James Palumbo

Enthusiasm…

Doing the simplest task with enthusiasm can create a greater appreciation.

There are daily things to do and depending on our approach to the routine it can become boring or super.

Whether our duties must be done alone or with others we should grasp the purpose behind them and embrace the reality that we are capable of completion.

When a practice session is looked at as just another part of being on the team, we are missing the enthusiasm to improve as well as influence others.

We do not have to be the loudest in the room to be enthusiastic however our lack of excitement may cause our routine to be mundane.

Enthusiasm is a mental discipline to be executed just as much as the consistency of actually doing the task.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo

We have all witnessed how a round of applause begins.  One person who takes the initiative to respect a special moment starts the best ones and this creates a following act of others.

When we all might be feeling a similar energy it only takes a leader to start the first clap.

The courage to express the energy we felt will spur a chain reaction.

Since nothing great is accomplished alone our courageous first steps should be inspiring for others to join in.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo

A final is the last game of a competition that decides the winner of it all.

The winner is a champion while the loser is a finalist.  A champion is a deserved label while a finalist is a delicate way of acknowledging the loser.

At the moment immediately following a loss in the final there is little appreciation towards the word finalist or the acceptance of the 2^ndplace medal.

The burning desire that is needed to be a champion is suddenly emptied with the final whistle.

As time passes, we realize that a finalist is the deserved recognition for reaching the end and coming up short.  The pathway to the final is valuable and although it hurts to think of the loss it is the only way to take the next steps towards building a greater desire to be the next champion.

Our desire only grows stronger through failure.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo

A stillness acted upon only comes after the understanding that things will come and then pass.

If each thing or emotion that comes our way spurs a reaction or change in our concentration we will always be affected in our performance.

The tolerance that things may go wrong or not according to plan is vital to the success of the best soccer players and people in the world.

This tolerance is not an acceptance to those who lack preparation but more of a levelheaded or motionless mindset that we will prepare for as many situations as possible and if there is a new mistake found, great, it is time to update the strategy moving forward.

Stay still, confident and prepared for the newest challenges brought our way.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo

Being a part of something for a long time does not necessarily mean a person has experience.

What you do and how you do it demonstrates experience.  There are many young people who are experienced in a specific field solely because of the incredible number of hours dedicated to doing.  Just showing up only grants an association.

Experience is not shared through words of past individual achievements but more on our daily actions.

Experience witnesses experience, they don’t go only by what they hear.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo

Following along is common and easily executed with proper attention.

When it is time to take a different route and we are unsure if it will provide our desired outcome our awareness of needing a change is what is more important.

If we are not able to identify the need to change course or approach things differently we might stay on the same path however going nowhere near our preferred destination.

With the road anticipated to not be smooth and straight our acceptance of the wrong but necessary turns will encourage forward progress.

Yours in soccer,

James Palumbo