Self-Talk and Success: An Insight about J.J. Watt and Leadership

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

"Success isn't owned, it's leased. And rent is due every day." –J.J. Watt

When John Lennon said, "It's all in your mind, you know," I think he was on to something. There's ample evidence to support the notion that the real battles in life are fought on an inner playing field. Are the messages we feed ourselves self-limiting, or empowering?

Transition Life Coach Yana Stockman's talk this past December revolved around this self-same theme. After offering a prescription for overcoming our self-defeating behaviors she closed with this quote from Zig Ziglar: "You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness."

This is why J.J. Watt's quote above is so very powerful. He's not sharing some sage advice for the purpose of motivating a faceless public. It struck me that this is his message to himself, a flashing billboard at the core of his being that keeps J.J. Watt motivated when he's pushing through another  pain threshold while "paying rent."

What sacrifices are you making on a daily basis to achieve your higher calling?

The surprising thing is discovering how invigorating a "big goal" can be. It's not just a cool saying. Watt's self-talk became the fuel that sealed his commitment and fostered the self-discipline that put him up there with the great ones.

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For what it's worth, here are some of the saying that motivated me and undergirded my own career in advertising, PR and marketing: 9 Maxims That Carried Me Through Three Decades in Corporate America.

At the end of that article is a link to Colin Powell'a powerful Leadership Primer, a downloadable PDF.

Related Links
A Visit with Transition Life Coach Yana Stockman