Two Life Altering Lessons from the Super Bowl Quarterbacks

LESSON #1: LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR LEGACY IN MIND

Everyone knows the story of Ben Roethlisberger. A lot of people still have an issue with him, and his actions have brought that upon himself. I believe in second chances and that everyone deserves the opportunity at redemption. It is, after all, in the darkest places where we learn the most about ourselves. Time will judge Ben, as nine months of good behavior and saying the right things is not enough time yet. I give him credit thus far as he’s saying the right things and he seems genuinely humbled and changed.

Tuesday of this week was Super Bowl Media Day. The players get crushed with questions from all spectrums. Here’s what Ben had to say when asked about how he’s changed:

“You always start thinking about what you want in your obituary, and I think just for someone to say he was a good person, God-fearing person who was loyal to his family,” Roethlisberger said. “Put family first. … Enjoyed football and just lived every day like it was his last.”

The key phrase here is “…what you want in your obituary.” Have you ever thought about that? What do you want to leave as your legacy? It’s a tough question, but one I believe we all should reflect upon.

Now, to QB number two, Aaron Rodgers of the Packers. By the way, love this matchup. It will be fun to watch. Two great teams, two great QB’s.

LESSON #2: VISUALIZE SUCCESS

Here’s an excerpt from Rodgers interview with USA Today:

“In the sixth grade, a coach taught us about the importance of visualization,” Rodgers told USAToday. “When I’m in a meeting, watching film or laying in bed before I go to sleep, I always visualize making those plays.
“A lot of those plays I made in the game, I had thought about. As I lay on the couch, I visualized making them.”
“It wasn’t like I surprised myself,” Rodgers said. “I was surprised by the ability to be as accurate as I was on the run at times. But the plays I made in the pocket where I was able to avoid sacks, I visualized the majority before I made them.”

Here’s a guy with a ton of talent and much success so far. I love the fact that he’s been visualizing himself making plays since sixth grade. There’s no doubt that has helped him along the way. Maybe Rodgers wasn’t as talented as others, maybe he just willed himself to do great things b/c he saw himself doing it in his own head. It’s an amazing lesson.

As the talk continues to be about the big game, think about how you can incorporate these two lessons into your life.

ACTION STEPS YOU CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW:

1 – Write for 10 minutes about what you want your obituary to say. Set a timer and just write. Whatever comes to your mind. Words, quotes, sayings, it doesn’t matter. Think about what you want your kids to say about you when you’re gone. Your friends, your spouse, your family, colleagues, whoever. After you’re done, ask yourself if you’re living the life you want according to what you want your legacy to be? There’s a lot more to dig here, but this is a good first step.

2 – If you have something you want to excel at, try visualizing yourself doing it successfully. Again, 10 minutes. Just sit there, close your eyes if you want. Think about reacting calmly the next time you’re mad. Or, giving a great speech the next time you talk in front of a group. How about picturing you eating well or having a great workout. Really picture yourself in the moment. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Okay, so this may feel a little strange at first, but just try it. I think you’ll like how you feel after. The more you engage in this type of exercise the more significant the impact will be on your life.

More to come on both of these topics. Good luck and enjoy the big game this weekend!

P.S. My prediction – Steelers 24, Packers 20

All the Best,

Jon