“Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” – Proverbs 27:6
I was once in a meeting in which I was disrespectful to the person I was reporting to. Afterwards, my best friend at the organization called me and said, “The way you communicate is hyperbolic.” It was a much-needed rebuke from a friend. While it hurt to hear, I knew he was right and immediately enlisted the help of a business coach to help me with my personal communication skills.
I thought about that period of my life when I watched the video below.
Appearing on Cam Newton’s podcast, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe was asked by a listener what Newton needed to do to return the NFL. Click the image below to hear his “wounds of a friend” response:
9 Things Required of You to Become Great or Successful – Hard Truths from Shannon Sharpe to Cam Newton
Sharpe’s words teach us nine things that are required of you and I to become great or successful in our chosen fields. First is the lesson followed by Sharpe’s quote.
You Must WANT to Become Great or Successful
“If that is what Cam wants to do.” The most successful people in any industry have a passion and hunger for success and greatness.
You Must be Willing to Sacrifice in Order to Become Great of Successful
“In order to be great you got to feel sacrifice. What is Cam willing to sacrifice?”
Focus is Required to Become Great or Successful
“It’s got to be tunnel vision. You have to focus.” Greatness is never distracted.
You Must Have a Support System to Become Great or Successful
“It’s hard for the great players. You’ve got to have a home stable situation.” If things are not right at home, they will never be truly right at work. Referring to the previous point, dysfunction is distracting.
You Must Increase Your Intelligence to Become Great or Successful
“I’ve got meetings. I’ve got study.” There is no such thing as dumb greatness. Successful people are continual learners.
For more on the value of continual learning, click 5 Things The Very Best Continually Do To Remain The Very Best At What They Do.
You Must Increase Your Physical Strength to Become Great or Successful
“I’ve got to train.” The principle is the same for points #6 and #7 – if your health goes, so does everything else.
You Must Have Great Health to Become Great or Successful
“The way I eat. The way I sleep.”
You Must Be Willing to Pay a Great Price in order to Become Great or Successful
“There’s a price to be paid for greatness. There’s a price to be paid for success. If you’re not willing to pay that price you don’t deserve to be successful. You don’t deserve to be great.” The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is often the price they are willing to pay.
You Must be Desperate to Become Great or Successful
“You’ve got to go back to that level of training, when you didn’t have a dime. You’ve got to train like you were broke.” For more on the value of desperation in a leader’s life, click 10 Reasons Why Desperation Can Be Your Best Friend.
Conclusion
Time will tell if Cam Newton is willing to pay the price for success and greatness. The bigger question is are you and I?
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