Growin' Up Gregory

Most athletes, or even us non-athletes who've played some sports, can sit around with our buddies and share stories of the biggest hits we've had or the best plays we've ever made.  We remember the good ole days whether it was Dixie Youth, Rec League, high school, or even backyard pickup games where we made some of our most amazing plays ever.  And for high school athletes looking to earn college scholarships, coaches will often go through hours of film to pull out the plays that showcase their player's talent, skill, and strength at its best.  Sportscenter has become famous for its daily top 10 plays.  We all like to see the highlights.   But the highlight reels that we often see leave something out.  They leave out our failures.  They leave out our grind that it took to develop the skills to make those big plays.  You don't just get up off the couch one day and decide you'll go play a sport or compete in an event at a high level.  It's...

I have the opportunity in my profession to work with a number of different people who vary in a wide degree in age, education, and income levels.  What makes some people so "successful" while others just never seem to make it?  I believe that there are three factors that determine the difference between who you are today and who you will be in 5, 10, or 20 years. 1.  Intelligence - Education - Brainpower.  Whatever you want to call it.  Your mental ability to put skills you know into practice, and to learn new skills, will be a major factor in your future success.  For some, book smarts and intelligence just comes naturally while others have to study their tails off just to get by.  I honestly don't know how much intelligence is genetic, but I do know that numerous studies show the positive effects of reading to children from birth to age 3 when their brain is developing at a rapid rate.  But we cannot let our learning stop there.  No matte...