The Competitor’s Brain

Oftentimes, athletes don't realize how good they have it. UNC wanted their team members to realize that feeling grateful for what you have received is a necessary aspect to a winning culture. 

This one reminded me of the scene from Miracle where Mike Eruzione finally realizes what Coach Brooks wanted from them all along: to play for each other on a team, not to be different people from different schools. The best teams play for each other and that manifests itself in love. 

When you're on a team, you have to actually care about your teammates. It sounds elementary, but it's not always something that happens - which is why we need a reminder of this core value. The winningest teams have a culture of caring about one another. 

I get it, it's hard to support the team when you aren't playing. But in order for you to be ready to play at any moment, you have to be in the game, and support your team no matter the circumstances. 

Give respect to everyone. Don't make anyone feel as if they are beneath you.

Your attitude is a choice. What will you choose in the situation you're in?

Or, as P.D. Eastman wrote in the classic children's book, "don't make big problems out of little problems."

How hard are you willing to work to get whatever it is that you really want?

This is #3 of the UNC Women's Soccer core values as espoused by their coach, Anson Dorrance. He says "And we want these four years of college to be rich, valuable, and deep." This means doing the right things to become educated, but also making the right choices to get value out of your education. Or, you could be like someone Will Hunting derided: "You wasted $150,000 on an education you coulda got for $1.50 in late fees at the public library."

UNC women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance says that UNC players must do something every day to get better. It's not just practice for the sake of practicing. It's deliberate practice, to get better. 

The reference in this is incorrect, btw: it's Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris. (My bad, my source was wrong, but I didn't want to re-record.)