If you fall in love with the love, you’re going to break with the hate.”
Tervel, OSU assistant coach (practice 115 OSU grapplers).
I remember that practice from long ago like it was yesterday. Many of the grapplers were wrestling with strangers on social media. We were amazed at how much influence these tough athletes were giving to complete idiots online. It was a new thing then. It. Is. Much. Worse. Now.
Here is the melody line of learning from practice 115 and Tervel.
Focus on what you can control, friend. Focus on building character, your own character. Your reputation will be what it will be. Fall in love with doing the work within to engrave on your heart habits that build good character. Look in the mirror. See your blemishes. Look next to you for a real friend, a truth teller who will make you do what you can.
Character is who you are. Reputation is who people think you are.
It might help to remember some C.S. Lewis here – “Putting first things first does not make second things less, it makes them more.”
What friend are you focused on? What is your most precious? Are you falling in love with the real, hard, opus of building you? Are you more interested in presenting your brand and polishing your public reputation?
Slow down and sit with this for awhile. Life is an energy management problem. Love is the juice you want. Make sure you’re looking for it in the right places.
Live hard. Love harder…
BUILT TO LEAD 