Cameron Meyer Keene is pure genius. You ask why? Well, because he has already mastered 6 keys to success:
1) Persistence: he never quits. Ever. When he wants something… to be fed, to be changed, or hold a toy… he does not stop until he gets what he wants. Right now he is learning to walk… and he spends hours and hours “practicing.”
How persistent are you in getting what you want? How relentless are you in your development?
2) Communication: he speaks his mind. Granted, it’s in the form of crying, grunting, laughing, and Gibberish... but he does communicate. And he is an attentive listener. When elmo is talking, Cameron is listening! He communicates with me (the leader) and he communicates with Justice(teammate).
Does everyone on your team know their role? Their strengths and weaknesses? The team’s goals? Is this being communicated among coaches and players?
Quick side note: I am the Head Coach of our family; Coach Keene, the lowly assistant. Sorry dear, I told your secret...
3) Enthusiasm: he has a passion for everything he does! When he is happy, he bounces around and his face light up the room. When he isn't, he flail this limbs and cries like a wild hyena.
How much passion do you have for the game? Is your enthusiasm contagious? Do you raise the level of those around you?
4) Structure: he is on a schedule. He goes to sleep at the same time every night, get up at the same time every day, and eat (and nap) at scheduled intervals. He has a consistent routine.
Do you have a daily routine? Do your workouts/practices have structure or are they haphazard?
5) Uninhibited: He does not care about looking cool. He will (literally) crap his pants while staring directly at you. He don’t care if he falls on his face or vomits on my shirt. He is comfortable at being Cameron, and hes not afraid to make mistakes.
Are you worried what others will think if you make a mistake? Do you only practice the skills you are good at so you don’t look bad?
6) Imagination: Cameron thinks outside of the box. He can spend an hour playing with a ball of tissue paper. He makes the most of what he has.
How much imagination do you put in to your own workouts/practices? When you are doing drills, do you imagine there is a defender… or do you just do the drill?
So there you have it, Cameron has figured out the 6 keys to success. Now, it’s Coach Keene and my job, as parents, to make sure Justice and Cameron maintain these traits as they get older. If they go through life with persistence, can effectively communicate, have an unbridled enthusiasm, have a consistent daily schedule, aren’t afraid to make mistakes, and can think creatively… they will be successful in whatever they choose to do. So I ask, Are you a baby?
