Many of the fundamentals that America is built on, and much of what people, politicians, teachers, parents, and coaches say is valid, wanted, in demand, and employable, are found in wrestling. What wrestling will give, pending on what you give, are ingredients to excel and thrive in any arena.

Wrestling has taught many what they didn’t think possible. Wrestling will take you places emotionally and physically you never knew existed; places not found on any map. You can point others in the direction, but they have to find it themselves. My suggestion is to start packing for the trip. You will need a matchless attitude, toughness, responsibility, open-mindedness, and consistent strive ethic. Make sure to leave your negativism, excuses, and “know it all” behind.

Wrestling has and will render many a college degree. Many wrestlers I know would not have a degree without wrestling including me. We used the sport to acquire a degree. Good! Early on, we were not mature enough to know the importance of a college degree. Wrestling may have brought us to college and even kept us there until we were able to understand the importance of an education. Education will play a part in what we do, where we go, and the options we will have. Education is an enduring benefit that’s a by-product of this sport, and I’m talking way beyond the classroom.

This sport will teach you disappointment as well. You’re wise to take its lessons, write down a plan of behavior change and move about. Wrestling and life are about inserting everything into your quest and hunting your goal. It’s an effort that’s repeated before it’s realized. Even if you don’t reach your goals, you’ve still attempted what few have. You could have taken the effortless road and stayed protected. Yet, you knew the fruit was on the limb, so you ventured out.

Wrestling is about learning to balance several “things” in life, organizing your priorities, and realizing that you can balance, meet, and excel in these demands. This sport will teach you the hours, days, months and years of sacrifice, efforts and discipline, may result in defeat. “Welcome to reality!” This has been the experience of many. They say the definition of a true winner is one who can lose everything, suffer the disappointment, have to go all the way back to zero, and still assemble up the courage to begin again.

The coaches in our lives are often “life-jackets” for the real world. They point us in directions, but they can only point; it’s up to us and our behavior. The reality is we may offer everything we have, do everything right, and still not get our acknowledgment, hand raised, medal, trophy, plaque, and newspaper clipping. I know plenty of people that experienced this. I maintain if you take what you learned in wrestling, apply to whatever arena you step into, you will prove to reap an abundance of fruit; this, I will guarantee. As a coach, we affect a lot of people along the way. Ideally, we make a positive difference.

On your tombstone, there may be a few words. However, it’s basically a birth date and death date; between those dates we hope we impacted others, lived well, took risks, and dared to challenge ourselves. This is what wrestling can do for you.

Mark Schwab has a one-on-one program called Mental Warriors focusing on mindset and all aspects of performance.

I’m looking for 15 wrestlers who WANT to give themselves every opportunity to grow, develop and succeed, individuals, who will discipline themselves. You have to want this more than me, your parents, coach, etc. I WANT MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS, who will do the little things tilting the scale in your favor. You will get out what you put in. I guarantee you growth and improvement if you are loyal to the program. Contact me if you will fully invest in your progress and results. Is it worth the risk of crossing your fingers and hoping that the confidence and competing issue takes care of itself? Is it worth another year of falling short of potential? Is it worth another season of “we should have done something about this?” Wise people always plan and prepare to give themselves the best opportunity to succeed.

The program will start in early November and go through the entire season. We will be ready when it matter most. There is NOTHING like this out there. I have been through all of this as a competitor, 23 years of coaching and education, and now I’m passing my years of awareness, experience, and mentality on to you. You don’t have to miss opportunities and learn the hard way. Everyone says wrestling is a huge degree of “mental” but what are you doing to train mental and all of the little behaviors that tilt the scale in your favor. I will help you prepare and be ready in mind, attitude, and confidence. If you’re hungry, motivated, and responsible, contact me. I’m only taking 15 wrestlers, and that’s it. We focus on the areas that matter the most when it comes to competing. You can receive more information by e-mailing Mark Schwab at mark@opportunitiestosucceed.com.

Mark Schwab was recently an assistant coach at the University of Northern Iowa. Previously he spent nine years as assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, helping the program to seven top-three team finishes at the NCAA Championships and two NCAA team titles. As a wrestler, Schwab was an All-American for the University of Northern Iowa during the late 1980s. Schwab earned his bachelor’s degree in 1990 from the University of Northern Iowa and his master’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 2003. Schwab returned to the University of Minnesota to get a second emphasis in sports psychology on his existing master’s and completed that in 2010. Email Mark at mark@opportunitiestosucceed.com.

Learn more from Mark Schwab at www.opportunitiestosucceed.com

More Motivation:



Navigation