Newly elected NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders recently appeared on Atlanta’s 790 The Zone morning show. Deion said something very interesting. “I made my best plays in practice.” Asked why he played so hard during practice, he said, “I couldn’t bear watching myself on film the next day getting beat.”
There are several incredible leadership lessons in Deion’s comments but I want to focus on this single principle - People Are Always Watching You. If you think no one notices your hard work, sacrifices, and creativity, you are wrong. Sanders would say, “Everyone has film on you.”
Here is what people are noticing:
- Your Body Language – 85% of all communication is body language. Your voice may be quiet but the way you carry yourself is constantly crying out.
- Your Attitude – Do you constantly have a smile on your face? Is there a “skip in your step”?
- Do You Serve Others – Are you a selfish person or do you constantly try to improve the quality of life for the people around you?
- Do You Add Value -Â Is helping people accomplish their goals and objectives part of your DNA?
- Do You Have Pride In Your Efforts – Is your work done with excellence?
- Are You Creative – Do you find new solutions to the issues your team faces?
- Are You A Producer – Does your efforts produce results?
- Are You Humble – Is everything all about you?
- Your Preparation – Are you paying the price needed for success.
When you watched the flamboyant Deion Sanders play football or baseball,  the average person would think he was selfish and a showboat. But Deion’s coaches and teammates knew that he was one of the hardest working players on the team.
If you are discouraged today, learn from this Hall of Famer. People are noticing your efforts even if it doesn’t appear so. Keep doing what you’re doing, and even do it better. If you do this, maybe you too will one day be a Hall of Famer.
As a gift to you, I have included a video of highlights from Deion’s incredible career.
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