Tony Dungy, Finding Your Inner Strength, Your Quiet Strength

Towards the end of my junior year of high school, I saw a book by former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy at Meijers. I was waiting for my mom and had heard great things about how much of a class act Dungy was. So picked up the book and looked through it.

Some background- for one of my birthdays (sometime before 4th grade) an aunt of mine had bought me a Colts windbreaker. I didn't follow the NFL at that time but thought the jacket was sweet. I was wearing it in 5th grade when people asked me if I was cheering for them in the playoffs. I think that was when I realized that the Colts were an actual team. Long story short, I started watching the NFL and I have liked the Colts in addition to the Bengals because they got me into football. And Peyton Manning is the greatest.

So I picked up the book and skimmed the chapter about the game when the Colts finally beat the Patriots to go to the Super Bowl. It was a really good game and I relived it as I flipped through those pages. Then I looked at the other chapters in the book. I realized it was more than just football. Dungy talks about his experiences with coaching, the lessons he has learned, his life's ups and downs, and his religion. All of these were ways he drew from his Quiet Strength.

I checked out the book from the library and read it through the summer going into my senior year of high school. My senior year had placed me in a few leadership roles; President of Key Club, Student Council Treasurer, National Honor Society Blood Drive Chair, Relay For Life Captain. I think at that point I was just thinking about getting things done. I know now that doing what you're supposed to get done isn't leadership, it's expected. I learned from that book that leadership meant more than just that. Reaching out to people, trying to make an impact, being a role model, and above all using your position as a platform to help others.

Dungy also used football as an example for life lessons. Being the dork I am, I take notes on books I really like. So here are the top 10 things I learned from his book "Quiet Strength":

1. "This book isn't about football. Winning the Super Bowl isn't the ultimate goal in life. Its about the journey- mine and yours- and the lives we can touch, the legacy we can leave, and the world we can change for the better"

2. "Things will go wrong at times. You shouldn't let external issues be a hindrance. You can't always control the circumstances, but you can control your attitude, approach, and response. Your options are to complain or to look ahead and figure out how to make the situation better. Anger is just wasted emotions because nothing productive comes out of it. Just like in a game, there is no time to think about the mistakes about the last play because you have to be ready for the next down"

3. In the book Dungy talked about many of his failures or obstacles; his high school coach being fired due to race, him not playing quarterback in the B1G because of his race, not getting drafted, being fired from head coach of Tampa Bay. After the last incident, he wrote "We often cant see what god is doing in our lives, but God sees the whole picture and His plan for us clearly"

4. "Be on time, being late means either its not important to you or you cant be relied on."

5. "Success is defined by significance. The significant difference your life makes on someone else"

6. "God has created you in a certain way, with certain interests and passions. Follow your passions."

7. One year, everyone was talking about the Patriots. The week before the game, Dungy made this comparison: "Why are McDonalds fries good? Because they are consistent. Fries in New England are just as good as fries in Dallas. McDonalds doesn't change because it is in New England. We need to be the same, we need to be consistent and do what we do. Don't change your approach because the situation is different. Champions do the ordinary, extraordinarily."

8. Dungy talked about the positives that came from his sons suicide. He received letters from organ recipients that could now see and live normally. He received a letter from a dad who had watched the funeral and Dungy's speech about spending time with your family and those that are important to you. The dad started spending more time with his son. Positives that come from tragedies.

9. "Our past prepares us for the future if we allow it too. We are provided opportunities to learn from things that have happened to us."

10. "Never lose sight of your purpose. We are all role models to someone in this world, and we can all have an impact for good"

These are some of the lessons I learned early in my senior year. I think they had an impact on me and my style and approach to the leadership positions I was given.

So. Are you playing to win the Super Bowl, or to make the Journey one to remember?