Author: Don Yaeger

The Grass Is Not Always Greener

Written on September 4, 2014.

With college football now officially underway, the current season will be full of rivalries, upsets, and incredible plays by successful teams. But behind every Great team is a talented coach, and there are few coaches who have had the success of Chris Petersen of the University of Washington Huskies—who taught me a valuable lesson about career advancement.

Great Winners Have Great Coaches

Written on August 26, 2014.

LeBron James has one. Rory McIlroy does too. Even Serena Williams believes the reason for her success is…coaching! It doesn’t matter where you are, from Little League to the highest level of the pros, you cannot gain success by raw talent alone. The Great ones of our time know that it takes continual help from effective coaches to advance to the next step in their professional lives.

Losing Weight and Finding Meaning

Written on August 12, 2014.

Every once in a while I write about the importance of learning from your losses. No one has learned more than Joe Ostaszewski. Ostaszewski—former defensive lineman for Florida State University and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins—was recently a finalist and season favorite on the hit-show the Biggest Loser. Ostaszewski fully committed himself to changing his life and went from 364 lbs to 217—a loss of a staggering 147 pounds!...

Use Fear — Good Fear that is — as Motivation!

Written on August 5, 2014.

Have you ever used fear as motivation? This may seem adverse to some people but, if channeled correctly, good fear can be a powerful stimulus in creating change. The Great ones in the sports and business worlds all know how to use their emotions to their advantage, and I cannot think of a better example of this principle than Tony La Russa. Throughout his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he has used good fear to...

Fighting is Winning

Written on July 29, 2014.

Have you watched someone give a highly emotional presentation and wondered how in the world they held it together? Recently, I had one of those moments as I witnessed ESPN commentator and journalist Stuart Scott give a deeply personal speech—and I still cannot figure out how he managed to maintain his composure as he spoke of the struggles he has faced.

Celebrating the Everyday Heroes

Written on July 1, 2014.

Editor’s Note: In honor of July 4th, I wanted to share this story written by Brian Kilmeade of Fox News, my co-author on George Washington’s Secret Six, about some ideas we discussed together on celebrating the everyday heroes who contribute to our country’s greatness in both big and small ways. When I set out to research the story of the Culper Spy Ring, I had no idea where it would take me. What resulted was a dynamic...

The Spurs Model: Know What Matters

Written on June 24, 2014.

No matter your opinion of them as a team, you have to agree that the San Antonio Spurs are a model of consistency, winning… and diversity. Each of the seven foreign-born players on their roster was an integral component to the team’s success. One of the breakout stars for the Spurs has been backup point guard Patty Mills, who delivered an incredible performance in the fifth game of the NBA Finals against the Miami...

Achieving Greatness through Teamwork

Written on June 17, 2014.

Shane Battier’s season—and career—ended last weekend in a solemn locker room with emotions he wasn’t expecting. Battier’s Miami Heat had just lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. For Battier, this swan song of his career didn’t allow him to hold the championship trophy, but he did pick up a piece of hardware that spoke volumes about the years he’s played and what so many of his colleagues think of him. Battier...

Failure is an option

Written on June 5, 2014.

If you are a sports fanatic, like me, then you’ll agree that this time of year is a sports fan’s dream. There are a multitude of high profile events that can satisfy anyone: the French Open, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Playoffs, and much, much more. Since I am not much of a commercial guy, I rely on my DVR to help me speed through my programs. But lately, I have discovered a commercial that was strong enough to make me...