WHO IS YOUR PRIME?

I'm sure by now you have heard of how Coach Deion Sanders has turned the Colorado Buffaloes college football team around and additionally re-energized a team of young men and a nation. Before we get into the "prime effect " allow me to share a bit of Deion Sander's resume, for those of you who only know him as Coach Prime. Sanders played college football for the Florida State Seminoles where he won the Jim Thorpe Award which goes to the top college defensive player. During the highly touted NFL Combine which puts college athletes on display by taking them through various football-related drills, Sanders ran the 40-yard dash twice. His first time was 4.3, so he ran it again posting a 4.2, at which point he jumped in a waiting limousine and drove off to the airport.

He was selected by the Falcons fifth overall in the 1989 NFL Draft and played football primarily as a cornerback, while also making appearances as a return specialist and wide receiver. During his career, he was named to eight Pro Bowls, received six first-team All-Pros, and made consecutive Super Bowl appearances in Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers and Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys, winning both. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

But it doesn't stop there. Sanders was a three-sport athlete in college and a two-sport athlete professionally.

While the Metro Conference baseball and track championships were being played simultaneously in Columbia, South Carolina, Sanders played in the conference semifinal baseball game against Southern Mississippi, ran a leg of a 4 × 100 relay, and then returned to play in the baseball championship game against Cincinnati. He played professional football and professional baseball at the same time and many times on the same day. He is the only person who has hit a home run and scored a touchdown on the same day.

Yes, Sanders has won at everything he has done, his awards and rings show it.

But how does this "prime effect " inspire and energize others in and out of his proximity?

1. Coach Prime has total and undeniable confidence in his ability to be successful. He had to be convinced of his abilities before he decided to take on such huge obstacles, it's not something that comes along the journey.

2. Coach Prime instills that belief in his players first by deed and secondly by repetitive encouragement. In other words, yes his reputation proceeds him, but he tells his players that they can do the same or more.

3. He faces obstacles as manageable rather than insurmountable. He has already surpassed expectations because he never focuses on the greatness of the opposition, he focuses on the greatness of his players and coaches.

4. He never folds or shows vulnerability under adversity. It's the same effect when plane passengers feel turbulence and look at the flight attendant. If they show fear, it becomes a problem and anxiety sets in. Coach Prime has the same fire, facial expressions, and positive attitude whether up by 10 points or down by 10 points.

So who is your prime?

Everyone needs that one person in their life who always sees the glass half full and can offer an encouraging word when you are at your weakest point. Your prime will always see a way out or a way to manage a situation; they will always see a better day ahead. It also helps if that person has endured similar adversity and was able to endure and overcome it. This person needs to have confidence that they are good at what they do and that you can be just as good. Also, this person needs to remain steadfast even during the most turbulent times, so if you look at them you feel a spirit of calm rather than anxiety.

However, there is one thing that makes the relationship with your prime successful, you have to buy into it. Many of us will actually get tired of hearing the positivity of a situation and would rather sit in their desperation. This is simply a waste of a good "prime" person.

Also, his players have retained his lessons of positivity. Many of you will read this blog, and become motivated to embrace or find your prime person, but be down and depressed next week because you never retained what Prime taught you.

"Positivity is contagious which is why we should put our energy toward gravitating toward people who display a spirit of exhortation while avoiding those who wade in the moments of negativity, even if that person is ourselves ".

Dr. Darren L. DuBose Sr.

You read that correctly, many times we are our worst enemy as we isolate and trap ourselves in a place while listening to our own negativity. It is at these moments you should be finding your "prime"

I challenge you to find your prime, and if you already have one embrace them, listen to them, use them as an example, match their energy, and retain their instruction.

#changedmindschangelives

#bethesunshine