Saturday, May 9, 2015

TRUTH

“The truth will set you free.” ~John 8:32
 
I was listening to my favorite morning show and they were doing their bi-weekly “5 Things You Need To Know” segment. One host began her need-to-know by quoting a headline from an article she had read. As she read the headline, my blood pressure spiked. The headline was, “Why Women Should Lie Even More Than They Do”.
 
People who know me, know that there are very few things in this world that can get my blood boiling. The way I see it, everyone has different opinions and different experiences that lead them to their opinions. The opinion doesn’t matter as much to me as the reason/experience behind it. So if someone tells me that they think sports are not good for kids, which is in direct conflict to my beliefs, I don’t get upset. What I would want to know is why do they think that? Maybe it is because that person’s personal experience with sports was from a situation where they were made fun of because they weren’t as good at sports as others. That would certainly lead to an unfavorable outlook on sports. And there could be a number of other different reasons.
 
However, the quoted headline attacks my values and my beliefs in more ways than one. First, honesty, trust, and truth are at the top of my core values. Therefore, the headline threatens a top core value of mine. Not only does it threaten my core values, if someone were to just read the headline and not the article, they might begin to spread the wrong word. I understand people sometimes feel pressure to lie, but that’s no matter. They shouldn’t lie.
 
Why do people lie? I’m going to give you two reasons: They can, and it’s easy. I’m sure you can come up with many reasons why you should lie in any particular instance. It will spare someone’s feelings; it will help me get ahead; I don’t know this person well enough to tell them the truth; and the excuses go on, and on. Some people call them reasons, I call them excuses. That’s because I try my hardest not to lie. Ever. I believe the world would be a better place without all the lies that are told every day, the big ones and the small ones. The fact is that people have grown accustomed to not hearing the truth. The truth can certainly hurt. The truth can also certainly hurt you. “Tony” may say, “if I didn’t lie in my interview, I would have never gotten this job.” So essentially Tony got the job over someone else because he lied. Then the person Tony got the job over suffers. I would ask “Tony”, “do you have to continue to build upon that lie now that you were hired? Do you have to keep telling lies to maintain that false persona you created to get the job?” One lie leads to another and another. It’s horrible. The truth on the other hand, never changes.
 
I can go on and on about this because I feel so passionately about it. But I really don’t think people want to hear it. I think people want any easy way out. They don’t want to always have to tell the truth because that would be too hard. They don’t want to face the truth because that would be too painful.
 
I will leave you with a few quotes on truth for you to think about. Please take a moment to consider cutting back on the number of lies you tell each day. Who knows, maybe one day people can start respecting the truth again instead of running from it.
 
“The truth may hurt for a while, but a lie hurts forever.”
“It’s hard to accept the truth when the lies were exactly what you wanted to hear.”
“The worst thing about being lied to is knowing you’re not worth the truth.”
~unknown
 
“If you tell the truth you won’t have to remember anything.” ~Mark Twain
 
Be True. Live Free.
Enjoy Life.
 
Coach Randal Suozzo, CPC, ELI-MP
 

 

Thursday, March 19, 2015

The Concussions Dilemna: Risk vs. Reward

Recently, a 24-year old star rookie linebacker for the NFL San Francisco 49ers decided to retire. His reason? He decided that the risk of playing football outweighed the reward of becoming a bigger superstar and making millions of dollars. The risk is directly associated with his long term health. He mentions the concern over brain disease as his #1 reason for retiring. His name is Chris Borland.

I have been following the issue of head trauma for several years now. I have personal experience with difficulties in remembering simple things such as certain tasks I’ve agreed to take on at work or the details of recent conversations I’ve had with someone. I sometimes relate these difficulties with the several minor concussions I experienced in my youth sports career. Only one such concussion sidelined me, but I know there were others. My wife certainly points these things out to me from time to time. She didn’t even know me as a youth, but she certainly cares for my future.

Chris Borland isn’t the only one retiring from football. In just the week leading up to his retirement, two other players 27 or younger decided to retire. These players are considered to be in the prime of their careers. As the decision to step away from the game becomes more common for players in the prime of their careers, even people who do not follow the sport or the issue of head trauma should take notice.

I have a son who has expressed interest in playing football. And while I think that football was the greatest sport experience that I had growing up, I will not let him play tackle football until at least age 12. It’s too dangerous. What is the reward for playing football before high school anyway? Arguably the greatest high profile football player of all-time (Tom Brady) did not play until he was in high school. This tells me that the reward of playing tackle football before high school is small. If Brady can become one of the greatest without even playing the sport until high school, why start earlier and subject yourself to such a great risk? Especially when there are other options. There are other sports. Sports are great for character building, and as long as flag football, soccer, and other sports are offered during the tackle football season, I will have trouble understanding why so many kids still play tackle football. How can an educated person possibly argue that the risk is not greater than the reward? I guess educated person is a relative term.

Football is very big in my town. Many kids are playing starting at age 5. It concerns me that these kids will have so much of an advantage over my son if he decides he still wants to play football later in life. It takes a great amount of patience, understanding, love, and willpower to not give into doubt. The doubt that I may be hurting my son’s future by keeping him away. At least I know I am not jeopardizing his future health. Some of you may be asking why I would let him play in the first place. And it’s a simple answer of risk versus reward. I believe sports are invaluable, and I know that tackle football isn’t the only sport carrying the risk of head trauma. It may be the current poster board for head injuries, but it could be argued that the risk is greater in soccer. I love the fact that my son has taken an interest in sports, but I am prepared to be smart about it. Until he is old enough to make his own decisions, his life is essentially in my hands.

We all face tough decisions as parents. We do the best we can, and follow that with a lot of hope and prayer. I hope that more parents realize the risk of head trauma in tackle football. I pray that fewer parents have to live any part of their life with regret. The latest studies suggest that the risk of lasting brain injury is considerably increased for football players who start playing before the age of 12. There are other options. If you are reading and still doubt the risk, I hope you educate yourself more. Your child’s life is in your hands. Make the best decisions you can. The more educated you are, the better decision you will be able to make. Please way the risk versus the reward.

There are also other opinions. I would like to end this blog by saying that for those of you reading this who continue to let your sons play football at such a young age, I understand that there is a chance that I am wrong on the risk. Even if I am right, not every kid will suffer a brain injury. For your sake, I hope that either I am wrong or that it doesn't happen to your family.
 
http://www.anonymousartofrevolution.com/2012/11/you-have-your-way-i-have-my-way-as-for.html


Be smart. Enjoy Life.

Coach Randal Suozzo, CPC, ELI-MP

 

Monday, January 12, 2015

Happiness is a Choice

“Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
 
President Lincoln makes it sound like happiness is a choice. In order it to be a choice however, one needs to first be aware of their mood, and in tune with how they are feeling. Only when someone is completely aware of themselves and what they are feeling, can they actually take pause and ask themselves how they actually want to feel. Only then does it become a choice.
 
As much as I believe that happiness can be as simple as making up one’s mind to be that way, I also realize that there are a lot of obstacles to overcome. Obstacles that must be worked through or around in order to be able to freely choose your state. These obstacles can be as small as a pebble or as large as a mountain. Yet either can be moved out of the way.
 
An obstacle may be a person that is attacking you verbally; or it can be a moment when something that you wanted to happen didn’t. It could be as simple as your favorite baseball team losing the World Series or as complex as a time when you have spent countless hours researching and shopping for the perfect present for someone’s birthday only to have that person dismiss your gift as something they don’t need anymore. Whatever the obstacle, perseverance can lead you through any obstacle.
 
No matter the obstacle, a master such as our former president, chooses to be happy (or not) instead of being at the mercy of the circumstance. What are the main influences your happiness? Are you the main influence, or is your circumstance the main influence? How do you overcome your obstacles? Do you use a coach to help you? A quote is from many a childhood hero,
 
“What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.
~A.A. Milne
 
Happiness can come as easy as your favorite day.
 
Remember that happiness is a choice. It has to be true if our greatest President said it, right? It may take practice to learn how to get there. It may be something you choose not to be sometimes. But know that you can choose it, that you have the ability to choose it. Knowing it is half the battle.
 
Enjoy Life.
 
Coach Randal Suozzo, CPC, ELI-MP
 
http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/03/15/photo-reminders-to-help-you-find-happiness/

http://quotes.lifehack.org/quote/valerie-bertinelli/happiness-is-a-choice-you-can-choose/