Success is a Choice

John Maxwell leadership coach, author, and professional speaker. Consultant to NBA and college athletic teams. SuccessIsAChoicePodcast.com

[jamybechler]

A New Year is finally here and the resolutions, promises, and declarations are abundant. I can’t check my email or scroll my social media timeline without seeing the phrase “New year, New You”. Yes, I believe that we all should grow, develop, and improve. I believe we all should be looking to turn weaknesses into strengths. But we don’t need January 1st or a new year to start doing that. Think of how much better we’d be and the world around us would be if we treated every day like January 1st. This year is not just made up of January 1st, or 2nd, or 3rd but rather it’s filled with 365 days. 365 opportunities to win the day. 365 opportunities to become better. 365 opportunities to make an impact on our community, family, business, or team. We don’t have to wake up every morning … we get to. We don’t have to go to work, we get to go to work. We have 365 opportunities to make others smile, to provide hope, to learn a new hobby, to celebrate with someone, to overcome a challenge, or to count our blessings. I want this year to be great, but more importantly, I want this day to be great. I want you to make today the best day possible. #SuccessIsAChoice #NewYearNewYou #Happy2023 #NewYear #WinTheDay #MakeTodayGreat #BeTheChange #OpportunityKnocks #MakeADifference #EveryDayGameDay https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm6fK9CK1Aw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

“We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I’m not alone as millions upon millions of people celebrate this holiday. Though we might have fun with Santa, cookies, hiding the Elf on a Shelf, or looking at Christmas lights, those aren’t the real reason for the season. Even if you’re Christmas holiday isn’t centered around celebrating the birth of Christ, you can still embody the spirit of hope, love, and peace. The last thing the world needs is another Scrooge. When you say “Merry Christmas” or do a random act of kindness or flash a smile or even give an unexpected gift, you are making the world just a little bit better. You never know who needs a little “pick me up”. You never know what battles someone else is fighting. And if you’re struggling during this holiday season, that’s even more reason for you to get out and try to brighten someone else’s day. If that’s you, then you know even better how important a kind word or gesture can be. Don’t wait for someone else to bring a little holiday cheer into the world around you. Even if you’re feeling all bah-hum buggy or grinchy, you can still make the choice in how you act and what you say. You don’t necessarily have to sing loudly for all to hear in order to spread Christmas cheer, but you can provide a kind word or smile. I just like to smile … smiling’s my favorite 😁 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmjdd08Ip6-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

“It is never too late to be who you might have been.” (George Elliot) Some of my favorite films are those with Adam Sandler starring in them. Sometimes I can even latch onto something inspirational amidst the comedy. One of those is in the movie “The Waterboy” in which Sandler’s character Bobby Boucher plays a manager turned football player. At times, he is bullied and made fun of but ends up being an unstoppable force because he harnesses all that negativity up and turns it into fuel … TACKLING FUEL. Many of us face doubters, critics, and haters. Sometimes that person is us. Sometimes we do it to ourselves. But regardless, we can use it for motivation. Today, we’re going to have a choice in how we handle negativity, failure, or setbacks that come our way. Before Rich Ohrnberger was a star offensive lineman at Penn State and an NFL player, he was a typical middle schooler unsure of himself. He watched “The Waterboy” and was inspired to try out for the football team and the rest is history. We have things to overcome and instead of being a victim, we can be a victor. We can make our own fuel to make our engine run. We can create our own tackling fuel today. #TacklinFuel #TacklingFuel #TheWaterboy #AdamSandler #RichOhrnberger #BobbyBoucher #HenryWinkler #Waterboy #MotivationalMinute #SuccessIsAChoice #SelfMotivation #HandlingAdversity #PositiveLeadership #GeorgeElliot https://www.instagram.com/p/CmEqjYvIPBc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

My dad would have been 79 this weekend. For those of you that have read "The Captain" or "The Bus Trip", you're familiar with the Mr. Frank character. He was inspired by my dad. I wrote a piece about this very interesting guy I called dad (or "Mr. Frank" in the books). 💻 Article: JamyBechler.com/MrFrank 🔉Listen: https://bit.ly/3BoWuYx https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl88181LVSf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

When I decided I would start a podcasting network, I didn’t have to think very long about what the name would be. Success is a Choice was a phrase I used with many of my basketball teams and it made perfect sense for a podcast. I certainly don’t always make the right choices, but I firmly believe that life is about choices. We make good ones and bad ones, but when I accurately assess most parts of my life, I can see direct correlations between the results and my choices. ‍ Everything is connected. For every effect, there’s a cause. Who I am today is, in large part because of the choices I made last month or last year. Tomorrow is connected to today. Today is important for where I want to end up tomorrow. Sacrificing today is an investment into my future. Being curious today allows me to learn what I need to for tomorrow. Sowing now means reaping later. Planting seeds today means a shade tree in the future. The choices you and I make today determine what our future looks like. Stay encouraged. Stay positive. You can do this. Success is a choice. What choice will we make today? ‍ #SuccessIsAChoice #Choices #DecisionMaking #Decisions #CauseAndEffect #Podcasting #SuccessIsAChoicePodcast #JamyBechler #CoachBechler #ReapWhatYouSow #ShadeTree https://www.instagram.com/p/Clykeu2u3pv/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” We see this all the time whether it’s watching TV, scrolling through social media, gathering around the water cooler, or hanging out with family and friends. Just because we have an opinion on something doesn’t mean we are right. ‍ We can be extremely passionate about something and that still doesn’t mean we’re impartial, objective, logical, unbiased, or even factual. Having an opinion doesn’t mean we’ve thought it out or processed information correctly. There is a difference between Truth and opinions but unfortunately, all too often we pass on our opinions as Truth. We live out our truth and force others to accept our truth as The Truth. ‍ Even if our opinions are fact-based doesn’t mean that 100% of our opinions are Truth, nor does it mean that we’ve processed and interpreted all those facts correctly. Why does this matter? Because too often we are intolerant of others, damage relationships, or lose opportunities to make a positive impact because we treat our opinions as the Truth. The right to an opinion doesn’t make our opinion right.  ‍ #OpinionVsTruth #Truth #TheTruth #MyTruth #LivingMyTruth #Opinions #WordsMatter #UnderstandingOthers #Perspective #SuccessIsAChoice #LeonardoDaVinci #FactsMatter #FactsOverFeelings #FreeSpeech https://www.instagram.com/p/Clrc-KUuwZI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

We talked all things communication with Betsy Butterick on "The Talent & Strategy Show" as part of the #SuccessIsAChoice podcasting network. You'll want to check out this episode if you're part of a team, organization, family, or community. In other words, everyone is eligible to check out this episode and become a better communicator. ‍ Some of the topics we covered were ... ‍ ✅ Delivering a negative sandwich ✅ Avoiding common mistakes ✅ Asking the right questions ✅ Listening vs. Talking ✅ Keeping it real ‍ ... and much much more!!! ‍ 🔊Listen: http://bit.ly/3XF3YQv 📱Watch: youtu.be/_dN1nLAxq5g ‍ See all episodes at SuccessIsAChoicePodcast.com #SuccessIsAChoicePodcast #BetsyButterick #CommunicationSpecialist #CommunicationCoach #CommunicationExpert #LearntoListen #ListenToLearn #StephenCovey #SeekFirsttoUnderstand #Perspectives #PointOfView #UnderstandOthers #MoreYou #BetterQuestions #HaveConversations #Connection #affinityrecruiting https://www.instagram.com/p/Cli9yHguX-q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

Abraham Lincoln lived a life full of challenges yet persevered. Without those experiences, he might never have done all the great things he accomplished. From his poor upbringings, he faced many struggles. Multiple businesses failed. He lost his fiance’. He wrestled with depression. He even had a child die. From a political standpoint, he would go on to suffer defeats in political campaign after political campaign. ‍ Finally, his breakthrough came at 52 years of age as he was elected the 16th President of the United States. His challenges didn’t go away as he was thrust into a Civil War, but he was equipped to handle it. His Gettysburg Address is known as one of the most powerful speeches given in history. His Emancipation Proclamation led to the abolishment of slavery. ‍ In 2017, C-Span polled noted historians and Lincoln was selected as the greatest president in U.S. History. Even though he scored high in many categories, the historians held him in highest esteem for his crisis leadership. One has to wonder what would have ever become of Abraham Lincoln – and the United States – if he had just given up when tragedies, obstacles, and challenges came his way. ‍ His setbacks were just a setup for a comeback. ‍ #AbrahamLincoln #GettysburgAddress #AbeLincoln #HandlingAdversity #Perseverance #SuccessIsAChoice #Comebacks #OvercomingChallenges #OvercomingAdversity #MotivationalMinute #Motivation #Inspiration #FailForward #AndyAndrews #PrepareForGreatness #Adversity https://www.instagram.com/p/ClhROwVO44U/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

10 Things ALL Athletes Can Do... ‍ 🥇 Lose the excuses 🥇 Excel in your role 🥇 Always be on time 🥇 Display a good attitude 🥇 Encourage team members 🥇 Remain committed & focused 🥇 Supply effort & energy 🥇 Help & serve others 🥇 Improve & be coachable 🥇 Prepare to win ‍ GREAT TEAMS HAVE GREAT TEAMMATES! ‍ . . . . ‍ #PositiveLeadership #TheLeadershipPlaybook #GreatTeammates #TeamFirst #CultureWins #CultureMatters #TeamLeadership #GreatTeamsHaveGreatTeammates #JohnCMaxwell #SuccessIsAChoice #TheBusTrip #JonGordon #StudentAthletes #StudentLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #VerbalLeadership #NFHS #TeamCaptain #Captains #Motivation #CollegeWrestlers #HighSchoolWrestlers #CollegeWrestling #HighSchoolWrestling https://www.instagram.com/p/ClZTpSSOAUE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

Back in Ancient times, leprosy was one of the worst illnesses a person could have. Not only was it a nasty skin disease that caused extreme pain, but it was also contagious. Lepers were social outcasts as everyone shunned them and avoided them at all costs. In the book of Luke in the Bible’s New Testament, there’s a story of Jesus healing 10 lepers. Understandably the lepers are ecstatic and run off to show others that they are healed. Amazingly, only one of the ten returned to thank Jesus for healing him of this wicked condition. Even more amazing is that the one who returns is a Samaritan. Jesus was a Jew. If you were a Samaritan, a Jewish person was your arch-nemesis. They simply did not like each other. ‍ In our daily lives are we more like that one person or more like the other nine? Do we go out of our way to thank others? Do we have an attitude of gratitude? We live in a world that seems to be selfish, divided, and angry. But we can be the change we want to see in the world. Sometimes it just takes one shining light in the darkness. Right is right even if no one else is doing it and wrong is wrong even if everyone else is doing it. We can be that one person that shows gratitude, kindness, and love to someone else even if they root for a different team, vote for the wrong person, or say something we don’t like. ‍ We don’t have to like someone to say “thank you”. We don’t have to agree with someone to say “thank you”. And if someone isn’t nice to us, that still isn’t reason enough to fight fire with fire. Gandhi used to say, “An eye for an eye makes everyone blind.” If someone doesn’t thank us for something, we don’t automatically stop doing the right thing. Jesus didn’t quit loving others because 90% of the lepers he cured were ungrateful. We can’t do everything but we can do something. We can’t reach everyone but we can reach someone. If we don’t show the world how to be kind, who will? ‍ #Thankfulness #Thanksgiving2022 #AttitudeofGratitude #BeKind #Lepers #JesusHeals #Leprosy #Gandhi #BeTheChange #Unity #Kindess #Thankful #SuccessIsAChoice https://www.instagram.com/p/ClUBiApuOLp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

"It's not happy people who are thankful, but rather thankful people who are happy." ‍ We can't always control how we feel during the ups and downs of life. But we can control our attitude. We can choose to have an attitude of gratitude. We can choose to be thankful for things even when we don't feel very thankful. When you're feeling down, that's a great time to look for ways to thank others. You never know who might need a little "pick me up" today. We don't know the battles others are facing and a kind, grateful, appreciative word or gesture might be just what they needed. Do enough of those actions and who knows, your day might just turn around as well. ‍ #Thanksgiving2022 #Thankfulness #AttitudeOfGratitude #AttitudeIsAChoice #SuccessIsAChoice #Thankful #Gracious #Grateful #Blessed #ChooseJoy #GiveThanks #HappyThanksgiving #BeKind https://www.instagram.com/p/ClRE5DGO8C8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

A few years ago, we returned from a long Thanksgiving trip in which we rented a car and found our actual car right where we'd left it in the rental company's parking lot ... but it had 2 Flat Tires! I started airing up both tires with the rental company’s air compressor but became frustrated. It took a full 20 minutes to air up the two tires! Once both tires were good enough to drive, I was on my way to the tire store to fix my problem. Of course, there was heavy traffic and it seemed that I got stopped at every red light. Once I arrived at the tire store, it took much longer to fix than they initially estimated and to top it all off, there was no Wi-Fi in the lobby for Pete’s sake. Could this day get any worse? ‍ Well, the tire company ended up fixing both tires for free. Amazingly, instead of taking advantage of me and trying to sell me new tires, they said that it would be months before I'd need new tires so I should use that time to watch for coupons to use when it was actually time to get new tires. ‍ We often forget that it's not happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy. I had gotten frustrated with a slow air compressor but wasn’t grateful that the rental car company even had an air compressor to loan me so I wouldn’t have to pay for a tow truck. I was frustrated when I hit red lights but wasn’t grateful for any of the green lights. I was frustrated by the long wait at the tire store but wasn’t grateful for the fact that they fixed the tires for free and didn’t try to up-sell me even though I wasn’t their customer. ‍ These were just minor inconveniences. They were not real problems. As Captain Jack Sparrow said in Pirates of the Caribbean, "THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PROBLEM." Since that day with two flat tires, I am often reminded that I can't always control my circumstances but I can always control how I react to those circumstances. I get to choose my response to things. I don't have to allow any situation to affect my mood. Just remember that "A BAD ATTITUDE CAN BE LIKE A FLAT TIRE. WE WON'T GET VERY FAR UNTIL WE CHANGE IT." https://www.instagram.com/p/ClOchtrO0op/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY TO JAYLEN! Can't believe it's been 13 years since we welcomed Jaylen into our world. We are so grateful as he's been such a blessing. It seems like just yesterday that we were at the hospital with a newborn child trying to remember all the advice we'd given others on parenting 😀 ‍ #SupermanWasAdopted #NationalAdoptionMonth #AdoptionAwarenessMonth #JaylenBechler #SuccessIsAChoice #Year13 #HappyBirthday #AdoptionAdvocacy #AdoptionJourney #Blessed https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdSLcOH97/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

I remember watching G.I. Jane years ago with Demi Moore as a female trying to become a Navy SEAL. During the movie, there was a scene when the training officer told her “When I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you.” Obviously, that is NOT the way I recommend leaders (or people) act, but it’s a quote that comes to mind whenever somebody says “in my opinion” or “I’m entitled to my opinion”. ‍ When it comes to opinions, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you live in the United States, your opinions … your speech is supposed to be protected and free. We have the right to our opinion, however, one of the problems with opinions is they can be habit forming. We have an opinion that may actually be in our wheelhouse, and we liked talking about that thing or providing a hot take so much that we then proceed to travel outside our lane. We start opining on everything. ‍ We’re entitled to our opinions, but we don’t have to have an opinion on everything! Sometimes, it’s best to just observe, think, and process. Maybe we should try to understand multiple sides to an issue. Sometimes we just need to learn to listen and listen to learn. ‍ #LearnToListen #GIJane #Opinions #ListenToLearn #Communication #PositiveLeadership #SuccessIsAChoice #FreedomOfSpeech #HomeOfTheFree #LandOfTheFree #USA #AmericanFreedoms #SeekFirstToUnderstand #Perspective #HealthyCommunication https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck9P2r0ul6M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

Does my vote even count if I don’t post about it 😀 Enjoyed voting today but darkening in those little circles provided some anxiety as it took me back to my days of standardized tests and scantrons in school. #VotingDay #vote2022 #FreedomToVote #Scantron #BallotBox #IVoted #ivoted🇺🇸 #SuccessIsAChoice #successisachoice💯 #righttovote https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckt2FLGO8dd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

Sir Isaac Newton had three laws of motion and the first law essentially said that every object will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force. Things don’t change by themselves. This is an important concept to remember today. It’s not about what we want to do today. It’s not about our intentions. Yes, those are important, but many good intentions fall flat because they’re never acted upon. ‍ Newton’s laws of motion and, science for that matter don’t really care about our feelings, emotions, or intentions. It matters what we do. Will our actions match our desires today? Will our behaviors align with our intentions? Yes … change, progress, and improvement begin with a thought. Pretty much everything begins with a thought, but I have thoughts all the time. Some get acted upon and some don’t. The thoughts that aren’t acted upon fall by the wayside or stay at rest. ‍ The thoughts that move forward and become reality are the ones that I intentionally make happen. I create the motion. I create momentum. I make it a reality. Let’s remember Sir Isaac Newton today when we’re thinking about what we want to accomplish and put those thoughts into action. . . . #Gravity #LawsOfMotion #Momentum #LawOfMomentum #SirIsaacNewton #NewtonsLaw #IsaacNewton #ThoughtLife #PositiveThoughts #SuccessIsAChoice #MondayMotivation #MontivationalMinute #MomentumBegetsMomentum #GetStartedNow #gilpenchina https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckq4OncuzqV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[jamybechler]

"Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit." (Vince Lombardi) ‍ As a middle schooler, my mother wouldn’t let me play tackle football. I figured I’d be able to talk her out of it prior to entering high school. I guess I overestimated my lawyering skills. About a week before the start of my freshman year, she told me that she’d been talking with the cross-country coach. Mr. Peacock would be willing to let me join the team despite missing the summer workouts. I was a basketball player and I associated running with punishment. Reluctantly, I decided to join the team since it might help me get in better shape for basketball. That first year was embarrassing. I was terrible. I lost track of how many girls beat me when we had co-ed meets. Other than the normal problems of a pimple appearing on my face right before school, getting beat by a girl was about as embarrassing as it got for a teenage boy. Anyway, a decision had to be made that off-season…quit, or take it seriously. ‍ That summer, I became committed, running hundreds of miles, entering road races every weekend, and taking an active leadership role on the cross-country team. I went from being one of the worst runners on the team to qualifying for the state finals as a Sophomore. I’m glad that I stuck with the sport even though it was difficult and embarrassing at times. I joke about getting beat by girls, but my real motivation was I wanted to be the best I was capable of being. I never dreamed of winning races or awards. I just knew I wasn’t living up to my potential and that bugged me. Even though it would take hard work and sacrifice, I would rather go through that than have a lifetime of knowing I quit on something just because it was difficult. ‍ Aristotle used to say, “We are what we repeatedly do, therefore excellence is not an act but rather a habit.” We all have habits in life. These habits are developed as a result of our daily choices. The legendary football coach Vince Lombardi used to say, “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” We’ll either make quitting our habit or we’ll make perseverance our habit. . . . #CrossCountryRunner #JonesvilleComets #VinceLombardi #Aristotle #DontQuit https://www.instagram.com/p/CkOm9P0O-JV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=