was one of the best track and field stars but knew it was only to improve his football prowess.…
Read MoreConsistent Dedication
Long ago, Joe Thomas earned the title of NFL Iron Man. He has never missed a game since the Cleveland Browns made him the third pick in 2007. In fact, this 11th year man out of Wisconsin who plays center, has never missed a play in starting all 161 games of his career. He has…
Read MoreChanging Expectations
It’s difficult for a competitor to be picked up by a new team. And different expectations can be a challenge. A star player joined a new team and was not playing as much in a game as he thought he should be. The team was losing the game. The player felt he had more to…
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