Opportunity in one’s life can be an interesting thing.  There’s the kind of opportunity that you see directly in front of you, knowing that it is heading your way.  Other times an opportunity arises from something else you have been working towards and because you expanded your horizons a bit you have created another opportunity.  Sure, staying in your comfort level can be, well, comforting, and safe, but taking a chance and seeing if you can create opportunities for yourself, can be so gratifying and rewarding.  Sure, you may not see the light at the end of the tunnel immediately, but, if you keep your eye on the goal at hand, while expanding your talents into other areas of your life and career, the final outcome may be something grander than you ever imagined. 

Take me for instance, I talk on the radio for a living.  I own my time which means that I sell all of my endorsements and advertising personally.  I like to say that I “eat what I kill”.  I make a decent living at it, but that is not all I do.  I have written a book, created and hosted my own TV show, and started a small production company for TV, film, and musical ideas.  Every time I came up with these projects, they all came from an idea that I came up with.  I believe in them and have cultivated them into varying levels of my success.  And I’m still not done nor satisfied with their outcome just yet, but I will continue to believe in them until it’s time to give them up.  Oh yeah, I’m still dreaming.  And when one dream doesn’t work out or leaves me dissatisfied, guess what?  I dream another dream. 

Yesterday I traveled down to Boca Raton, Florida to meet with an executive in the motivational speaking industry.  She is President of her own company and she forms and places speakers of all industries.  I’ve done some speaking over the years, some of which I had video taped.  I’ve never had representation for this field, so when I had the opportunity to meet with this executive, I was ready and was not afraid to show her all of my material.  Why not?  What’s the worst thing she could have said to me?  “You’re not for us?” Okay, then on to the next one who may think I am for them. 

Tonight, I will be doing something for the very first time.  I am the color commentator on a local TV station for a live Arena Football League game, right here in Jacksonville.  I have never done it before, but when I was asked if I would be interested, I said yes.  Am I scared?  No.  Not one bit.  I believe in my abilities and have done my homework for the game.  I say, Bring it on! 

The point of this post is that you can never be afraid to try.  You can never be afraid to take that chance.  So, what if it doesn’t work out.  Maybe something else will come out of it.  In football, we were always told, “the more you can do.”  The more versatile you were the more valued you were to the team.  Same in business and in life.

I know it’s not easy for a lot of people out there right now.  But, let’s get creative.  Let’s think of something else that we can do to give ourselves an additional opportunity to succeed.  Sure, it will take hard work, but I always believe that anything worth anything is going to take a whole lot of something!

You can do it.  Expand your horizons a bit, round yourself out a little more.  And never be afraid to take that chance.  You never know what it can bring you.

All the best!

Tommy Mac

Yeah I know it sounds harsh but c’mon, what are you going to do, sit there and cry about things or do something about it?  Give up?  No way!  Not with this cat.  Sometimes things can be hard, in life, in business, and in sports.  And?  Hey, it is what it is.  Toughen up people it’s a tough world.  Keep your head down and your chin up.  Counter punch, counter punch, counter punch!  What else are you going to do?  Sit and wait for your lucky star to arrive?  Guess what?  It’s not going to happen.  Every person that I have met in my lifetime that was successful had to believe in what they were doing and busted their tails to achieve that dream.  Let me tell you a quick story.  My father lived through the Great Depression, from the beginning of it until the end.  Being the oldest of three, he started working at the age of 13 to help the family out, earning 5 bucks a week.  When he was in college, he led the way again.  The day after Pearl Harbor he left his full football scholarship and enlisted in the Army Air Core.  He learned to fly the B-24 bomber when he knew nothing about planes.  He and his crew flew 22 missions until they were shot down on their 23rd.  All but one survived and the rest had to endure life as Prisoners of War for 11 months!  Tough?  You bet your ass it was tough!  But they survived, they overcame, and beat the odds.  Today I  heard a story from a football coach who’s Dad grew up in Oklahoma during the Depression.  “They didn’t have a pot to piss in”, was what he said, verbatim.  He also told me that his Dad’s family lived in South Carolina prior to Oklahoma.  Want to know how they got to their new home?  They walked!  Walked!  The whole way!  Wow, now that’s tough.  But, that generation knew what it took.  They earned everything that they had and never acted like they were entitled to something better.  They worked their asses off for it.  This generation we live in needs to have some of that rub off on them.  I know, sometimes things don’t go our way and it feels like the world is on our back. Well, how do you make it better?  My answer, suck it up and make it better.  Quit your crying, say your prayers, and get after it!  Dream, dream big.  And when one dream doesn’t work out then dream another dream.  Accomplish goals and you’ll get to wherever it is that you want to go.  Trust me it works.  I say it’s the only way!

Best to you all!

Tommy Mac

Sports is business is life.  What does it mean?  Well, everything you go through in sports as an athlete, you go through in life and in business, and vice versa.  Think about it.  Ups and downs, winning and losing, overcoming, persevering, preparing, believing, beating the odds, the list goes on and on. Sports are an emotional roller coaster ride and life ain’t easy.  One minute they love you and the next minute they are calling you out.  Physical, mental, and emotional toughness are pre-requisites that every athlete must possess.  Let’s face it, it’s a pre-requisite to succeed in life.  Like my late father always said to me, it’s a ”what have you done for me lately?” kind of world.  Isn’t that the damn truth? In business, in life, and in sports, the message rings clear.  So, what do you do about it?  I only know one way.  Counter punch. Fight. Win.  There are simple principles that I follow to help me get there.  It all starts in the belief in oneself and what you are doing.  If you don’t believe in you, who else is going to?  Prepare.  Know what the hell you are doing like no other.  Hey, bullshit can only take you so far.  Overachieve.  Why would you do it any other way?  Give it your best, every single time. Be humble. Yeah, be happy for yourself, but always keep it in perspective.  When you think you are the cat’s meow remember, so did Tiger and Ben.  And finally, in the lyrics of Mick Jagger, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you’ll find,you get what you need.”

So, whether you are an athlete, a businessman or woman, a brother or sister, a mother, a father, husband, or wife, have love in your heart and toughness in those veins,and above all, in the words of Jimmy Valvano, “never give up!”

Best to all and go get ‘em!

Tommy Mac