LISTENING

LISTENING

Working Americans who ignore their hearing problems are losing at least $100 billion dollars a year in earnings. Even people with mild hearing loss, who may miss a consonant here or a word there, may lose income if they can't completely grasp the latest news at the water cooler or a phone message from the boss. Losses range from $1,000.00 per year to $12,000.00 per year.

Findings show that this figure can be cut in half by getting a proper hearing aid.

The more I deal with hockey players, and their unwillingness to listen and absorb advice regarding their personal make up, bottom line qualities, technical skills and tactical levels of play, I am convinced that these figures are pale in comparison to those who just refuse, or don't care, to listen. I wouldn't begin to guess the number of careers that are abruptly ended because of a player's failure to listen.

Hearing problems disrupt personal and family life, hamper emotional intimacy and increase the chances of psychological problems.

Similar statements can be made about failure or inability to listen. Team and organizational chemistry deteriorate or just do not happen. Teams become dysfunctional when it comes to commitment to caring about teammates, being a detail person and what is right. Blind spots become more noticeable and grow in number. The feet and hands will not work because the mind is not clear. People who do not listen to what is said, absorb what is said, and then apply this to their game, will not have a good feeling about themselves. They lose the respect of team management and their teammates and they can feel this.

Think about the correlation. If a hearing aid can solve hearing loss problems and ultimately get your life on track, I would have to believe that "listening, absorbing and applying" would do the same and more for a physically fit athlete's career.

Now we have just two "little" things that are easy to do. They are promptness and listening, and neither of them have anything to do with scoring big goals, making great plays, shooting, catching or passing pucks; but maybe they do. They do affect your mind and ultimately your game.

Every person is blessed with assets people can't teach. You are either born with these skills or acquire them from observing players on ice and emulating them. Use your assets to maximize what you already have earned in life and continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy, one who has to get up every morning to prove he belongs where a select few don't want you to be.
I write a lot of things, some of it to learn myself, and some of it to send to others. I would like to share a recent writing and follow up to that writing with you.

We had an athlete that had a super year. We were quick to tell him, "You are having a great first year that is far from over. Treasure the moment and use it as incentive to maximize your potential."

There are basically two types of athletes in this business "no respect" and "got it made". "No respect" and "got it made" people have to have the same mind set if they are to continue on the path to become what they, and others, believe they can be. One of them has a little tougher journey.Never forget your time on the bench or the wait to see if you will finally be drafted by some NHL team. Don't forget where you come from and how you feel about yourself, and your ability, as well as how others feel about you as a person and player. The most successful people in this game stay close and believe in those who care and believe in them.What type of confidence does it take to overcome a coach, scout or GM sitting you on the bench, failing to recognize your worth, failing to recognize your achievements or putting you on a fourth line when you know you are better? What type of confidence does it take to over come any situation you encounter that is similar to this? You will benefit from all kinds of experiences, but I would let the "no respect" mode handle both positives and negatives.

Bottom line is your success comes down to "they believe in you and you believe in them". If every mentor could get this across to their players, there would be a lot more success stories in life and athletics.Players feeding off 'no respect" is an easy thing to do when you have talent. Anxiety disappears when you prepare in life, so difficult situations are easy to over come and you welcome critical moment opportunities to excel. People who have to deal with "no respect" have to continue to prove they belong. They have to train year around and their game goes to unexpected levels because they are always trying to prove something to themselves and others.

This type of person is rarely satisfied because they know that with just one slip people who make decisions will say "I told you so." Why wouldn't a "got it made person" do the same?Coming from where I come from, I believe I've always got something to prove. I've reached levels I never imagined and I want to keep reaching. My biggest reach is "Peace of Mind" knowing I did the best with the talents that the Good Lord gave me to function on this earth. Have I done anything great? No! I've just gone beyond what others believed I was going to be.When I think about young people with a talent, those who are fortunate to have things going for themselves, I think back to all of those who let complacency and sophistication creep in to their lives and game because everything was going right. In most cases it is a sub-conscious thing that we don't even recognize is happening to us.How many times will you hear; "They were at the top of their game and they let it slip?" For this reason, I believe that those who have it going have to have the same mind set as those who have "no respect". They have to wake up every morning knowing that one slip and they could be in the "no respect" category, simply because life has a way of doing this to people. They have to wake up every morning to be what they can be, and they have to guard against complacency. Human nature takes over in the decision making process.

People in charge have their own style of managing and judging you. My wish is they are judging you with improvement on their mind. Once they make that judgment, they are no different than the next person. They will try and prove their assessment of you is correct. Now the road to success becomes more complicated, however, it is possible to prove people wrong. The good ones let you prove them wrong. An announcer choosing one player over another for a position on the team, or an all star team, will do anything to prove he is right. Conversely a coach or GM playing one player over another to make their team or a line will do anything to prove they are right.

Most athletes have to "pay a heck of price" to be what they can be in life. Very few are born to be there. Why would they risk losing what they worked so hard to achieve? Recognizing and appreciating how they got there is one sure way to insure that things will continue to go well for them. Paying a price in the off season is the other way to insure success. I could be pretty well satisfied with my life right now, and I could elect to take some form of retirement. I don't know that I will ever be satisfied with my life or my situation. Sometimes I wish I could change that part of me to make a better life for those around me. This is me and I have to enjoy being me before I can "help others help themselves" enjoy being what and who they are.The key words are "helping others help themselves". This means that no one is giving you a hand out in life or the game, no one is going to do it for you!

Live it and get it done! I think back to each Super Bowl Sunday. If you read all the clippings, there were super stars and great players on both teams, and both teams had a chance to win. I said before the game that there will be a best and the worst player on each team. Will the best be the one projected? Will the worst be the one projected? There will be a winner and a loser. Will the winner be the favorite to win? Bottom line, I would take pride in being the parent of the worst player on either team.There were two quarterbacks. One just happens to continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy even though he got rid of that label long ago. Who would guess that his eyes alone would be the difference between two great athletes? Who would guess that his ability to "look off and deceive" would be the difference in out playing one of his peers and prevailing?

This is just another reminder that sometimes tragedy creeps in with both success and failure. Purging negatives is a priority, but no more than purging positives to stay grounded. Keep the guard up and watch the outcome in future big games and then your career. Remember you were put on theis earth to validate and anoint yourself regardless of the beliefs, thoughts, reports and ratings of others. It will play out!

Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are reserved. No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps