RISE ABOVE

If you're going to be a Champion and be great, if you're going to be a great businessperson, a great teacher, a great parent, a great leader, you have to understand that not everyone is going to cheer you on.

It would be nice if I could tell you that your family, friends and co-workers will celebrate you, but that’s, unfortunately, not usually the way life goes. Some people simply can’t handle your success. As you grow and win, someone will get jealous. Someone will start finding fault. Don't be surprised if a friend or relative tries to belittle or discredit you. You can't focus on making everyone around you happy or you'll start changing and lose sight of your goal. Remember, your destiny is too great to be distracted by people who are never going to affirm you. Don't take it personally. It’s not about you. It’s their problem. Shake it off, play your game, and be great anyway. Your desire for success must be intrinsic. Having greatness in the middle of criticism begins with forgiveness. Don't hold a grudge. Let it go! Rise above it all and be relentless. Be an unstoppable Champion in 2015!

TALK LIKE A CHAMPION

We all have seasons when the challenges of life feel overwhelming.

During those times, it’s tempting to talk about how bad things are and focus on the struggle. Maybe you received a bad medical report, or maybe you're facing an unfortunate financial situation. But the more you talk about something, the bigger it becomes in your mind. Instead, you've got to dig your heels in and say, “No, I am not going to give life to that defeat. I am not going to speak illness over myself. I'm not going to speak lack. I'm not going to speak fear. I’m choosing a different report for myself. I believe the truth about my life. I am a Champion. I am relentless. I am unstoppable!” Remember, even if you don't see how things could ever work out, don't quit. You've got to speak to those situations in your life. Negativity will become your self-fulfilling prophecy if you allow it to.  Be strong and let your prophecy be that of a leader -- a Champion. You got this! Start today talking the Champion truth about your life. Take charge of your destiny. You only have one shot in your life, make it count because whether you think you can or whether you think you cannot...you're right. 

What are you talking over your life today?

CHARACTER

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is who you really are and you reputation is merely what others think you are."  - John Wooden

Character demands courageous actions, and courage is the virtue most lacking in today's culture.  Most people would rather have peace and affluence, minding their own business, than stand against oppression, especially if the oppression is not directed at them.  Character demands action to end injustice.  Gus Lee, the author of Courage, wrote, "Courage doesn't depend on practical outcomes, risk versus gains analysis, or collateral impact on others...that's pragmatism.  Courage is addressing wrongs in the face of fear, regardless of consequences, of risk to self, or of potential practical gains...courageous leadership is about the character and spirit to advocate principles regardless of the odds."  Character is having the strength to fight for your highest principles.  Do not make decisions for short term personal gain and risk your character.  Be strong and stand tall to fight for the virtuous principles from within; principles that display growth and gain in others.  This is how leadership shows its face.  Have the courage and character to lift others despite your personal gain or loss.  The more character a person displays, the less he will exploit others for his gains.  Do you display the character of a leader?  Have you lifted someone else up today without expectations for yourself.  When you create success in others, you will gain the greatest success.

CONTROL

Control the controllables!

In order to be a Champion, it is essential to know what you can and cannot control.  Clearly, you cannot control others or even the weather...yet, at times, we try.  What you can control is your attitude, your response to adversity, YOURSELF.  Stop trying to control other people.  A Champion does not manipulate nor try to solely control an outcome.  Rather, a Champion works the process.  A Champion works every moment to their very best ability and has faith the results will take care of themselves.  When you stop outside factors from consuming your thoughts, you free up time for the relentless focus on you, on you being the very best you can be.  When things are not going well, remind yourself to refocus on what you CAN control and be a relentless Champion.  Take control of your attitude and how you respond to adversity and your life will reap the rewards of a Champion! 

In the classroom, know what you can control.  That is not the minds of students.  You are there to guide, challenge and scaffold their young minds.  Having command of your classroom is allowing for freedom to think, respond freely, explore and create; it is not to simply sit quietly in straight rows and follow the lesson plan passed down for thirty years.  Do not control the minds of others.  Rather, join in the exploration of knowledge alongside students to allow for discovery and the synthesizing of new knowledge...together.  Create Champions!

IN THE NOW

Let the past go and succeed in the NOW!


It is difficult sometimes to just let things go and move on.  Moving on from past mistakes or a bad lesson is hard to do for most people.  However, to be a Champion in life and in the classroom, you have to be in the NOW, able to focus on what is happening in the moment.  When you make a bad decision or something doesn't go as you planned in the classroom, you cannot stay there; you have to move on.  As in sports, a referee can make a bad call, why would you complain?  By doing so, you are negatively effecting your future by living in the past; move on.  Live in the present and take a new path that suits the new situation to create new success.  Do not make excuses; stay in the present and make new decisions that makes things right and move forward.  That does not mean ignore the past.  When a lesson or decision does not go well, learn to reflect and make changes but ALWAYS move forward.  Someone or something will always try to hold you back but be a Champion and stay in the NOW!

YOU ARE AMAZING

Most of us, especially our students, think, "There's nothing amazing about me."

Nothing wonderful.  I'm just average.  I'm ordinary.  No, The fact is there is nothing at all ordinary about you or your students.  You have a fingerprint that nobody else has.  There can never be another you.  You are an absolute original.  When God made you, He threw away the mold.  When you say, I'm wonderful, I'm attractive, I'm vibrant, I'm a Champion, not only does strength, purpose and success start coming your way, but you rise up on the inside.  Your self image begins to improve, and you start carrying yourself as if you are special.  Teach your students they are special. You no longer have to drag through the day feeling inferior.  You can have that spring in your step, that "go after it" attitude if you believe you are amazing.  

Be the Champion you were designed to be today.  Be the difference in someone's life.  Do you believe you are amazing?

TOUGH TIMES

We all go through tough times in life and don't always know why.

The tough times in our life should be used as tools for growth. We all go through tough spells in life, including our students. It is in these difficult times that Champions grow and develop. You have to make the decision to grow when in that dark place. That’s when your character is developed; that’s when you learn to trust, to persevere, when your mental toughness is strengthened. Take a new perspective about the rough times and discover the potential inside of you that you never knew you had as you learn about the plan for your life. Teach your students to take on this same perspective by talking to them about it.  As you and your students develop your inner Champion, you will have to go through the tough spells. Learning and growing seems to come during these times. Not to say that you can’t learn during the good times. However, the lessons we learn during the dark days stay with us for the rest of our life. This is a time of being planted so that you can grow. Don’t look at it as being buried. It is time for you to grow and become the relentless Champion that you are. Remember, in education, students are also dealing with tough times.  Students' lives are as real and relevant as ours.  We need to build them up and teach them to overcome and grow. Are we nurturing students to become Champions?

Happy Holidays from UWP

UW-Parkside is the most beautiful and diverse campus in the UW system.
Working with fantastic people here makes a career at UWP #realamazing


Holiday Greetings from Chancellor Debbie Ford from UW-Parkside on Vimeo.

DELETE IT!

No matter what has happened in your life, it is never too late to become everything you were created to be.

The key is to clear out all the negative things people have said about you and focus on the positive! You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are. You have to clear out what that old coach or teacher said about you. Delete it. Quit thinking on that. You have exactly what you need for the race that's been designed for you. Clear out what the counselor said, "You're just a C student. You're not college material." Delete it. You're an A student. You have seeds of greatness. Clear out what the ex-boyfriend or ex-spouse said, "You're not attractive. You're not good enough for me." Delete it. You're a masterpiece, one of a kind, beautiful, attractive, a Champion. You might even have to clear out what a parent said or whoever raised you. "You're so undisciplined. You're never going to amount to much. You can't do anything right." Delete it. You are destined to do great things. You're destined to leave your mark on this generation, and it's never too late to embrace all your destiny has in store for you. What do you need to delete today?