“Success is not a reward, it’s a consequence.” - Dick Vermeil

Setbacks reveal what you’re made of.

The difference is mindset. One sees failure as an ending, the other as feedback. One avoids challenges, the other seeks them knowing growth only comes through stress.

Think about athletes you’ve seen who never recovered from getting benched, or students who gave up after one bad grade. That’s the glass ball in action. Now think of the players who took a cut from varsity as fuel to work harder, or the leaders who used a failed launch as the turning point to build something better. That’s the rubber ball mindset - the refusal to stay down.

Why it matters: Life will drop you. You don’t control the fall - you control whether you shatter or bounce forward.

Too often we think resilience means “getting back to normal.” But normal isn’t growth. Rubber Ball thinkers don’t just bounce back - they bounce higher. Every “failure” becomes an opportunity, every obstacle a chance to level up. That shift is what separates people who plateau from people who keep climbing.

Resilience isn’t just about recovering. It’s about using stress as the very thing that makes you stronger.

👉Most people never learn how to make that shift. Inside Premium, I break down the Rubber Ball system step by step - the exact habits that turn setbacks into fuel and resilience into a repeatable habit. If you want to bounce higher, not just back → Upgrade today

Most people keep their dreams small so they don’t look foolish. Harbaugh tells his players to flip it: “If people aren’t laughing, your dream is too small.”

The truth: self-limiting beliefs keep more people stuck than failure ever will. Having the courage to declare what you want - even if it feels uncomfortable - is the first step to breaking through.

Take the Harbaugh dream test: Does my dream feel uncomfortable to admit?

The reason this matters: small dreams don’t stretch your capacity. They keep you comfortable, safe, and unchallenged. Big dreams force you to grow into someone new. They demand accountability, create urgency, and shift your identity. Even if you fall short, you’ll land further than you ever would have by playing it safe.

👉 Don’t settle. DREAM BIG.

Everyone wants success, but few stop to ask:

“What price am I willing to pay for what I want?”

Why it matters: Goals aren’t achieved without sacrifice. Time, energy, discipline - there’s always a cost. Most people dream about the reward but never commit to the price.

Every champion you admire has answered this question. Kobe Bryant decided the price was hours of obsessive repetition. Nick Saban decided the price was relentless consistency. Simone Biles decided the price was saying no to distractions most people say yes to. Success looks glamorous on the outside, but behind every medal or trophy is a bill that was paid long before the moment of glory.

👉 Champions are clear on both. They don’t just want the outcome - they accept the work it takes to get there.

For coaches and leaders:

For athletes and performers:

What I am reading and listening to:

📚 Book: Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek

🎥 Video: Chiefs HC Andy Reid balancing discipline with fun in coaching | FNIA | NFL on NBC (FULL INTERVIEW)

🎧Podcast: Thomas Davis talks overcoming 3 torn ACLs, Michael Jordan friendship, his restaurant business | NFL Players Second Acts

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