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When You Are Winning Nothing Hurts!

The Law of High Morale may ring a bell with you because the phrasing of the law was inspired by the words of Joe Namath who led the New York Jets to a Super Bowl victory in 1969. He understood that the exhilaration of winning could be so strong that is sustains you through the discipline, pain and sacrifice to perform at the highest level.

Its ironic but if you play hurt, you can put the team in a place to win. And if you win nothing hurts! George Allen, Coach of the Washington Redskins in the 1970’s states, “Every time you win you are reborn; when you lose, you die a little.”

High Morale is the Great Exaggerator

When an entire team is positive and all of the players feel good about themselves, everything seems good. Preparation seems smooth, Every break goes your way, small victories seem sweet, big victories almost make you feel invincible. Even the bench players play beyond their skill. Some people call it a winning streak. People want to be around winners and people will pay top dollar to access the inside story of winners. Are teams really that good. Are they really a rags to riches success overnight? Probably not! High Morale is the great exaggerator.

High Morale is the Great Elevator

When a team has high morale, the performance of the team goes to a whole new level. The team focuses upon its potential and not its problems. Team members are extremely committed. Everyone finds it easy to be unselfish. When teams are loosing the opposite is true. People begin to take care of themselves – I have to get my – you get yours mindset settles in on loosing teams.

High Morale is a Great Energizer

High morale gives any team energy. No mountain seems too high. No project seems too difficult. No race seems too long. Their enthusiasm builds along with their energy.

High Morale is the Great Eliminator

Teams with high morale keep pressing through huge obstacles or even setbacks. Problems seem to disappear no matter how big they are.

High Morale is the Great Emancipator

Winning teams are FREE! Winning creates some breathing room. They will use that breathing room to tackle new challenges and take some risks or new ideas. A winning team will ask questions of itself that they would not otherwise ask. The end result is higher potential.

Consider The Four Stages of Morale

Stage 1: Poor Morale – The Leader Must Do Everything

Nothing is more unpleasant than being on a team where nobody wants to be there. The team vibe is negative, hopeless, and generally is a real downer of energy.

Stage 2: Low Morale – The Leader Must Do Productive Things

In the beginning any movement is a victory. However at some point you must pick up speed. Think about it – You cannot steer a parked car!

Stage 3: Moderate Morale – The Leader Must Do Difficult Things

In order to get a team moving and moving in the right direction, a leader must focus on the difficult things that will move the team to a higher morale.

Stage 4: High Morale – The Leader Must Do The Little Things

If you want to reap the rewards of the Law of High Morale, you can’t wait until your morale is high to begin performing. You need to act your way into feeling, not feel your way into acting. Begin by performing at a level of excellence appropriate for someone who is experiencing a winning season. Your dedication will help your performance and inspire the team.

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!