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	The Power of Belief I was recently reflecting on why teams and individuals achieve the pinnacle of success. I am convinced that winners possess a secret weapon that is available to all - belief. Following are several examples of the power of belief: In the movie October Sky, the Rocket Boys achieved their impossible dream because of one teacher's belief. The 1980 Olympic hockey team achieved one of the greatest victories of all time by winning the Gold Medal. Reason - they believed they would. Tiger Woods doesn't think he will win, he believes that he will. Michael Jordan loved to take the most important shots because he believed that he would make them. Jim Valvano's belief in his North Carolina State team was the energy behind their impossible triumph. The 1968 University of Texas track team won the Southwest Conference championship – despite being picked to finish fourth by the "experts" – because our coach, Cleburne Price, Jr. believed we would. Talent alone will never be the mark of champions, but the powerful combination of talent and belief will continue to be the difference between good and great. As many of you know, I was blessed with considerable success during my athletic career at the University of Texas (I was a member of the 1968 & 1972 championship teams), but the valiant efforts of one individual stands out above all. One of our team members was a distance runner who we referred to as "Little Tom." Distance runners must practice continually to stay in competitive form and Tom was one of our most dedicated athletes. During our senior year, Tom had nagging foot injuries and was unable to practice and compete for most of the year. When the conference championship approached, our coach asked Tom to compete if he thought that he could finish in the top four places and gather some points for the team. No one on our team, including me, the captain, believed that Tom would be competitive, much less finish in the top four. But Tom did! The three mile race came and "Little Tom" told coach that he would run, knowing that this one race would cost him a year of eligibility. The gun went off and lap one of the twelve-lap race began. Tom kept stride for stride with the other runners, even though he was in obvious pain. Myself and the other team members were sitting on the inside of the track, waiting for the inevitable "crash and burn". We were surprised that Tom stayed with the front-runners when they broke away from the pack. Standing now – and cheering – we were amazed as Tom took the lead on the last lap and went on to win the race and set a conference championship record! The bus ride back to Austin afforded me an opportunity to question Tom on how he accomplished the seemingly impossible victory. Tom's response, "I believed that I had the ability and last night, during my prayers, I asked God to give me the strength and courage to win." This combination of hard work, unselfish team commitment, and a positive mental attitude (belief) creates a powerful force capable of accomplishing great things. Tom's achievement is proof that life has blessed you with the freedom to soar, but you must have the courage to risk, the faith to believe and the will to succeed. I challenge you to run the race, your race, the only race you can run, the race you were born to run. May your life always be green and growing.		Seeds of Growth™ are dedicated to keeping you and your team green and growing. These free weekly insights, when applied, will help you achieve true growth in business and life. Why settle for success when you can grow to significance?Sign up now! 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View All Motivational Posters » Recommended Reading True Success by Tom Morris "One of the best books on personal development that you will ever read. Tom Morris is a personal friend and a true modern day philosopher. If you're looking for a resource that will help you grow to the Season of Significance, I highly encourage you to purchase True Success. You won't be disappointed!" The Best Way to Reach Byrd Call him at 251-929-1237, by e-mail at byrd@byrdbaggett.com or give feedback at ByrdBaggett.com/Feedback.
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