Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. EPHESIANS 5:15-16
When I look back at all the opportunities I have had I notice a couple of things that stand out. First, I notice that in order to fully take advantage of an opportunity you have to wait for God’s timing. Often times we are in such a hurry for the opportunity that we ruin any chance of actually making the most of the opportunity. As I look back over the numerous basketball opportunities I had I do not believe any of them came immediately. For example, when I was an 8th grader I had the opportunity to start on my Varsity High School Basketball team, but not without having to be patient and wait for the opportunity; and my opportunity only came from my high school coach's frustration with a group of seniors...
In was January of 1996 and I had been playing a combination of Freshman and JV during the first two months of the season. For some reason this particular night I only played 3 quarters of JV and in Minnesota you are allowed to play 5 quarters per/night. So, this night I had two quarters left to play but certainly never thought I was going to receive a chance to go into the Varsity game. As the Varsity game tipped off I assumed my seat at the end of the bench close to the water bottles so when the guys came out I could quickly provide them something to drink.
However, this night was different. We entered the locker room at halftime down 42-15. My high school coach was a high spirited individual and was not very pleased as we entered the locker room. Matter of fact I believe his foot print still remains in the side of the home team’s red lockers. He was so mad that through his spitting and stinky coffee breath he told the seniors he was going to start the 8th grader in the second half. After I nearly threw up I knew this was the opportunity I was waiting for and would never look back. We ended up losing the game 72-70 at the buzzer and I finished with 17 points. That night was the last night I played JV and from that point on I started every game for the next four and half years. The opportunity only came with patience. It is important to understand it was not a content patience while sitting at the end of the varsity bench, but instead a patience that told me my opportunity would come and the only question that remained was: Would I be ready for it when it arrived?
Many times we miss opportunities because we lack patience. The lack of patience does not cost us the opportunity, but instead it causes us to miss the opportunity because in the midst of our frustration and second guessing the opportunity appeared and disappeared without it ever being noticed.
The second thing I noticed was that many times opportunities come when we least expect it. They come often in a blink of an eye and usually present themselves at the most difficult times when we have convinced ourselves that nothing good could come out of the situation we have been placed in. I think back to early November when I learned that the Attack facility in Ames was going to be sold. As I walked around for a week or two or maybe even three pouting and being upset about the situation I nearly missed an opportunity that would certainly change the course of my life as well as the direction of the Attack program.
One Thursday morning in early November I arrived at my men’s group at Cornerstone Church and was relaying my frustrations to the other men who hold me accountable each week. They listened and provided encouragement as they had done the past few weeks. However, this day was different and God was going to make sure I did not miss this new opportunity. As we started to go through the materials that morning the first verses we came across were the following from ISAIAH 46:
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.
From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that will I bring about;
what I have planned, that will I do.
As we concluded that mornings group meeting it was as if God was speaking directly to me to quit looking at all the negative things that were happening, and instead look at the new opportunity that had been created. As I left that morning the sun was just beginning to rise and I thought to myself how many times in my life I have missed an opportunity to do something that only God could have set forth because I was pouting about the situation I found myself in. I made a promise that morning that I would not miss another opportunity because I had my eyes closed and was not willing to see it.
Why all of the discussion this week about opportunities? It is because each high school boy & girl will embark on a month full of opportunities. This month will be the beginning of opportunities to pursue basketball at the collegiate level as we will be attending tournaments with over 350 college coaches in attendance. As Monday, July 6th, 2009 @ 8:00am quickly approaches I want to leave all of you with these couple of thoughts:
A. It is a long month and there will be some ups and some downs. For some of you your July may not begin as you want it. I want to encourage you to stay ready for your opportunity. For others you may not play as you expected, but I want to encourage you not to get too high or too low just stay ready for the next opportunity. All of your hard work over the years will be worth it as long as you stay ready for each opportunity you are given.
B. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12) Please remember that all of you have individual opportunities this upcoming month but nothing is going to be accomplished alone. If each of you plan on making the most of your opportunities then you are going to have to be willing to sacrifice for your teammates and do whatever it takes for your team to be successful. The players that get the most exposure are the players that play on the most SUCCESSFUL teams.
C. Some of you are going to leave the month feeling as though you have accomplished everything you could have ever dreamed about and more. For others of you July 31st is going to come and there will continue to be an aroma of uncertainty in the air. It is important to remember like it was for me in early November that sometimes we do not understand why some doors are closed, but often times it is just because God is preparing to open a new door that we could have never received the key for if the first door would not have swung shut.
D. HAVE FUN! This month will be one of those months that when it is over you will look back upon it and say those were some of the best times of my life. As I think back on last year’s 17U boys’ team who have all committed to play college basketball somewhere not one of them will remember who won or lost which game 10 years from now. However, I am confident they will never forget lining up as a team embraced hand in hand and running into the Atlantic Ocean as fast as they could while visiting Daytona Beach. As I sat and watched them I finally understood why they were so successful. It had nothing to do with talent, size, or athletic ability (even though these were nice traits to have) but instead it was because this experience, this moment, this opportunity was about enjoying it together. There will be a lot of pressure and there may even be a few sleepless nights as you wonder what are those coaches are thinking. Through all of this enjoy the month and enjoy the relationships you have made....especially you 17U boys and girls since this is the last month you will put on that summer basketball jersey.
Good Luck to all the high school boys and girls and MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR OPPORTUNITY!!
Go Attack,
Jake Sullivan
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Adoption Update
We recieved this by email this morning from our social worker:
Dear Jake & Janel,
I spoke with Pastor Gideon [this is the new pastor working on our case as Pastor Sam will be traveling the rest of the summer] this morning and asked about your referral. He indicated he has information on a child available for you--a boy age 4 (almost 5 he thought). He asked that I give him a couple additional days to send the information as their internet servers have been down & he has been unable to access internet for quite some time now. He apologized for not being able to send the information in a timely manner.
I feel confident we should receive the info this week after my conversation with him today. I'm certain he will find working internet 'somewhere' to scan the information into us. Maybe a little prayer is needed too. ;)
I will be in touch soon! Have a blessed day...
Wow- this surely is an answer to prayer! This referral is separate than the ones that would be coming in from the orphanage that had just shut down (which I posted about last week). I had been praying over the weekend that God would just make it clear to us who this child is that he wants us to adopt. I prayed that we would know if we should adopt one of the older children, or if we should wait for a personal referral. To get this in my inbox this morning was so exciting. Now that there is a referral on the horizon I think it will be easier for me to be patient in waiting for the info/photo to come in. Please pray that this child will be the perfect one for our family.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Dear Jake & Janel,
I spoke with Pastor Gideon [this is the new pastor working on our case as Pastor Sam will be traveling the rest of the summer] this morning and asked about your referral. He indicated he has information on a child available for you--a boy age 4 (almost 5 he thought). He asked that I give him a couple additional days to send the information as their internet servers have been down & he has been unable to access internet for quite some time now. He apologized for not being able to send the information in a timely manner.
I feel confident we should receive the info this week after my conversation with him today. I'm certain he will find working internet 'somewhere' to scan the information into us. Maybe a little prayer is needed too. ;)
I will be in touch soon! Have a blessed day...
Wow- this surely is an answer to prayer! This referral is separate than the ones that would be coming in from the orphanage that had just shut down (which I posted about last week). I had been praying over the weekend that God would just make it clear to us who this child is that he wants us to adopt. I prayed that we would know if we should adopt one of the older children, or if we should wait for a personal referral. To get this in my inbox this morning was so exciting. Now that there is a referral on the horizon I think it will be easier for me to be patient in waiting for the info/photo to come in. Please pray that this child will be the perfect one for our family.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Knock Knock
Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts every time we sense we should turn to him. Jesus wants to have fellowship with us, and he wants us to open up to him. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us - not breaking and entering, but knocking. He allows us to decide whether or not to open our lives to him. Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door?
Life Application Study Bible, NIV
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts every time we sense we should turn to him. Jesus wants to have fellowship with us, and he wants us to open up to him. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us - not breaking and entering, but knocking. He allows us to decide whether or not to open our lives to him. Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door?
Life Application Study Bible, NIV
Friday, June 26, 2009
Dinosaurs and Hot dogs
Ever since I went to college at Iowa State I had always wanted to visit Reiman Gardens, but I never took the time to go. Well, this year when I heard that they started a little dinosaur exhibit among the flowers, I knew I just had to take JJ. Yesterday morning I woke up, and decided that it was a good day to go…so we went!
Once we got there I realized Jayla was not in a very good mood. 
No, she was not scared of the dinosaur….she was crying because she was hot and the ground I put her on to take this priceless picture was wet. Of course, JJ is still playing his little hide from the camera games as well. I cannot stop laughing at this picture.But, as we strolled around, JJ got more and more interested in everything!
I thought it was so funny that he walked around like a little old man with his hands clasped behind his back! I didn’t even tell him not to touch anything, he just started walking like that for some reason.
JJ has to name everything. Here he is telling me which dinosaur is which, “That’s the daddy, gee gee (JJ), bobby (Jayla), and grum Lori (grandma). No mommy one.”
The best quote of the day came when I showed JJ these cattails…
I said, “Look, these are named cattails cause they look like a cat’s tail.”He said, “No mommy, look like hot dogs.”
I stand corrected.
We ventured on, and Jayla continued to share her opinions.
And JJ continued to stop me at certain spots so I could take his picture...really he did! I couldn't believe it!
Then, we found a spot to dig up fossils…
And, suddenly, Jayla was all business. This girl loves to dig in the dirt.
We spent a lot of time at the watering troth!
And I got some fun close-ups of the flowers…
One thing that caught my attention was this section…there was an entire area dedicated to this:
Looking around at this beautiful place, and then seeing this sign made me sad that all this beauty could be attributed to something other than God’s own creation. When I first became a Christian I remember it was like seeing the world all for the first time…realizing the intricacy and order and details that God had ordained in nature. I remember going through my first season of spring as a believer and realizing that God designed spring to be a picture of our souls. I cannot fathom how plants and trees can look so dead, but then come spring they grow new leaves and buds and show such magnificent signs of life. It reminds me of this verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
From Esi
[We received this sweet handwritten letter from Esi in the mail this week]
Dear Jake & Janel,
It is good to write to you formally. I received the letter Janel wrote plus all the exciting pictures last week. We are very happy to know that you are all doing well and that you are taking very good care of Nana Yaw.
In fact words cannot express how much you (Jake & Janel) mean to us. We believe that posterity [I’m not sure what this word means] would answer some of these things for us. It beats our imagination how Jake came to Ghana and the circumstances under which he met Coach Isaac and Nana Yaw. We are very grateful to God and we see the whole gesture as a miracle ordained by God. Jake’s decision to rather adopt a child from Ghana and not Ethiopia was a divine intervention! [Yes indeed…God has certainly led us to many exciting opportunities in Ghana.] We pray for you and your family each time and we ask for abundant God’s blessings for you. [Isn’t it always refreshing to learn of someone that has been praying for you that you didn’t even know was] We are also praying that Kingdom Hoops Foundation and All Iowa Attack Academy will grow from strength to higher strength.
Nana Yaw told me Jayla has started crawling now. I hope she would get up very soon and start walking. How is JJ now? Is he talking more clearly now? [Yes, in fact he never stops!!] All attempts to talk to Coach Seay and his wife Stacy have not worked out. They are always not available to be spoken to on their cell phones. [Too bad she can’t text. Then she’d get a response ASAP!] Just send them my sincerest greetings and love and tell him we are expecting him in Ghana! [Coach Seay is heading to Ghana in late July to see the Right to Dream Academy]
When are you coming to pick up your adopted son in Ghana? Please let us have the specific dates of arrival and departure. How far have you gone with Nana Yaw’s F-visa arrangements? [All the paperwork is done and turned in, just waiting for the final approval which we should receive anytime by the end of August] We are praying hard for him to go through successfully. We want to hear something about his basketball performance. Is he progressing? [He is improving so much right now as he plays with what will be his high school team. He is absolutely shining in his games and easily has become a crowd favorite!] Is there any hope in the near future for college basketball! [DEFINITELY!] What about his general behavior both at home and outside home? Is he of good character? [I loved this question because I can see myself asking this of JJ once he is Nana Yaw’s age!]
It has been very difficult to communicate since we did not have an internet access at home. Now we have bought a modem and we are left a few other things to buy so we can communicate to you on the email which I believe would be the most convenient. [Yes, the phone service has not been great]
Once again we want to say a very big thank you for everything you have done for us. We know we did not deserve anything from you but you decided to lend a helping hand to a needy person [I would love to share all the stories of how Esi has helped the needy in her own country – God is really using her caring heart to minister to the helpless there]. May God bless you.
Greetings to you all, Janel’s mom & step-dad and her grandmom, Coach Seay, Stacy and the kids and everybody!
Love you all!
Esi (Nana Yaw’s Mom)
[Isn’t she the sweetest?!?!?!]
Dear Jake & Janel,
It is good to write to you formally. I received the letter Janel wrote plus all the exciting pictures last week. We are very happy to know that you are all doing well and that you are taking very good care of Nana Yaw.
In fact words cannot express how much you (Jake & Janel) mean to us. We believe that posterity [I’m not sure what this word means] would answer some of these things for us. It beats our imagination how Jake came to Ghana and the circumstances under which he met Coach Isaac and Nana Yaw. We are very grateful to God and we see the whole gesture as a miracle ordained by God. Jake’s decision to rather adopt a child from Ghana and not Ethiopia was a divine intervention! [Yes indeed…God has certainly led us to many exciting opportunities in Ghana.] We pray for you and your family each time and we ask for abundant God’s blessings for you. [Isn’t it always refreshing to learn of someone that has been praying for you that you didn’t even know was] We are also praying that Kingdom Hoops Foundation and All Iowa Attack Academy will grow from strength to higher strength.
Nana Yaw told me Jayla has started crawling now. I hope she would get up very soon and start walking. How is JJ now? Is he talking more clearly now? [Yes, in fact he never stops!!] All attempts to talk to Coach Seay and his wife Stacy have not worked out. They are always not available to be spoken to on their cell phones. [Too bad she can’t text. Then she’d get a response ASAP!] Just send them my sincerest greetings and love and tell him we are expecting him in Ghana! [Coach Seay is heading to Ghana in late July to see the Right to Dream Academy]
When are you coming to pick up your adopted son in Ghana? Please let us have the specific dates of arrival and departure. How far have you gone with Nana Yaw’s F-visa arrangements? [All the paperwork is done and turned in, just waiting for the final approval which we should receive anytime by the end of August] We are praying hard for him to go through successfully. We want to hear something about his basketball performance. Is he progressing? [He is improving so much right now as he plays with what will be his high school team. He is absolutely shining in his games and easily has become a crowd favorite!] Is there any hope in the near future for college basketball! [DEFINITELY!] What about his general behavior both at home and outside home? Is he of good character? [I loved this question because I can see myself asking this of JJ once he is Nana Yaw’s age!]
It has been very difficult to communicate since we did not have an internet access at home. Now we have bought a modem and we are left a few other things to buy so we can communicate to you on the email which I believe would be the most convenient. [Yes, the phone service has not been great]
Once again we want to say a very big thank you for everything you have done for us. We know we did not deserve anything from you but you decided to lend a helping hand to a needy person [I would love to share all the stories of how Esi has helped the needy in her own country – God is really using her caring heart to minister to the helpless there]. May God bless you.
Greetings to you all, Janel’s mom & step-dad and her grandmom, Coach Seay, Stacy and the kids and everybody!
Love you all!
Esi (Nana Yaw’s Mom)
[Isn’t she the sweetest?!?!?!]
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
From Daddy
Daddy went shopping.
At the Mall of America.
All by himself.
He picked up a new outfit.
And some things for JJ.
At the Mall of America.
All by himself.
He picked up a new outfit.
And some things for JJ.
And
look
what
he
bought
for
Jayla
Something tells me these won’t look quite right with her closet full of sundresses!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Fun in Minnesota
We were back in Daddy’s old stompin’ grounds this past weekend for a tournament. We had lots of fun with Grandpa & Grandma Sullivan!
It’s a party!
It’s a party!
Shooting on Daddy’s infamous hoop…
We’ve heard lots of stories about Daddy shooting in this driveway when he was growing up.
Rumor has it Grandma Sullivan taught Daddy everything he knows about basketball….
Can you believe that Minnesota gets hot weather too? Mommy packed the swimsuits just in case it didn’t snow! Cousin Dakota met us at the pool!
As you can tell, these girls are on a strict workout regimen.
This was the popular hangout.
During naptime the girls let their hair down and went for a spin!
After dinner it was time for some yardwork…
Hmmm...I wonder what Miss Jayla is doing?
Daddy had to make sure he could still climb his old trees…
He later found out that the problem wasn’t getting up the trees, but getting back down.
And, of course a girl has got to do some swingin…
And, of course the boys had to run down the big hill in the backyard a few times…
On Father’s Day we went to the zoo! Daddy had to coach lots of games, so it was Grandpa’s lucky day!
There were lots of animals to see, like…
FLAMINGOS!
TIGERS!
GIRAFFES!
AND ZEBRAS!
Jayla’s favorite was watching the monkey’s swing around on the branches…
Mommy’s favorite was the orangutans because the baby had a blue blankey and the mommy orangutan had to carry it around!
Grandpa’s favorite was this scary gorilla who looked a little too thoughtful….
JJ’s favorite was that he talked Grandpa into buying him some ice cream!
And, Grandma’s favorite was that she got to be with all 3 of her grandkids in one day!
IT WAS A GOOD TIME IN MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’ve heard lots of stories about Daddy shooting in this driveway when he was growing up.
Rumor has it Grandma Sullivan taught Daddy everything he knows about basketball….
Can you believe that Minnesota gets hot weather too? Mommy packed the swimsuits just in case it didn’t snow! Cousin Dakota met us at the pool!
As you can tell, these girls are on a strict workout regimen.
This was the popular hangout.
During naptime the girls let their hair down and went for a spin!
After dinner it was time for some yardwork…
Hmmm...I wonder what Miss Jayla is doing?
Daddy had to make sure he could still climb his old trees…
He later found out that the problem wasn’t getting up the trees, but getting back down.
And, of course a girl has got to do some swingin…
And, of course the boys had to run down the big hill in the backyard a few times…
On Father’s Day we went to the zoo! Daddy had to coach lots of games, so it was Grandpa’s lucky day!
There were lots of animals to see, like…
FLAMINGOS!
TIGERS!
GIRAFFES!
AND ZEBRAS!
Jayla’s favorite was watching the monkey’s swing around on the branches…
Mommy’s favorite was the orangutans because the baby had a blue blankey and the mommy orangutan had to carry it around!
Grandpa’s favorite was this scary gorilla who looked a little too thoughtful….
JJ’s favorite was that he talked Grandpa into buying him some ice cream!
And, Grandma’s favorite was that she got to be with all 3 of her grandkids in one day!
IT WAS A GOOD TIME IN MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Monday, June 22, 2009
Jake's Thought for the Week
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
EPHESIANS 2:10
Please share this week’s thought for the week with your child. I was actually sent this by Mr. Guenther as he found it on Allen Stein’s Blog/Website. To give everyone a little feedback Alan Stein is regarded as one of the top individual basketball instructors in the United States. To check out some of his stuff you can go to www.strongerteam.com. Below is the article I wanted to share, called 'Brand You':
What are your favorite brands?
Nike? Apple? Facebook? BMW? Vitamin Water?
What traits come to mind when you think about your favorite brands?
Elite? Durable? Stylish? Performance? Quality?
Do you consider people to be brands? Well they are! The most obvious is Michael Jordan (heck, his company is called the Jordan Brand!). What about Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, Lil’ Wayne, and LeBron “King” James? Do you consider them brands? I certainly do. Why? Because the characteristics that come to mind when you think of them are automatically associated to whatever product they endorse. Make sense?
Whether you are a player, a coach or a trainer; it is important you start viewing yourself as a brand. Think of it as “brand you.” Everything you do affects your brand; either in a positive way or a negative way. The way you dress, the way you act, the way you play… it all reflects your brand. And if you want to have the type of stellar reputation the companies and people mentioned above have; then you need to take your brand very seriously. And just to clarify; I believe in being authentic. I am not telling you to be someone else, pretend you are LeBron James, or to try to please others just for the sake of it. You need to set the standards of your brand, decide what characteristics you find most important and then live up to them every day of your life.
One of my favorite movies of all time is an old school cult classic called Boiler Room; starring Vin Diesel and Ben Affleck before they were Hollywood superstars. My favorite concept from the movie was a tip on how to be a self fulfilling prophet. It was called, “act as if.” My advice to you is to act as if you are already a quality brand.
Is your goal to play college basketball? Act as if you already are a college player! And by that I mean hold yourself to the same standard of excellence as an elite college basketball player would… now. Carry yourself with the same honor, character, humbleness and work ethic as a Stephen Curry or Tyler Hansbrough or Blake Griffin – the poster boys of college basketball. Who knows, it may come true?! Are you in college trying to make it to the pros? Do the same thing. I sincerely hope you understand it is going to take much more than a killer crossover and a wet jump shot to make it in the league. Hundreds of guys have that. You need to separate yourself from the pack. You need to make your brand stand out. While the LeBron’s, Kobe’s, and CP3’s have extraordinary talent; they also have charisma, professionalism, the ability to be coached, and an unmatched passion for the game. If you don’t already possess them, you can start to act as if you have those qualities as well!
In my quest to read 50 books in 2009, I just got done reading two excellent books which I highly recommend to any player or coach; Money Players by Marc Isenberg and Me 2.0 by Dan Schawbel. Both are invaluable resources and are the inspiration for this blog and the concept of looking at you as a brand. Mr. Schawbel was the one who coined the phrase “brand you.” Both books can be purchased at Amazon.com.
Now that we have established you are your own brand; what do you want people to think about your brand? What would you want them to say when describing your brand? Hard worker or lazy? Coachable or a hard-head? Energy giver or energy taker?
What makes your brand unique on the court? What do you bring to the table? Are you a great shooter? Or are you a ball hog? Are you a lock-up defender? Or do you only play one end of the floor? Are you a good teammate; the glue guy that does the little things like take charges and dive for loose balls? Or are you only focused on yourself?
What makes your brand special off the court? Are you a good student? Or are you a class clown? Are you honest and have great character? Or are you always looking for a short-cut?
Nike cares about what people think of their brand. So does Apple. So does Vitamin Water. So does any big time brand. So should you.
If you don’t think these things matter you’re crazy. They matter more than you know. Your brand and what people think about it matters a lot and has a huge influence over the opportunities you will have in life. Think about it; you only buy brands you like and trust; why would people be any different? Would you buy an iPod if there was a good chance it would break? Would you drink Gatorade if it tasted like cat urine? Would you buy Nike’s if they hurt your feet? Absolutely not! So why would a college coach want to give you a scholarship or an NBA general manager give you a contract if they didn’t believe in and have confidence in your brand; both on and off the court? The answer is they wouldn’t!
Still don’t think your actions affect your brand? Ask Britney Spears or Michael Vick. Both are tremendously talented and both of their brands have suffered irreversible hits because of their actions.
On the flip side; your actions can drastically improve your brand. Do you think Nike signed Kevin Durant to a $70 million contract just because of his basketball talent? Absolutely not. They signed KD because his brand is an asset to the Nike brand. KD’s brand, above and beyond his unbelievable basketball ability, is about passion, work ethic, respect, and professionalism. Same as Nike.
As I mentioned before; everything you do reflects your brand – everything! The way you dress, your email grammar, your email address, your Facebook and MySpace profiles, your manners, your voicemail message, your voicemail etiquette, your handshake, your eye contact… the list goes on and on.
Now, I am not that old, turned 33 in January and I spend a good deal of time working with players in junior high, high school and college… so I am totally in tune with what’s “cool” and what’s “hot.” I believe in being an individual and expressing yourself appropriately… but within reason. It doesn’t bother me if someone has a tattoo (assuming they were of age when they got it and/or their parents approved) or has a funky haircut. But even I roll my eyes when a player sends me an incoherent email full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Or, sends it from an address like chocolateadonis@aol.com. How am I supposed to take them seriously? Same goes for someone with a weak handshake, who is afraid of eye contact, has a 5 minute rap song on their outgoing voice message, or has a Facebook profile full of inappropriate pictures. In my mind, they just don’t “get it.” They might be a tremendous player; but my initial opinion of their brand is negative; so I ain’t buyin’!
According to Me 2.0, research has shown it takes less than 30 seconds for someone to form a lasting impression of you. If you make a poor first impression, it can take up to 21 follow up impressions to change their view! So, first impressions are a big deal. Remember, whether it is right or wrong, people will always judge you and judge your brand. And whether you realize it or not, you do the same.
One of my favorite stories of first impressions and building a strong brand is when Michael Redd met Jerry Colangelo. Back in 2006 when USA Basketball was in the initial stages of putting together the “Redeem Team” to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics; Jerry Colangelo (managing director of USA Basketball) set individual interviews with every potential player. He wanted to meet with them face to face prior to deciding who to put on the team. Michael Redd drove straight from his practice with the Milwaukee Bucks to Chicago for the interview. When Mr. Colangelo answered the door Michael was standing there in his warm-ups with a garment bag on his shoulder. After shaking hands Michael asked if he could be excused to the rest room. When he emerged a few minutes later he was dressed in a full suit and tie. Now he was ready for the interview.
Michael Redd’s actions landed him on the team that eventually won the gold medal. Putting on his suit and tie for the interview showed respect and professionalism. You see, he gets it. He understands the importance of his brand.
Do you?
Go Attack!!
Jake Sullivan
EPHESIANS 2:10
Please share this week’s thought for the week with your child. I was actually sent this by Mr. Guenther as he found it on Allen Stein’s Blog/Website. To give everyone a little feedback Alan Stein is regarded as one of the top individual basketball instructors in the United States. To check out some of his stuff you can go to www.strongerteam.com. Below is the article I wanted to share, called 'Brand You':
What are your favorite brands?
Nike? Apple? Facebook? BMW? Vitamin Water?
What traits come to mind when you think about your favorite brands?
Elite? Durable? Stylish? Performance? Quality?
Do you consider people to be brands? Well they are! The most obvious is Michael Jordan (heck, his company is called the Jordan Brand!). What about Tiger Woods, Donald Trump, Lil’ Wayne, and LeBron “King” James? Do you consider them brands? I certainly do. Why? Because the characteristics that come to mind when you think of them are automatically associated to whatever product they endorse. Make sense?
Whether you are a player, a coach or a trainer; it is important you start viewing yourself as a brand. Think of it as “brand you.” Everything you do affects your brand; either in a positive way or a negative way. The way you dress, the way you act, the way you play… it all reflects your brand. And if you want to have the type of stellar reputation the companies and people mentioned above have; then you need to take your brand very seriously. And just to clarify; I believe in being authentic. I am not telling you to be someone else, pretend you are LeBron James, or to try to please others just for the sake of it. You need to set the standards of your brand, decide what characteristics you find most important and then live up to them every day of your life.
One of my favorite movies of all time is an old school cult classic called Boiler Room; starring Vin Diesel and Ben Affleck before they were Hollywood superstars. My favorite concept from the movie was a tip on how to be a self fulfilling prophet. It was called, “act as if.” My advice to you is to act as if you are already a quality brand.
Is your goal to play college basketball? Act as if you already are a college player! And by that I mean hold yourself to the same standard of excellence as an elite college basketball player would… now. Carry yourself with the same honor, character, humbleness and work ethic as a Stephen Curry or Tyler Hansbrough or Blake Griffin – the poster boys of college basketball. Who knows, it may come true?! Are you in college trying to make it to the pros? Do the same thing. I sincerely hope you understand it is going to take much more than a killer crossover and a wet jump shot to make it in the league. Hundreds of guys have that. You need to separate yourself from the pack. You need to make your brand stand out. While the LeBron’s, Kobe’s, and CP3’s have extraordinary talent; they also have charisma, professionalism, the ability to be coached, and an unmatched passion for the game. If you don’t already possess them, you can start to act as if you have those qualities as well!
In my quest to read 50 books in 2009, I just got done reading two excellent books which I highly recommend to any player or coach; Money Players by Marc Isenberg and Me 2.0 by Dan Schawbel. Both are invaluable resources and are the inspiration for this blog and the concept of looking at you as a brand. Mr. Schawbel was the one who coined the phrase “brand you.” Both books can be purchased at Amazon.com.
Now that we have established you are your own brand; what do you want people to think about your brand? What would you want them to say when describing your brand? Hard worker or lazy? Coachable or a hard-head? Energy giver or energy taker?
What makes your brand unique on the court? What do you bring to the table? Are you a great shooter? Or are you a ball hog? Are you a lock-up defender? Or do you only play one end of the floor? Are you a good teammate; the glue guy that does the little things like take charges and dive for loose balls? Or are you only focused on yourself?
What makes your brand special off the court? Are you a good student? Or are you a class clown? Are you honest and have great character? Or are you always looking for a short-cut?
Nike cares about what people think of their brand. So does Apple. So does Vitamin Water. So does any big time brand. So should you.
If you don’t think these things matter you’re crazy. They matter more than you know. Your brand and what people think about it matters a lot and has a huge influence over the opportunities you will have in life. Think about it; you only buy brands you like and trust; why would people be any different? Would you buy an iPod if there was a good chance it would break? Would you drink Gatorade if it tasted like cat urine? Would you buy Nike’s if they hurt your feet? Absolutely not! So why would a college coach want to give you a scholarship or an NBA general manager give you a contract if they didn’t believe in and have confidence in your brand; both on and off the court? The answer is they wouldn’t!
Still don’t think your actions affect your brand? Ask Britney Spears or Michael Vick. Both are tremendously talented and both of their brands have suffered irreversible hits because of their actions.
On the flip side; your actions can drastically improve your brand. Do you think Nike signed Kevin Durant to a $70 million contract just because of his basketball talent? Absolutely not. They signed KD because his brand is an asset to the Nike brand. KD’s brand, above and beyond his unbelievable basketball ability, is about passion, work ethic, respect, and professionalism. Same as Nike.
As I mentioned before; everything you do reflects your brand – everything! The way you dress, your email grammar, your email address, your Facebook and MySpace profiles, your manners, your voicemail message, your voicemail etiquette, your handshake, your eye contact… the list goes on and on.
Now, I am not that old, turned 33 in January and I spend a good deal of time working with players in junior high, high school and college… so I am totally in tune with what’s “cool” and what’s “hot.” I believe in being an individual and expressing yourself appropriately… but within reason. It doesn’t bother me if someone has a tattoo (assuming they were of age when they got it and/or their parents approved) or has a funky haircut. But even I roll my eyes when a player sends me an incoherent email full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Or, sends it from an address like chocolateadonis@aol.com. How am I supposed to take them seriously? Same goes for someone with a weak handshake, who is afraid of eye contact, has a 5 minute rap song on their outgoing voice message, or has a Facebook profile full of inappropriate pictures. In my mind, they just don’t “get it.” They might be a tremendous player; but my initial opinion of their brand is negative; so I ain’t buyin’!
According to Me 2.0, research has shown it takes less than 30 seconds for someone to form a lasting impression of you. If you make a poor first impression, it can take up to 21 follow up impressions to change their view! So, first impressions are a big deal. Remember, whether it is right or wrong, people will always judge you and judge your brand. And whether you realize it or not, you do the same.
One of my favorite stories of first impressions and building a strong brand is when Michael Redd met Jerry Colangelo. Back in 2006 when USA Basketball was in the initial stages of putting together the “Redeem Team” to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics; Jerry Colangelo (managing director of USA Basketball) set individual interviews with every potential player. He wanted to meet with them face to face prior to deciding who to put on the team. Michael Redd drove straight from his practice with the Milwaukee Bucks to Chicago for the interview. When Mr. Colangelo answered the door Michael was standing there in his warm-ups with a garment bag on his shoulder. After shaking hands Michael asked if he could be excused to the rest room. When he emerged a few minutes later he was dressed in a full suit and tie. Now he was ready for the interview.
Michael Redd’s actions landed him on the team that eventually won the gold medal. Putting on his suit and tie for the interview showed respect and professionalism. You see, he gets it. He understands the importance of his brand.
Do you?
Go Attack!!
Jake Sullivan
Friday, June 19, 2009
Adoption - Thoughts on Age
Jake and I got to speak with our social worker that is working on our adoption the other night as we were all together brainstorming for the Night Under the African Stars benefit gala. We were talking through adoption details again, info about our case, how things are progressing, etc. Since we are still currently waiting on those referrals that I posted about a week ago or so we began to talk about them. Anytime we should be receiving pictures and information on approximately 8 children that were living in an orphanage in Ghana that had just been shut down. Our social worker mentioned that she has a feeling that these children are all going to be ‘older’ children….5 yrs and up (she does not know boy-girl ratios or ages until she receives the info by email). I, too, had not gotten myself too excited about the referrals coming in because I had a feeling that they might all be older children not in our age range (originally we had specified 1.5 to 4 years). As Jake and I talked about that reality over dinner he casually said, “Maybe your ideal age of a child is not what God has in mind for us.” That got me thinking. Really thinking.
You see, Jake is ready to take on practically any child, any age, no matter what. My personality on the other hand is very detailed, specific, and not very laid back – I pick apart every single scenario. Not to mention I still have this highly favored recommendation in my head from my training that states when adopting you should stick with birth order….meaning any child that you bring into your family by adoption should be the youngest addition. This is just a recommendation but it lingers in my mind, even though this would not have been the case for our family had the Solomon adoption gone through. When I think about all these things my underlying thought is, “But I am most comfortable with a child 4 and under.” Most likely a younger child will have an easier time adapting, an easier time attaching emotionally, and will probably come with less ‘issues’ than an older child. This of course is not always the case, but in general. So, yes, there I go again trying to mold all of this into my ideal set-up. But, I can’t stop thinking about what Jake said. This is not to say that we are going to go and adopt a 13 year old or something, but I really need to pray about the possibility of us maybe adopting a 5 or 6 year old instead of a toddler or pre-school aged child. It is so hard to think of turning down any referrals….every orphan needs a home. The reality is that the older an orphan gets, the less chance they have of being adopted. Most families are looking for a cute, cuddly, easily impressionable newborn/infant/toddler.….including me….but, since we have been blessed to experience those stages once - going on twice - now, maybe we need to step out of the comfort zone and be up for an older child. When I mentioned that recommendation about birth order to a friend the other day she said, ‘But, God is bigger than that.’ She means, God can work it out. I know this too, but do I believe it? Am I willing to give up my ideal scenario, give up my control, and give the details to God? I want to be willing to do this.
His bed is ready….
You see, Jake is ready to take on practically any child, any age, no matter what. My personality on the other hand is very detailed, specific, and not very laid back – I pick apart every single scenario. Not to mention I still have this highly favored recommendation in my head from my training that states when adopting you should stick with birth order….meaning any child that you bring into your family by adoption should be the youngest addition. This is just a recommendation but it lingers in my mind, even though this would not have been the case for our family had the Solomon adoption gone through. When I think about all these things my underlying thought is, “But I am most comfortable with a child 4 and under.” Most likely a younger child will have an easier time adapting, an easier time attaching emotionally, and will probably come with less ‘issues’ than an older child. This of course is not always the case, but in general. So, yes, there I go again trying to mold all of this into my ideal set-up. But, I can’t stop thinking about what Jake said. This is not to say that we are going to go and adopt a 13 year old or something, but I really need to pray about the possibility of us maybe adopting a 5 or 6 year old instead of a toddler or pre-school aged child. It is so hard to think of turning down any referrals….every orphan needs a home. The reality is that the older an orphan gets, the less chance they have of being adopted. Most families are looking for a cute, cuddly, easily impressionable newborn/infant/toddler.….including me….but, since we have been blessed to experience those stages once - going on twice - now, maybe we need to step out of the comfort zone and be up for an older child. When I mentioned that recommendation about birth order to a friend the other day she said, ‘But, God is bigger than that.’ She means, God can work it out. I know this too, but do I believe it? Am I willing to give up my ideal scenario, give up my control, and give the details to God? I want to be willing to do this.
His bed is ready….
I wonder who he is?Thursday, June 18, 2009
Only A Daddy
On Tuesday afternoon Jake met me in Ames and took JJ & Jayla home so that I could run some errands. When I pulled into our driveway at home I noticed Jayla’s blanket next to the car on the lawn. I went over to pick it up, and that’s when I saw it…throw-up. Oh no, I thought. I went in the front door, and this is what I saw:
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Jayla was sitting in her old infant seat right smack in front of the tv wearing JJ’s old basketball t-shirt, sweatpants, tight grip on her baby, and with a look on her face that could only be described as, “Help Mommy!”“She puked on me,” Jake announced.
I started laughing because Jake always gets puked on. Always. Every. Single. Time.
“Why is she wearing JJ’s t-shirt?” I asked.
“Because she has no comfortable clothes,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Oh. Where did you find the infant seat?” I asked.
“In the basement,” he said.
Is it safe to say that only a daddy would think to put a sick baby in sweatpants, in a make-shift recliner, in front of a tv?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
City Grandma
When we go to Grandpa & Grandma Sullivan’s house, we say Hello big city!
Grandma Sullivan is known by JJ as the ‘puppy Grandma’ because she has a Chihuahua!
When we are in the big city we wake up to a fresh pot of coffee, and we do some sunning on the deck before our day begins. When you live in the city there is a lot to do….and Grandpa & Grandma Sullivan like to show us around. When you jump in the car to start the day you never know what cd will be in...maybe some rap music, or Alan Jackson, or Frank Sinatra, or Gloria Estefan! And, you never know what is on the agenda for the day…..maybe a trip to:
The amusment park at the Mall of America!
Don’t forget to swing by Underwater World!
How bout a stop at the Minnesota state fair?
Oh, let’s go to the park with the big bears!
We better squeeze in some swimming!
Have you been to the zoo lately? Okay, we'll go there tomorrow.
But, don’t bother us after 2pm….you’ll find us taking a nap, Grandpa Sullivan included.
Late afternoon we might play some croquet or talk about the good old days over dinner…. ‘Do you remember when we went to Las Vegas? Remember when we went to New York? The cruise sure was fun!’
Before bed it’s time for some popcorn with yummy loads of butter and maybe a quick game of cards. Then it’s off to sleep…bring your flannel jammies even in the summer….it’s COLD in Minnesota!
One thing is for sure, we get lots of love in the city, and there is ALWAYS something to do!
Late afternoon we might play some croquet or talk about the good old days over dinner…. ‘Do you remember when we went to Las Vegas? Remember when we went to New York? The cruise sure was fun!’
Before bed it’s time for some popcorn with yummy loads of butter and maybe a quick game of cards. Then it’s off to sleep…bring your flannel jammies even in the summer….it’s COLD in Minnesota!
One thing is for sure, we get lots of love in the city, and there is ALWAYS something to do!
