Author: Rod Ray

If you want to be the best you can be, you better know what that is because you won't accomplish something that isn’t defined. In a recent keynote speech, I offered that you must love well if you want to be more competitive. And, if...

Sports Done Right As fans we love just about everything about sports. Excitement, team loyalty, tradition, competition, sense of belonging and entertainment are reasons we are so attached to sports. In 2023, nearly 160 million people watched live sports at least once a month in the...

Difficult days are a part of life. In tough times, our mental toughness is challenged. Rough seas can make us stronger if we have the right mindset. In sports, we use drills and simulations to help us execute better under the pressure of game day....

  A typical tennis match involves approximately one hundred thirty points. Tradition has it that the serving player calls out the serve before each point to keep up with the score and signify that the returner should be ready to play. Since every game begins with...

Yesterday, I undertook a challenging task—a competitive road race in Greenville on a difficult course. The race began at 7:30 A.M., demanding an early start to my day. The nerves were palpable as I rose from my bed, fully aware of the daunting race ahead,...

Make A Great Story This year's Wimbledon was a thrilling spectacle. Barbara Kejcikova's triumph over the crowd favorite, Jasmine Paolini, in a fiercely competitive three-set match was a sight to behold. With her infectious smile and unwavering love for the game, Paolini was a joy to...

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Marcus Aurelius, arguably the most powerful leader in the world, wrote to himself, "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way is the way." He told himself there were no obstacles, only a path forward. True then, true...

Who we want to be regarding our values and greater purpose is often called our True North. It is the place on our compass that gives our lives meaning beyond tangible outcomes, which speaks to us and reminds us that our values are greater than...

Loss is inevitable in sports, business, school, and family. How we show up after a loss speaks volumes about our character. Here are a few self-reflection checkpoints after a loss: How's my body language? Do I blame others? Do I adopt a victim's mentality? Or...

Think back to the last time you did something hard. Maybe it was something you needed to overcome that was in the way of something you wanted.  Or possibly something bad that caught you off guard and took you outside your comfort zone. Maybe is...