1.  Never underestimate your opponent.

Underestimating your opponent (opponent = test/challenge/obstacle) can lead to you not preparing fully. Notice, I didn't say "not preparing enough." Not preparing fully. There could always be something to work on, even it's just some minor "tweaking" or double checking your work. You can never over-prepare. Never take a challenge lightly.

2.  Work on your weaknesses until they become your strengths.

If you're strong but lack endurance... work on your endurance. (this isn't just about training... none of these are.) If your talented and a hard worker but have trouble focusing... start making "to-do," lists to keep yourself on track. Whatever it is, you feel or know is holding you back, address it and set a plan to truly work on it until that weakness dissolves.

3.  Remember that great effort is usually the result of great attitude. Effort and attitude go hand-in-hand. You can't fully dedicate yourself with maximum effort with a poor or sub-par attitude. Without a positive attitude, grinding through rough spells can be even more challenging than they need to be. Having a positive, contagious attitude can even do more for you! You can have a partner or even a team to support you! And on the flip side, a poor and contagious attitude can be absolutely devastating. You can lose everything. No matter the task at hand, having a fantastic attitude will keep your efforts high and focused in a positive manner.

4. Dedicate yourself to a mighty purpose.

It may mean something different to everyone reading. It might mean family or a relationship or serving your community or helping others or a religion, it doesn't matter. Studies have shown that those who reach outside of themselves usually live a happier life. Why? People who do go above and beyond for a cause or a purpose, usually direct their energy at an area that holds great meaning to them and they’re very passionate about it. And when you work with passion and enthusiasm, it breeds success because your heart is in the right place, not in the dollar sign and you are always rewarded one way or the other.

5. Win with humility, lose with grace.

Whether it’s a game or a promotion... be humble and move gracefully. There will always be another day and another set of challenges. Never rub a victory in someone’s face and never treat a loss like it's the end of the world. Every moment is opportunity for growth and evolution and it’s all part of the learning process.

6. Ignore those who discourage you.

If you know someone or are forced to work with someone who discourages you in anyway, get away from them! Pretty simple. They have a negative mind, with negative vibes and a poor attitude and you don’t want it rubbing off on you. That being said, there is a difference between someone discouraging you versus someone trying to help you and it’s a very fine, gray line. However, always know THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN'T ACHIEVE IF YOU'RE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND YOU’RE FULLY DEDICATED!

7. Impose your will.

This does not mean stomp your feet or behave like a bully. However, there are times when the bull needs to be taken by the horns and action needs to happen. When these moments arise, have a plan and work that plan. But still be open minded and flexible enough to know if your plan isn't great and you need to alter/change plans.

8. Work to improve your moral and spiritual strengths as well as your physical ones.

The gym is packed and your there a few times a week working on your six pack or biceps... ever read Deepak Chopra? (Just an example). You're dedicated to the miles on the treadmill... but are you happy? You believe you're cutting 500 calories today... do you believe? You had a great game and a great workout... how'd you treat your sophomore teammate that carries the water bottles? You go to church every Sunday and practice treating people right everyday… how are you treating yourself? Anything is everything.

9. Remember how you conduct yourself off the field is just as important as how you conduct yourself on the field.

I've said this 1,000,000 times... I've heard it 1,000,000 times... and I read it every single day in the mirror. "ANYTHING & EVERYTHING." Meaning don’t put on some show for me now and do the exact opposite later. This past season, I was on the coaching staff of a local high school football team. One day some senior "leaders," were complaining about not wanting to be on the kickoff team. After I gathered some calm, positive thoughts to stop myself from throwing the bleachers into the parking lot, I said "do you like to eat?" and now they knew some backwards mind trick was coming, smiled and said yes. I said "well on the field right now is dish duty... some guys don’t want to do it... but the best guys have to, to make sure you/we have fantastically (new word?) clean dishes... if we have dirty dishes, we may not want to eat or the food may taste like garbage because the plates are dirty." They were laughing and said "so we have to wash the dishes?" I smiled and they ran out for kickoff. My point to them was, be a leader. Be willing to do everything, even kickoff, as hard as you blitz. Wash the dishes the same way you vacuum the floor.

10. Even when you don’t expect it, someone is watching you... behave accordingly.

This step kind of ties into step #9. It's partially about not being a hypocrite and being consistent. Being consistent (and fair) is a great quality. Imagine if every time you walked up to someone, you had no idea what they were going to say or how they were going to react... it would drive you crazy! And I’m sure you know someone who acts like that. Be consistent. It’s also about overall decision making. Don’t say you don’t smoke and then smoke at home. Don’t get offended by foul language, and then go nuts at home with it. Whether you know it or not... someone watches you for guidance. What do they see?

11. Be impressive.

That simple. Someone meets you for the first time… “WOWem!” Someone meets you for the 30th time… WOWem again!

12. Talent is God-given - be humble. Fame is man given - be thankful. Conceit is self-given.... be careful.

13. Make everyday your highlight reel.

This is a very common theme in a lot of the blog entries on this site. FULL GO. Maximize every single day, every single moment, and every single opportunity. If you don’t, you will regret it at some point in time/life. Days float by and you will never, ever, ever get them back. Work hard, play hard, love hard, live fully!

14. Don't ask to be deprived of tension and discipline. These are the tools that shape success.

Weight room example: Bench press... do you stop at 10 when you could probably do 15? Why? Do you want lighter weight? Why? Do you want slower cardio? Why? Do you want it easy? Why? Nothing worth having came without some work. With work comes discipline and tension (amongst other things.) Discipline to stay with a plan, discipline to work hard, discipline to never give up, discipline to fight against making poor decisions. Discipline to do what’s right even if your alone in your belief. Tension, stresses and pressure can create beautiful things. Our muscles grow under tension and stress. It's uncomfortable but we grow strong under certain stresses, pressures and tensions. Look at how a pearl is formed, (and this is one my absolute favorite analogies of all time.) Sitting at the bottom at the ocean, collecting particles of sand... maybe some dirt. And over time, the pressure, tension and stress, creates a rare jewel. (No, I do not want any e-mails on how pearls are actually formed, I like my version :)

15. Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, and as well as it can be done.

Don’t procrastinate and don’t just do it to do it. Do it right. Everything you do, imagine as though your name is stamped next to it. Job done by: "Jason" and own it. Stand by it. If there’s something in your life that you do and think "eh, that’s not me, that’s not how i do things...." change it. Be proud of everything you touch. Stamp every day, “Job done by___________!”

16. Never, ever give up.

I have two hoops tattooed inside my arms. I found them in three locations, one being on a Pearl Jam T-shirt probably 15 years ago, one being inside a Phil Jackson book, which led me to find them in a Native American history book at the library. Sacred hoops that mean "never give up." Because in the face of adversity, or stresses or tensions or pressures... a game... a situation... life... you can’t give up. You can’t lose your hope of "success." There may be a time to alter or change perspective (or game plans and goals) but you can never give up. Hold me to this.

17. How you do ANYTHING is how you do EVERYTHING.

I touched on this in step #9 and it’s a very comforting, motivating thought for me. Right now, I have a load of dishes in the sink... and I do not want to do them. I want to read and go for a walk and do some work and write up some workouts for the website and enjoy time with my daughters and girlfriend and those dishes are a pain in my butt! But they have to get done.... and get done well. If I go to get a drink of water later and I see a lip print on a glass, it's going to upset me :) NOT LITERALLY. But you know what I mean. I vacuum, I don’t skip the edges. I workout... I don’t skip rear delts. I coach... You better have a great stance just as much as you better have great form on a tackle. John Wooden used to have time in practice to teach his players how he wanted socks put on! Why? Because wrinkles in your socks can cause blisters... and blisters hurt... and that pain can be distracting at the free throw line with the game on the line. Every single thing counts.

18. Remember that when you're not working to improve, your competition is.

Maybe you’re the boss... well guess what? Someone wants your job or maybe the place down the street want your company to go under. Maybe you’re the starting setter on your volleyball team... guess what? You’re coaches and teammates are counting on you to deliver on time, every time. Taking a day off in the weight room? Your 2011 week 12 opponent isn't (yeah, I'm talking to you:). No wasted days.

19. Always, always, always give your absolute best.

No regrets. Second chances do come around every so often but we’d be silly to count on it. Always give your best and you won’t regret the outcome.

20. Believe in yourself.

If you believe in yourself and everything your working for, then nothing else matters. Believing in yourself IS dedicating yourself to a higher purpose. Believing in yourself IS always, always, always giving your absolute best. Believing in yourself is working hard everyday. It's a deep, untouchable, sometimes invisible sense of strength. It's blind vision. Its all the above rolled into one magnificent power... and it's your if you want it.

Believe.