TriVeggies

Full disclosure: I’ve been a fan of Deion Sanders for about 35 years now. As a lifelong, from-the-cradle Florida State University football fan, I’ve known “Neon Deion” since way back in the 1980s, when he became the very best cornerback the Seminoles have ever had. Since then, he’s had an amazing career, first as a dual athlete in the NFL and Major League Baseball, and then as a football coach, most recently at the University of Colorado.

So when I learned he had a new book out, I jumped at the chance to read it. I knew it would be motivational and insightful, and quite frankly I’m at a point in my life where both motivation AND insight would be welcomed at the moment. So as soon as it arrived at my local bookshop, I dug right in.

I tried to read a chapter a day: Enough to marinate on without overdoing the pep talks on one sitting. That ended up being the perfect cadence, as each chapter (“Set Your Own Thermostat” and “Iron Sharpens Iron,” to name two) gave me something to noodle on. And the quotes! Anyone who knows Coach Sanders knows he’s going to throw in a bit of that Prime Time razzle-dazzle, and I found myself writing down mantra after mantra as the book went on.

Some of my favorites:

“You’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing.”

“Failure is NOT fatal.”

“If you don’t step out, you’re always going to be standing still.”

And this one, which is perhaps my favorite of all:

“We’ve also got to enjoy the process, or else what’s the point of this thing we call life?”

Even though Sanders’ roots are in football, this isn’t just a football book. It’s much more of a how-to-live manual, really, and his words of advice and reasons to succeed can be used all across the scope of life. It won’t surprise you to know that I extrapolated a lot of his guidance for use through the lens of triathlon training and racing, and if you take the same path, you certainly won’t be disappointed. 

So much of what Sanders comes back to is what we should already know, but often need to hear again (and again, and again): Hard work. Perseverance. Tenacity. Making plays even when nobody is looking. And perhaps most importantly, being a good human. Because really, nothing else matters at the end of the day!

If you’re looking for a shot of inspiration, blended with a swift kick in the pants, Coach Prime has you covered in his new book. Give it a read and let me know what you think!