What have you learned over the past 20 years?
Twenty years ago on February 15th, 2006, my life changed forever. That magical night where Jason “J-Mac” McElwain scored 20 points in a high school basketball game. Since then it has been a wild ride, which has launched me into a world of professional speaking and leadership. In the #CJJblog this week to honor the 20-year anniversary, I wanted to give you some of my reflections and lessons that I have learned over the past 20 years. Enjoy.
- Kindness. Kindness always wins. Sharing kindness with others every day will drastically improve your life. Be like J-Mac’s teammates (passing him the ball) and the opposing team (Spencerport) and just simply be kind to others.
- Power of perseverance. Did you know that Jason was made my team manager after trying out for the team… for three years? His perseverance is a great example of never giving up on your dreams.
- TEAM. Do you truly believe that you can achieve great things by yourself? Or are you stronger as a team? Adopt the We > Me mindset and soar high together. Even after his magical game that same season (2005-06), Jason will tell you his greatest accomplishment that year was helping the team win a Sectional Title.
- Work. Are you really willing to put the work in to get the results you desire? J-Mac was in early and left late every single day, just to be ready for his moment.
- Passion. One of Jason’s greatest attributes is his passion for basketball. Even to this day, basketball is his one true love.
- Success. How do you act after experiencing success? Do you let it get to your head and inflate your ego? Or do you stick to the principles that got you there? Jason stuck around at Greece Athena High School and was a basketball Assistant Coach for nearly a decade after graduating.
- Greatness. A growth mindset is critical to be successful. Without one, you stagnate. You plateau. Your abilities have a cap. Build better systems that build consistency and make you better.
Did You Know? Coach Jim Johnson was honored last week at the Greece Athena boys basketball game in celebration of the 20-Year Anniversary of the magical “J-Mac” game.
Life Tip #30: Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.
