There is really very little difference between winning and losing,…between doing something great and not doing much of anything,…and between succeeding and failing. Successful people always do the work that is required to succeed and then they do it with some extra commitment, enthusiasm, and pizazz. They always do what is required for success to occur,…and then they do a little bit more! They always put a little extra “umph” into everything they do. They always go the extra mile that most all other folks refuse to travel.

Successful people always are willing to do what the failures in life always refuse to do.

In America we have the freedom to make our own choices and decide for ourselves how much and what type of effort we desire to put forth in everything that we do. Successful people are always the ones who put that extra “umph” into everything they try to do or achieve.

Success oriented people always do what is required to be done and then they just keep on working until they achieve the objective they had initially planned to accomplish. They never give up or quit working until the job is done!

The Creator of the Universe, Father God, admonishes us to do what we should always do,…regarding the applied use of our individual talents and efforts whenever we are aiming them in the direction of our own goals. He tells us clearly in the Holy Bible, in The Book of Galatians, Chapter 6, verses 9-10, NKJV:

(9) “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

(10) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

There is a very good example of the teaching point to this discussion that comes from the opening day of the 1954 baseball season wherein the Cincinnati Reds hosted the Milwaukee Braves. Baseball was then the favorite American pastime. It was king of the sports world. Opening day was a true gala event. Each team had a newly signed star rookie player who was supposed to turn their team into a pennant winner and possibly a World Series Champion. Both of these two rookies were beginning their own major league careers at this scheduled game. It was a hard fought and very close game throughout its entirety. The Reds however won 9 to 8.

Without dispute, the star of the game was Jim Greengrass, the rookie who hit four doubles in his first major league outing. Sports commentators and writers almost immediately began hailing him as the next superstar. Plus he had a made-for-baseball name…Greengrass!

The other rookie that day had a dismal start. He was 0-5, but he kept swinging, kept trying, and kept playing. In other words, he stayed at work and on the job, even when he wasn’t producing great results. His powerful batting performances over the years eventually earned Henry “Hank” Aaron a place in baseball’s Hall of Fame! No one is going to win every time he performs, but he doesn’t have to. The real winner is the one who keeps at it and in the end has accumulated great winning results. These are the ones who become the greatest of all performers.

Another sports example of adding “umph” to try is the professional football great, Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears. During a Monday night football game between the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears, one of the announcers noted that Payton, the Bears star running back had just passed nine miles in career rushing yardage. The other announcer added ruefully, “Yeah,…and that’s with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!”

Being knocked down isn’t the same as being knocked out,…unless you stay down. Give it some more “umph” get back up and keep on trying!

Success doesn’t always go to the stronger or faster man. It almost always goes to the one who thinks he can win and believes in himself, and who continues to persevere in his best efforts….all the while competing to win.

I know for a fact that anyone can change, grow, and become more than they are today,…if they indeed are driven from within (internally motivated) to improve their performance at every opportunity they are given,…and they decide, before starting their performance, to never give up.

No man or woman is ever born with all of the talent and ability they will ever possess. There is always room to grow and time to change. The amount of growth and change is totally dependent upon the individual’s personal choice and their willingness to work harder and more regularly than those against whom they plan to compete.

Practice and more practice does make for better and more effective competitive performance. It is always up to the individual as to how hard, how much, and/or how long he wants to practice to improve his own performance. We do know for absolute certain that if one does things right and correct in practice, he will always do things right and correct once he is in the game.

Preparation is and always will be the key secret behind every accomplished champion. Whenever a person is practicing to improve his performance,…everything he gives and pours into his practice efforts is the same as giving it directly to himself.

Practice with a set schedule of things to work on. Practice with a qualified coach on hand. And always practice with a chosen specific purpose. A specific effort practiced and practiced on purpose will always result in better performance when the actual game begins.

Practice makes perfect,…and perfect performance always produces a winning team.

Peace and Love to All of You…………………Poppa Bear