By Jillian Broaddus and Chuck Cusumano
At the end of last year, The Joshua Group announced on our blog that we'd taken on a new, exciting, and different project – a new storytelling venture unlike anything we’d done before. The project was born out of knowing a man whose way of living was a story in and of itself – and one which needed to be told. It’s a story that has already touched the lives of thousands, and we hope will reach even further. It’s the story of Coach Bill Thorn!
Well, months later, we're thrilled to announce that this upcoming weekend is the Bill Thorn Gala. While our story isn't yet complete (and needs some more of your words and stories for its final touches!), we're throwing an evening full of fabulous food, motivating stories, and - of course - speeches from Coach himself, and we'd like YOU to attend.
Find out more info at CoachBillThorn.com and buy your tickets NOW before we're totally sold out! And, in the meantime, we'll reshare 5 of our favorite "Thornisms":
“Hard work, over time, defeats talent – or takes talent to a higher level.”
When’s the last time you got truly uncomfortable? Whether exemplified through his 15-man football team outlasting squads of 50 in the fourth quarter, or through Coach Thorn’s dedication to being the only person to complete every single Peachtree Road Race, perhaps the Thornism that most defines his life is this nod to the importance of discipline and resilience.
“Winners find a way.”
Whether we’re justifying to ourselves why an outcome didn’t go as planned, or putting off to tomorrow what could get done today, excuses seem to be rampant in our day-to-day lives. However, Coach Thorn – whether through running six miles at 91-years-old on a swollen ankle, or by setting up track hurdles in a Walmart parking lot when nothing else would work on a road trip – abides by the motto that “Winners find a way” and losers find excuses.
“If you think you are beaten, you are.”
Often, our mindset alone will dictate the outcome, as the detriment of negative thoughts proves as impactful as the power of positive thinking. So, give yourself the upper hand from the start – again, no excuses!
“Your teammates keep your opponents off your back.”
Who do you have in your corner? As Jim Rohn famously said, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. So, who do you have as your support squad, advisors, companions, and – as Coach said – teammates through life? It might be time to re-evaluate your future by re-evaluating your surroundings!
“He who won’t be advised can’t be helped.”
In sports and in life, a willingness to be “coachable” underlies almost every great accomplishment. As Carol Dweck coined it, the highest achievers are those with growth – rather than fixed – mindsets. To piggy-back off the previous Thornism, “If you think you are beaten as good as you’re going to be, you are.”
Whether you knew of Coach Thorn prior to this blog or not, we encourage you to learn more about our project at CoachBillThorn.com! Subscribe for updates, submit your stories, be first in line when the book is published this summer, and find your tickets to the gala now!
Comments