Attitude Training, Part 4

So how does a tall, skinny kid who was an
emotional misfit turn his life around and
begin to live his dreams?

Coach McCord asked me that question. He
had a long history as a teacher who helped
to fashion the character and feed the knowledge
of seventh and eighth grade kids in the small
Northeast Texas town where I grew up.

I ran into 'Coach' and his wife recently at a
local restaurant in my hometown (she happened
to be my first grade teacher and back then,
I had this amazing crush on her; glad 'Coach'
never knew my secret).

'Coach' was the first person to ever acknowledge
my value as a human being.

During the eighth grade year, after one of the
very grueling football practices of the very
hot and sweltering days of early September,
'Coach' had us doing sprints due to some of the bad
behavior of 2-3 players on the team.

After nearly dying in the Texas heat and sultry
humidity, I sat in the locker room attempting to
catch my breath. Being the 14 year old 'genius'
that I was, I boldly declared to my other team
mates that, 'I don't think its fair that all of us
are punished because of the stupidity of just
a few.'

Little did I realize, 'Coach' was standing right
behind me. He quickly said, 'Murphy, I need to
see you in my office.' Ah carramba! I was in
trouble.

'Coach' kept it short and to the point. He simply
said, 'Murphy, if you don't like the way I run this
team, then quit! Now, get out of my sight.'

Well, I wasn't about to quit. So I decided to
adjust my attitude.

At the end of the season, when 'Coach' was
handing out the awards for certain accomplishments,
'Coach' said, 'I have one award for one player who is
without doubt the most improved player on this team
this season. I'm giving this award to Michael Murphy.'

I had never been acknowledged for any accomplishment
up until that moment in my life. I didn't know what
incredible pride and deep emotion I would feel when
given that kind of public recognition and encouragement.

When I saw 'Coach' eating lunch recently, he gave me
the biggest hug and let know again how proud he was of
me now as a 48 year old man. He had bought and read
my books.

I could see in his eyes a question that he had a question
but didn't want to ask. So, discerning what he was asking
with his eyes, I rightfully finished what needed to be
said that day. I told him that he played a large part in
everything that I've accomplished in my life. Those
words garnered another hug from 'Coach' and his
wife.

My friend, never underestimate the power of encouragement.
I believe that the thinking when I was a child was
predominantly, 'Don't brag on them too much; you'll give
them a big head and ruin them'. Well, nothing could
have been further from reality.

I recently read about the most expensive car on the
market today. It is likely the Bugatti Veyron. At
1,001 horsepower it has a zero-to-60 time of under
three seconds. It sells for around $1.2 million. (To
give you some perspective, you could buy 6 Lamborghini
Gallardos for the same amount of money.)

They produce so few of them, their waiting list can be
quite long and it could be 3-5 years for those who can
afford one.

One of the biggest secrets in producing such a fast
car is the turbo-charged nature of the engine. Simply
put, there are four turbo chargers pushing enough air
which in turn forces massive amounts of fuel into the
engine.

Likewise, you can propel a tall, skinny, low self-
esteem teenager into being, doing and having things
'he' would have never imagined for his life
with encouraging and empowering words
(breath or air). Think about it.

Your belief system is established by the
words you've allowed to set up resident in
your subconscious mind. Your belief system
will produce the actions you take in your life.
Your actions will always determine your
results and what you get out of life.

So, how do you turn a tall, skinny, low self-
esteemed teenager into an author of some
renown and a soul that positively affects
tens of thousands of people around the world?

You do it by feeding him the right words. By
breathing the right air into him. You
do it by him choosing to focus on the right
thoughts. You do it by setting verbal milestones
of empowerment and encouragement in his
life.

Like the little engine that could which I mentioned
in my last article, he repeats what he believes
about himself until what he believes becomes
his reality.

Consider doing a couple of things.

First, consider encouraging someone today.
It may or may not be a teenager. But do it for
someone and do it today.

Second, if you have no one to force or even give
'turbo charged' encouragement to you, then choose
to empower yourself. The greatest voice that will
determine your future in your life is your own.

Start saying, thinking and meditating on things that
will empower you. Start training your subconscious
mind to deliver success into your reality of life.