5 Things a Referee Can Teach You About Life

1. There's no excuse for not knowing your numbers

explanation: Does anyone remember Randy Moss? If you watched the New England Patriots this past year, you should know who he is. If you ever were a Minnesota Vikings fan (proof that God has a sense of humor), you know what his character is like. I would be willing to bet you, though, that Randy Moss knows his numbers/stats. I bet he knows the numbers/stats of all the leading wide receivers in the NFL. He knows his trade. The same could be said about any professional athlete. Heck, it could be said about any serious athlete.

What does this have to do with you? If you are in business, I guarantee you that you should know your numbers. If you are a referee, you must know your numbers, which are the rules. No excuse. None whatsoever.

2. The great one's see it before they achieve it.

explanation: Man alive, I tell you, Wayne Gretzky was a heckuva player. The guy broke 61 different NHL records (which are all still intact to this day). No one else has ever scored 200 or more points in an NHL season, and he averaged over 200 points for 5 seasons.

Do you know what one skill Gretzky did better than all the rest?

He was one to two steps ahead of play. He saw plays unfold before they happened. The same holds true for officials -- they see plays happen before they happen. They have ESP ( while some just have ESPN).

The same holds true for your beliefs -- most will believe it when they see it...the great ones, they believe it because they see it. Good things happen to them because they believe in themselves, their abilities, their confidence, and their ability to problem solve.

If you are struggling in this area, go here: See It Before You Achieve It

3. Like attracts like.

explanation: "Don't be a sh*# magnate"

I have been told that I quoted that one time. Well, whether I said it or not, it's true. Let me explain it this way...when I was a teacher, I learned to avoid the teacher's lounge. Why? Because it was full of people bichin' and complaining. It's easy to get sucked into that negativity. I am fully convinced that those people who complain the most are the one's who get the worst luck. They are the one's who are always sick, they are the one's who are always broke, and they are the one's who don't get the referee assignments, the big games, because the assignor is picking on them.

Good teams make their own luck.

There's a term out there called, "Social Aptitude". Here's what I basically know about it -- social aptitude has to deal with the people you hang out with and their influence upon you. If you hang out with a lot of success-minded individuals, you will improve your performance in whatever it is you are doing -- golf, hockey, officiating, weightlifting. For example, people who participate in a powerlifting club that meets at a gym on a regular basis will have greater success with their lifts and will push themselves harder. Playing golf with great players will improve your score much more quicker than playing with a bunch of hacks. Like attracts like.


4. There's no excuse for poor physical fitness.

explanation: This is a no-brainer in officiating. I have discovered that it's not the diets or workout plans that don't work, it's the people that don't work. There are two ways you can improve this: (1) change your attitude (and I say the only people who like change are babies with wet diapers), or (2) find a better program.

Ultimate Officials has the "Five-Fifteen Plan." You work out 15 minutes a day and eat 5 nutritious/delicious meals a day. Easy to do and easy to lose the weight or gain the muscle you want.

To learn more, go to: Referee Specific Training Program

5. There is no substitute for pure HUSTLE.

explanation: I am just going to use a quote from Woody Hayes, the former Ohio State Buckeyes football coach:

"You may be smarter than me, you may be stronger than me, but you will never outwork me."


* Have you ever experienced any type of "Social Aptitude" either positive or negative? We would love to hear your comments!