“I came out the womb like this!” Coach Prime exclaimed while stretching back in his chair, throwing his arms out to his side in an effort to signify how confident he’s been in who he is since birth. This reaction was in response to being asked when did he first realized he was different. He finished his point by stating, “I’ve always been me. I walk to a different beat!” 

There is no doubt that this level of self-confidence was the catalyst that propelled Deion to greatest in every endeavor he’s undertaken. From his standpoint, he’s just living out what he already knows to be true. If you know you know, you don’t need any validation that’s for everyone else. “Mama already knows, we just need to come in and be consistent to validate what they already know.” His consistency in being himself has been impeccable. Considering he’s been in the spotlight, being judged, since high school makes this feat even more impressive. 

“I don’t care about your opinion, when I look in the mirror I’m straight with him. He ain’t all right, but he ain’t all wrong either.” - Coach Prime

The reality is most people struggle to be themselves. There are several reasons why this is the case, but scientific literature overwhelmingly points to fear of judgment and low self-esteem as two primary factors contributing to the pervasive inauthenticity being displayed by society. Stated bluntly, we’re cowards! Opting to compromise on who we are in a weak attempt to avoid the discomfort that comes along with the reality that we’re all different and thus not everyone is going to like us. Over time these micro-compromises leave us unrecognizable to ourselves. Unlike Deion, we look in the mirror and are discouraged by what we see.

Authenticity is an absolute non-negotiable in the life of a leader. At Stay The Course we say the first duty of all leaders is to be yourself, believe yourself, and believe in yourself. Coach Prime would say, “you’ve got to be you and you can’t stop being you!”  At the end of the day leadership is about making decisions. According to research from Cornell University the average person will make 35,000 decisions every day, but from our perspective none of them matter if you don’t have the courage to make the most important decision each day, which is to be you. Choose to avoid being yourself and you’ll languish in your cowardice. Choose to be yourself and you’ll flourish in your courage.

Strong decision-making moves us closer to clarity by cutting away other possibilities. Coach Prime has given us a masterclass in demonstrating how On Purpose decision making always reveals more than it conceals about who we are. Eventually, bring us to a place where like Coach Prime, we’ll say, “I don’t know who else to be but me!” 

• STEP 1: LEVERAGE YOUR “PRIME” SKILLS

• STEP 2: GET PREPARED

• STEP 3: MAKE IT HAPPEN 

STEP 1: LEVERAGE YOUR “PRIME” SKILLS

If we had to deduce Deion’s success down to one statement it would be this quote from Coach Prime,“Understand who you are… Make the most of what you have!”

This man has been so sure of who he is that’s been able to dedicate his entire life to making the most of what he has. It’s this type of dedicated, strategic refinement of one’s gifts that propels to legitimate greatness.

We’ve all been gifted with a particular set of prime skills, more commonly referred to as signature strengths or character strengths in scientific literature. These are positive qualities that contribute to an individual's well-being and success. These are considered the building blocks of strong character. Developing prime skills is a highly effective way to start feeling more confident and secure in yourself, become more resilient, build stronger relationships, and feel more connected to your community.  

For example, a study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people who had higher levels of character strengths were more likely to report feeling happy and satisfied with their lives. The researchers also found that people with higher levels of character strengths were more likely to be engaged in their work and relationships. Another study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that people who had higher levels of character strengths were more likely to be resilient in the face of stress. This study also concluded that people with higher levels of character strengths were more likely to recover from setbacks and to bounce back from challenges.

Take a moment to reflect on your prime skills, what are they, and how are you going about developing them?

STEP 2: GET PREPARED

Talent is never enough! We could argue that Deion Sanders is one of, if not the most naturally gifted athletes in the history of competitive athletics. Dude is a dawg, matching his talents with a work ethic that was equally as impressive. However, in my opinion it is his meticulous preparation that has propelled him to another stratosphere of competitive excellence.

One of the most epic examples of Coach Prime’s preparation was this quote book started to create prior to being drafted into the NFL. Deion is known for some of the most legendary one-liners in the history of sports. He always seemed to have the right things to say at just the right times. From the outside looking in one would think this man is so witty, he’s a natural orator. While both would be partially true, the real truth would be that this man was prepared. He knew those moments were coming. From his perspective it wasn't a matter of if, but when.

Your opportunity is coming. How are you preparing for it currently? What are you doing to ensure you’re ready to make the most of it?

STEP 3: MAKE IT HAPPEN

“My winning is based on life.. I’m a winner. I see it! Then I make it happen” - Coach Prime

Coach Prime is so locked into his processes that he makes things look too easy, but in reality he’s constantly wrestling with the same challenges we all are. When asked about this he said, “Nothing in life will perfectly align… don’t make excuses, just keep pressing on, keep the main thing the main thing, and make it happen!” 

Don’t allow your current circumstances to lull you into a state of indifference. You can’t walk around feeling sorry for yourself and absolving yourself from what’s going on around you. This is your life. You have to get your head in the game! That’s been a differentiator for Coach Prime his entire life. Coach Prime has always been all in, regardless of endeavor, he’s not settling for mediocrity. He’s playing every game to win! “The Game of Life has a scoreboard, if it has a scoreboard you have to win!” 

Here’s the thing “The game is sophisticated! The game has game! You have to love it intensely!” None of this will work if you don’t love it. This isn’t something you can just talk about. You have to be about it. Consistently demonstrating this love through your actions. Everything Coach Prime does is rooted in love which has given him the courage to continue to do life differently.

How are you responding to your opportunities? What can you do to get in the game right now, where you are?

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