Dear Colleague,

We are finally getting into the serious part of the NBA playoff season. As many of you know, I love professional basketball and the NBA playoffs.

I’ll give you my prediction of the teams that will be in the finals as well as this year’s World Champion at the end of this newsletter.

But first…I am always amazed at the lessons we can learn from watching professional teams perform at their peak levels during crunch time. So for this month, I have listed my top six personal and professional lessons that we get from the NBA Playoffs.

Lesson #1: Swagger baby. Swagger. It is all about confidence, poise, and self-belief. Even within a series, the confidence level moves through peaks and valleys. Ultimately, the team with the most belief and faith in their team wins. Every one of us has ups and “not-so-ups”. Conviction and certainty about who we are makes the difference.

Lesson #2: It ain’t about the money. Ok, you caught me. It probably is about the money for most of these guys during the season. However, when Shaq has to make a free throw with two seconds remaining on the clock to win a playoff game, his $15 million a year contract pales in comparison. If you have ever been to one of my seminars you have heard me say, “Do what you love. Be the best you can be and the money will chase you.”

Lesson #3: Perfect practice makes perfect. Years of training, rehearsal, preparation and persistence have put these guys in a position to perform at this level. Not one NBA professional woke up yesterday morning and decided that he was going to play professional ball. They all had a childhood dream and are living today what they envisioned years ago. They worked at their craft and now it is working for them.

Lesson #4: Win or go home. My parents reared eight kids on one basic rule for life. It is all about the E’s and the R’s; Excuses and Results. Too many people live around excuses; excuses for no sales, no money, no friends, no love, no passion, no health, no fun, and no destiny. At the end of a playoff series, the team with the fewest excuses and the most results gets to move on to the next round. You can’t take a day off from being results oriented.

Lesson #5: Create the vibe. In every city in which there is an NBA playoff team, there is a tremendous “vibe”. The vibe is energy. It is excitement. It is anticipation and enthusiasm. The city rallies around its team and lives in the eagerness of their team’s success. What are you doing to create a vibe with your friends, your family and your customers? I recently had a very important prospective client scheduled for lunch. About thirty minutes before the lunch appointment, I called him and asked him a point blank question, “Would you rather have a boring business lunch or would you like to spice up your day with something really exciting?” He answered with the obvious and I took him to watch an intensive workout program being held by one of the best high school football teams in our area. I know that he is a sports fan, as I am. He said that was the most unique lunch appointment he ever had. Who do you think got his business? Create the vibe by doing something exciting with your customers.

Lesson #6: Swagger baby. Swagger. I know. I already said this. When it all boils down to you versus your competition, all things being relatively equal, your customer is going to select the person who has the most confidence, poise, self-assurance and conviction. It is electricity that radiates way beyond you. It is an attraction that will create a wave of influence in your business and your life. What are you waiting for? It is playoff time!

Now, for those of you who scrolled past the lessons to get to my prediction as well as those of you who thoughtfully contemplated the contents of this newsletter, here is my prediction. The 2005 NBA finals will feature the Miami Heat vs. the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs will beat the Heat in a seven game series to win their third title in the last six years. Go Spurs Go!

Until we meet in person, take great care of yourself and your loved ones.

May 18, 2005

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