by Joe Susan
I hope that you and your family are well. The football season has moved so quickly. The conference championships take place this weekend and the playoffs in the other divisions continue. It is all a part of a special progression. CHAMPIONSHIPS LAST FOREVER.
My philosophy of life has been shaped by this special game in many ways. The things that I stand for have their foundation in my early years. They have been reinforced by my experience on and off the field. My life has been dedicated to Family and Faith. My career has been dedicated to College Football. These are the things I stand for.
I am blessed with a Family who loves without reservation. Group hugs are a must; have been for a long time and will be forever. My wife Cindy started out as one of my best friends and the rest is ourstory. My children healthy, successful and passionate about life. I love them.
There are times when we approach Faith that it becomes a sensitive subject. I am a man of Faith and my actions are guided by my beliefs. This impacts how I approach many things in my life. A foundation of faith is critical as it provides you with a starting point for all that you do and all that you are. The other truth to my faith is that I know I am never alone.
The concept of discipline is critical to being successful in anything that you do. It begins with being self-disciplined about the details of what you have to do to give yourself a chance. This applies to all of the facets of life. It impacts your performance on any field that you are on. There are no shortcuts to success.
If others view you as someone who is disciplined they will be drawn to you as a role model. They will look to you in times of need and ask your advice and counsel as they make decisions for themselves.
Are you someone who others trust? It begins with what you see when you look in the mirror. Trusting yourself must be the foundation for others to trust you. You must build trust among those you are close to as you move through life. Your consistency will be viewed as a measuring tool for others. It comes back to having trust in yourself.
Your actions and your beliefs must hold up in times that challenge you. These can be good times or bad. Are you the same person when things go the wrong way? How do you react to success and how do you handle failure.
Honesty is a character trait that people are drawn to. Humans can be notorious liars. Remember that when you are 100% honest you will never have to look back and figure out what it was that you said.
Do you stand behind your word? Is what you say something that others can count on? If what you say is supported by what you do all of the time…not just some of the time…then you can be trusted when you give your word.
I am someone who listens intently to others. I have gone by the approach that you can learn more by listening than by talking. I consider myself a pretty good judge of people. This trait comes with experience over time. I am slow to trust but once we have been bonded by trust it lasts.
I care for others. I have always put the needs of other people before mine. Do people see you as being kind? There are times when we must step away from the comfort we enjoy and provide for others. This is something that we learn as younger people but is a choice we make as we mature.
Do you take care of yourself? There are times when we devote so much of ourselves to others and the passions in our lives that we neglect the things that we need. We need time for ourselves. We need sleep, we need to work out, and we need to be with our family and friends. Never neglect these needs as they are critical to our being able to function at our best.
Are you humble? This is difficult in a world that often calls attention to itself. When you succeed are you willing to give others the credit they deserve? Our achievements come and go. How we handle them enables us to learn from success and failure. We will meet both in our lives; some more than others.
Loyalty is a trait that defines a person. This must be a constant in order to be a part of who and what you are. It works both ways. I have been in situations where loyalty has only worked in one direction and have seen people pay the price. I have been described as being loyal to a fault and that is something that will never change. I guess it is one of my many faults.
I hope this makes you think. These are things that are very important to me. I know that I could continue for a while. I work every day to live by the things I stand for. Being human I know that I have to continue to improve. I will make every effort to do so.
My best to you.
Take care,
Joe Susan
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