Never Give Up!!!: Seven Secrets to Creating More Success In Your Life

Never Give Up!!!!

We’ve all heard those words before, but do we believe them?

As a physician who specializes in treating patients with spinal and orthopedic pain, I often tell my patients—Never give up.

Like many of you, I enjoy watching basketball.
But what can we learn from a game of basketball?

Anyone who saw the Dallas Mavericks play the Miami Heat during the 2011 NBA Finals, witnessed how inner will and determination results in triumph.

In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat was ahead by 15 points with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but when the final buzzer rang, they had lost. This was unheard of—Dallas went from embarrassment to triumph. The Miami Heat was primed to take a commanding 2-0 lead in Game 2. Yet, the Dallas Mavericks gained confidence and went on to win three more games in the series and became the NBA World Champions in 2011.

I say to each of you---No matter what you are going through—Never give up! Believe and You Can Achieve! And your dreams can come true!

Even if you don’t like basketball, from this series, we all can learn vital success principles:

1. The importance of maintaining a positive attitude - When The Mavericks were dow
15 points in the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals Game with the world watching, it would have been easy for them to hang their head low and go home, end the game with a blow out and say, ‘We’ll just focus on the next game,” but real champions dig deep and continue with the task at hand, focusing on the outcome. Like the Mavericks we must maintain a positive attitude during challenging times.

2. The Importance of continuing to improve yourself - When faced with a problem, one needs to analyze their strengths and weaknesses and determine strategies for improving their situation. So it was in this game, the Dallas Mavericks re-strategized and won a championship.

3. Learn to Never Give Up! - With the clock ticking rapidly, the Mavericks intensity increased with each passing moment. When we are faced with a deadline, we must use every moment to complete our task. This means our intensity must also increase to reach our deadline.

4. There is No “I” in Team - Remember, there is no “I” in team (learn to use your support). Often when we have a problem, we see ourselves as the only means of solving it. Yet, we need to realize that everyone has a different skill set. If we take the time to learn the strengths of others around us, we can use those strengths and operate as a team to accomplish our goals.

5. Stay Committed - Although the Dallas Mavericks team was comprised of older players than the Miami Heat, they did not allow the Heat to get them down. They stayed focused on their goals. From them, we can learn, to stay committed to our goals.

6. Visualize the goal - It is always important to define your goal. The Mavericks knew their goal was to win the NBA Championship. Defining your goal keeps you on track and allows you to see that an end is in sight.

7. Learn from your mistakes - Ironically, the Dallas Mavericks had lost to the Miami Heat previously in 2006, in the sixth game of another NBA final. This time, they learned from their mistakes and they won.

Although the NBA Finals are over, the principles that we can apply from this hard fought series can help us achieve our goals in our careers and personal lives.

A winning attitude is critical when competing for business, in the classroom, and in personal relationships. Remember, the Dallas Mavericks lost the first game to the Heat and they had also lost a NBA championship to the Heat five years previously.

People who attain success learn to forget the failures of the past and to use them as steppingstones. That’s why I believe in order to overcome any adversity, it takes PAIN(sm)—Positive Attitude, Interest in Improving self and Never giving up.

The next time you feel as though the odds are against you, please apply these success principles and know that you too, can be successful.

©2011 Winifred D. Bragg, MD. All Rights Reserved.