I was reading a book about Coach Wooden written by Steve Jamison called The Essential Wooden: A Lifetime of Lessons on Leaders and Leadership. In this book was a great story:

“Remember the Sore Foot

You may not be able to run as fast as somebody else, but that shouldn’t prevent you from trying to run as fast as you can.

Prior to the race, plan, prepare, and practice to execute at your highest level. And then, even if you’re not the fastest runner in the field, try your hardest to run your best race.

Who knows? On race day your opponent may have a sore foot.”

This is a story that we should hold onto, print and put it on your desk as a reminder that similar to the football philosophy Any Given Sunday, it shows that we can only be beaten by ourselves in our lack of preparation and lack of enthusiasm. If we go into every "game" in life fully prepared, both mentally and physically, then the outcome will be in our favor, whether it is a win or a loss. Work hard and be prepared.