Attitude Training, Part 4

So how does a tall, skinny kid who was annemotional misfit turn his life around andnbegin to live his dreams?

Coach McCord asked me that question. Henhad a long history as a teacher who helpednto fashion the character and feed the knowledgenof seventh and eighth grade kids in the small
Northeast Texas town where I grew up.

I ran into 'Coach' and his wife recently at anlocal restaurant in my hometown (she happenednto be my first grade teacher and back then,
I had this amazing crush on her; glad 'Coach'nnever knew my secret).

'Coach' was the first person to ever acknowledgenmy value as a human being.

During the eighth grade year, after one of thenvery grueling football practices of the verynhot and sweltering days of early September,
'Coach' had us doing sprints due to some of the badnbehavior of 2-3 players on the team.

After nearly dying in the Texas heat and sultrynhumidity, I sat in the locker room attempting toncatch my breath. Being the 14 year old 'genius'nthat I was, I boldly declared to my other teamnmates that, 'I don't think its fair that all of usnare punished because of the stupidity of justna few.'

Little did I realize, 'Coach' was standing rightnbehind me. He quickly said, 'Murphy, I need tonsee you in my office.' Ah carramba! I was inntrouble.

'Coach' kept it short and to the point. He simplynsaid, 'Murphy, if you don't like the way I run thisnteam, then quit! Now, get out of my sight.'

Well, I wasn't about to quit. So I decided tonadjust my attitude.

At the end of the season, when 'Coach' wasnhanding out the awards for certain accomplishments,
'Coach' said, 'I have one award for one player who isnwithout doubt the most improved player on this teamnthis season. I'm giving this award to Michael Murphy.'

I had never been acknowledged for any accomplishmentnup until that moment in my life. I didn't know whatnincredible pride and deep emotion I would feel whenngiven that kind of public recognition and encouragement.

When I saw 'Coach' eating lunch recently, he gave menthe biggest hug and let know again how proud he was ofnme now as a 48 year old man. He had bought and readnmy books.

I could see in his eyes a question that he had a questionnbut didn't want to ask. So, disce
ing what he was askingnwith his eyes, I rightfully finished what needed to bensaid that day. I told him that he played a large part inneverything that I've accomplished in my life. Thosenwords garnered another hug from 'Coach' and hisnwife.

My friend, never underestimate the power of encouragement.
I believe that the thinking when I was a child wasnpredominantly, 'Don't brag on them too much; you'll giventhem a big head and ruin them'. Well, nothing couldnhave been further from reality.

I recently read about the most expensive car on thenmarket today. It is likely the Bugatti Veyron. Atn1,001 horsepower it has a zero-to-60 time of unde
three seconds. It sells for around $1.2 million. (Tongive you some perspective, you could buy 6 LamborghininGallardos for the same amount of money.)

They produce so few of them, their waiting list can benquite long and it could be 3-5 years for those who cannafford one.

One of the biggest secrets in producing such a fastncar is the turbo-charged nature of the engine. Simplynput, there are four turbo chargers pushing enough airnwhich in turn forces massive amounts of fuel into thenengine.

Likewise, you can propel a tall, skinny, low self-nesteem teenager into being, doing and having thingsn'he' would have never imagined for his lifenwith encouraging and empowering wordsn(breath or air). Think about it.

Your belief system is established by thenwords you've allowed to set up resident innyour subconscious mind. Your belief systemnwill produce the actions you take in your life.
Your actions will always determine you
results and what you get out of life.

So, how do you turn a tall, skinny, low self-nesteemed teenager into an author of somenrenown and a soul that positively affectsntens of thousands of people around the world?

You do it by feeding him the right words. Bynbreathing the right air into him. Youndo it by him choosing to focus on the rightnthoughts. You do it by setting verbal milestonesnof empowerment and encouragement in hisnlife.

Like the little engine that could which I mentionednin my last article, he repeats what he believesnabout himself until what he believes becomesnhis reality.

Consider doing a couple of things.

First, consider encouraging someone today.
It may or may not be a teenager. But do it fornsomeone and do it today.

Second, if you have no one to force or even given'turbo charged' encouragement to you, then choosento empower yourself. The greatest voice that willndetermine your future in your life is your own.

Start saying, thinking and meditating on things thatnwill empower you. Start training your subconsciousnmind to deliver success into your reality of life.