You Are Not Tough Alone

In his book, Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off The Court, Jay Bilas says, “There is nothing more powerful, motivating and inspiring than having people in your life, especially your teammates and coaches, truly believe in you.”

Knowing that people are in your corner can help you overcome any obstacle. Fear makes you constantly look over your shoulder. But when you have people in your life that truly believe in you and have your back, looking over your shoulder isn’t a bad thing. You look back and see an army of believers.

As I mentioned in my post about the top 10 principles from his book, Bilas quotes Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski who says, “You are not tough alone.”

This quote really stuck with me because I think it has two meanings.

First, it means that you can’t be tough all by yourself. In basketball, you are one part of the team and the success is not determined by you alone.  No matter how hard you work, or how special your abilities are, the game is not all about you.

Second, I think Coach K’s quote means that we don’t have to be tough alone. Going back to the example in basketball, you don’t have to be responsible for the outcome. The entire weight of the team and the game does not fall on your shoulders. You are not alone and that is what can make you tough.

This idea seems to be a common theme in my life. I have been blessed with wonderful family and friends who have believed in me in ways that I didn’t think was possible.

My Kickstarter campaign is a perfect example of this. With two days remaining, I have achieved 111% of my goal of $5,000.

I could not have done this alone. Thanks to 80+ backers who believe in me and my book, I am ready to succeed.

I’ll admit that I had many doubts when I started the campaign. After all, $5,000 is a lot to ask for. I knew it would be tough.

It was tough, but we were tougher. Alone, I could not have made it, but like Coach K says, ” You are not tough alone.” I did not have to make it alone.

Where in your life do you need to be tough?

Are you trying to go at it alone?

A friend told me that the number one reason people give is because they are asked.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t try to be tough alone.

When you start to doubt yourself, and fear causes you to look over your shoulder, you need people to have your back. Find those people who believe in you.