The Hardest Part is Getting to the Starting Line

February 11, 2019 by Aaron Barrette

The 100-meter dash is the signature track and field event of the Olympics with the 100-meter world record holder earning the mythical title of the “World’s Fastest Human.” The current 100-meter world-record is 9.58 seconds set by Usain Bolt on August 16, 2009 in Berlin Germany. The retired Jamaican, considered the greatest sprinter of all-time, holds the world record in both the 100 and 200 meters, winning each event in three consecutive Olympics. It is an incredible accomplishment

In America, track and field is relegated to a niche sport, receiving scant attention unless it’s the every-four-year Olympic cycle. The majority of American sports fans see sprinters like Bolt for that brief ten-seconds of glory every four-years and then turn their attention back to the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball.

What the public sees is Usain Bolt’s athletic dominance over ten second sprint. What they don’t see is the hard work world class athletes like Bolt put in to remain elite. In a competition where fractions of a second can determine the winner, it’s the work the training the athletes put in on a daily basis, outside of the competition, that sets them apart.

The hardest part is getting to the starting line.

Incorporating Failure to Achieve Success via Ray Dalio

December 08, 2018 by Aaron Barrette

We all know the quote. It’s plastered all over sales bullpens in corporate America.

“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.”

Yes, it’s one of those overused quotes, and yes, it’s become commonplace, but It really is a good quote. Leave it to the Great One to come up with an all-timer in the motivation department.

The quote works in every facet of life: Want to close more sales? Pick up the phone and call someone. Have a crush on a girl? Ask her out on a date. Have a great business idea? Start a business. Want to be a writer? Start writing.

We all know it’s not that simple. Let’s start with the writing thing. I’ve wanted to be a writer my entire life. I’ve always admired the great writers. At an early age it started with Ernest Hemingway and Jack London. But I never actually did it.

You're Only In a Race Against Yourself and Other Lessons I Learned from the Marines

December 04, 2018 by Aaron Barrette

I had the honor this past weekend of accompanying my son and his high school rugby team as they took part in a team-building exercise with some members of the 5th Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California. The experience we had along and the lessons he and his team learned really resonated, reinforcing many of the critical skills I’ve worked hard to instill in my son. It also reminded me why I love the culture and toughness of rugby so much.

In the end all parents really want the same thing: well-adjusted kids of strong character and determination (grit) that are resilient enough to handle what life throws at them. In the case of my son I believe my role is to turn him into someone who will eventually become a great father, partner and provider. This past Saturday, the Marines, through their outlook on the world, helped reinforce some of the key lessons my wife and I have worked so hard to instill in our kids.