When it’s game time you have to be able to tap into beast mode. There’s a story behind that. This is your daily message from Chad number 666 to upgrade your mental game today by telling yourself a better story, because the most important story you hear is the story you tell yourself. This message is dedicated to Ray Lewis.
Ray Lewis is a football legend. He was a first-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens and is widely regarded as one of the greatest linebackers ever. He made it big, but then he made some bad choices. He lost everything, but took inventory and started over. He was successful without big endorsements, and many fans turned against him. But he stood up for what he believed in and had to do it alone.
He had it all, lost it all, and still made it to the Hall of Fame.
Lewis is still known for his energy. His game-day intensity and competitiveness as a player were well-regarded. Lewis was a key player in the life of another Baltimore athlete, Michael Phelps. In 2014, Phelps, nicknamed the Baltimore Bullet, had won 14 Olympic medals. But, like Lewis, went down the wrong path and suffered very public humiliation. At that time, Phelps has revealed he was thinking, “This is the end of my life… How many times will I mess up? Maybe the world would be better without me.” Lewis reached out to Phelps and told him, “This is when we fight. This is when real character shows up. Don’t shut down. If you shut down we all lose.” Phelps listened to his friend’s advice and went to rehab. But the gift from Lewis that he packed with him had the biggest effect on him. He gave Phelps a book titled “The Purpose-Driven Life.” After being in rehab a couple days Phelps called Lewis to thank him and to tell him the book had a life-changing impact on him. Phelps went on to win another 14 Olympic medals.
Ultimately beast mode isn’t about beating your competition but bringing the best out of others. That is a real mark of a beast.
Where in your life do you need to tap into beast mode? Email me at fromchadsmith@gmail.com. You can find these messages on YouTube and Apple Podcasts by searching @fromchad. You can read the transcript of this message and hundreds of others at fromchad.com.
