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Remember This: Work Comes Before Success

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Work and success are virtually synonymous. The dictionary defines work as, “Exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something.” Success is defined as, “goal reached; accomplishment.” When you look at both work and success, you find the words, “accomplish something” and “accomplishment.”

Vince Lombardi, the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, wrote, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Work is the key to success and hard work can help you accomplish anything.”

The key to the words, work and success, is always their order. Work precedes success. In my 44 years of coaching basketball – 10 at the high school level and 34 at the collegiate level – I was fortunate to coach numerous All-Conference and All-State players as well as some players who reached All-American status. I cannot think of one of the athletes who earned these accolades who was not a committed worker.

Dave Wilhelmi

Dave Wilhelmi played 6 years of professional baseball, once pitching a no-hitter at the Double A level. When he left pro baseball, he had a decision to make – would he work full-time and pursue his degree part-time or come to school full-time and work part-time?

Fortunately, for St. Francis and our basketball program, Dave decided on the latter. He had been a quality high school basketball player and it was his professional work ethic that led him to becoming an Honorable Mention All-American player for us.

Dave was equally as successful in the academic arena. He had not been a full-time student in 6 years and was understandably concerned about his academic skills when he decided to come to St. Francis full-time.

We offered a Study Skills class for our athletes. It was a non-credited course and the only time we could schedule it was at 7am, prior to the regular classes that began at 8am. Dave brought the same work habits he had developed in his athletic career to that class. He became an outstanding student, was elected the class orator at graduation, and has gone on to have a most successful business career. His work commitment came before his success.

Pat Warren

Pat Warren was a sometimes starter on our high school baseball team. He was far from being our best player, but he loved the game and worked extremely hard to improve his skills.

Due to his work ethic, he excelled at the four most important skills in baseball – hitting, fielding, throwing accuracy, and running. I was with him when only the two of us would have batting practice. 

We would have 15 baseballs, pitch, hit, and then run all over the field collecting the balls so we could repeat the cycle for the better part of two hours. Pat never tired of working. A few of us from our high school baseball team went on to play college baseball, but Pat’s work commitment led him to do something none of us did. He played at one of the two best baseball programs in the country during our era, the University of Miami, and was signed by the Houston Astros upon graduation.

In high school, none of us would have believed Pat would have the success he had, but his work habits led to his success.

Dan Sullivan

In our day, there was no political correctness. Entering his senior year of high school, the principal called my brother, Dan, into his office and said something to this effect, “Sullivan, you can’t be this dumb. How can you possibly rank 99th out of 106?” Dan told him there was only one reason. He did not want to get into the triple figures! The principal threw him out of his office.

With his class rank, Dan was not considered to be college material. But one college decided to take a chance on him, and he worked to earn both his undergraduate and his Masters degrees. He became a superb classroom teacher who could connect to the student in the back of the room who didn’t care to study because he had been that kid.

Dan excelled as a high school head coach in all three major sports, as an inspiring teacher, and went on to spend his last 20 years in education as a principal. Along the way, he helped thousands of young people to become the best they could be.

As you meet his former students and athletes today, they have nothing but the highest respect for him. No one gave Dan anything; he worked and earned his many successes.

Final Thought

Might there be value in examining your work commitment? John Wooden, the iconic UCLA basketball coach, summed it up this way, “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.”

Pat Sullivan was a successful coach, teacher, and administrator in the Chicago area for 44 years – 10 years at the high school level and 34 at the collegiate level. His basketball teams won 602 games; he was named Coach-of-the-Year 11 times; and he has been inducted into 8 Halls of Fame. He has received Lifetime Achievement awards from Lewis University, the Joliet, Illinois, Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. Pat has offered basketball clinics and camps in Austria, Ireland, Belgium, and Greece and has spoken at clinics throughout America for the USA Coaches Clinics. He has also spoken to business executives from IBM, Accenture, and Sun Microsystems, as well as the University of Notre Dame’s Play Like A Champion conference. He is the author of Attitude-The Cornerstone of Leadership and Team-Building: From the Bench to the Boardroom.

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Change Your Mindset

The One Leadership Habit That Separates the Great From the Forgettable

True leaders don’t just speak their values, they live them, proving that integrity is the foundation of lasting influence.

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Leadership isn’t defined by titles, speeches, or charisma; it’s defined by action. The most respected leaders in history didn’t just preach their values; they lived them. (more…)

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Success Advice

Inside the TikTok Resume Hack That’s Fooling Recruiters (For Now)

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Life

9 Harsh Truths Every Young Man Must Face to Succeed in the Modern World

Before chasing success, every young man needs to face these 9 brutal realities shaping masculinity in the modern world.

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Many young men today quietly battle depression, loneliness, and a sense of confusion about who they’re meant to be.

Some blame the lack of deep friendships or romantic relationships. Others feel lost in a digital world that often labels traditional masculinity as “toxic.”

But the truth is this: becoming a man in the modern age takes more than just surviving. It takes resilience, direction, and a willingness to grow even when no one’s watching.

Success doesn’t arrive by accident or luck. It’s built on discipline, sacrifice, and consistency.

Here are 9 harsh truths every young man should know if he wants to thrive, not just survive, in the digital age.

1. Never Use Your Illness as an Excuse

As Dr. Jordan B. Peterson often says, successful people don’t complain; they act.

Your illness, hardship, or struggle shouldn’t define your limits; it should define your motivation. Rest when you must, but always get back up and keep building your dreams. Motivation doesn’t appear magically. It comes after you take action.

Here are five key lessons I’ve learned from Dr. Peterson:

  • Learn to write clearly; clarity of thought makes you dangerous.

  • Read quality literature in your free time.

  • Nurture a strong relationship with your family.

  • Share your ideas publicly; your voice matters.

  • Become a “monster”, powerful, but disciplined enough to control it.

The best leaders and thinkers are grounded. They welcome criticism, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward no matter what.

2. You Can’t Please Everyone And That’s Okay

You don’t need a crowd of people to feel fulfilled. You need a few friends who genuinely accept you for who you are.

If your circle doesn’t bring out your best, it’s okay to walk away. Solitude can be a powerful teacher. It gives you space to understand what you truly want from life. Remember, successful men aren’t people-pleasers; they’re purpose-driven.

3. You Can Control the Process, Not the Outcome

Especially in creative work, writing, business, or content creation, you control effort, not results.

You might publish two articles a day, but you can’t dictate which one will go viral. Focus on mastery, not metrics. Many great writers toiled for years in obscurity before anyone noticed them. Rejection, criticism, and indifference are all part of the path.

The best creators focus on storytelling, not applause.

4. Rejection Is Never Personal

Rejection doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. It simply means your offer, idea, or timing didn’t align.

Every successful person has faced rejection repeatedly. What separates them is persistence and perspective. They see rejection as feedback, not failure. The faster you learn that truth, the faster you’ll grow.

5. Women Value Comfort and Security

Understanding women requires maturity and empathy.

Through books, lectures, and personal growth, I’ve learned that most women desire a man who is grounded, intelligent, confident, emotionally stable, and consistent. Some want humor, others intellect, but nearly all want to feel safe and supported.

Instead of chasing attention, work on self-improvement. Build competence and confidence, and the rest will follow naturally.

6. There’s No Such Thing as Failure, Only Lessons

A powerful lesson from Neuro-Linguistic Programming: failure only exists when you stop trying.

Every mistake brings data. Every setback builds wisdom. The most successful men aren’t fearless. They’ve simply learned to act despite fear.

Be proud of your scars. They’re proof you were brave enough to try.

7. Public Speaking Is an Art Form

Public speaking is one of the most valuable and underrated skills a man can master.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about connection. The best speakers tell stories, inspire confidence, and make people feel seen. They research deeply, speak honestly, and practice relentlessly.

If you can speak well, you can lead, sell, teach, and inspire. Start small, practice at work, in class, or even in front of a mirror, and watch your confidence skyrocket.

8. Teaching Is Leadership in Disguise

Great teachers are not just knowledgeable. They’re brave, compassionate, and disciplined.

Teaching forces you to articulate what you know, and in doing so, you master it at a deeper level. Whether you’re mentoring a peer, leading a team, or sharing insights online, teaching refines your purpose.

Lifelong learners become lifelong leaders.

9. Study Human Nature to Achieve Your Dreams

One of the toughest lessons to accept: most people are self-interested.

That’s not cynicism, it’s human nature. Understanding this helps you navigate relationships, business, and communication more effectively.

Everyone has a darker side, but successful people learn to channel theirs productively into discipline, creativity, and drive.

Psychology isn’t just theory; it’s a toolkit. Learn how people think, act, and decide, and you’ll know how to lead them, influence them, and even understand yourself better.

Final Thoughts

The digital age offers endless opportunities, but only to those who are willing to take responsibility, confront discomfort, and keep improving.

Becoming a man today means embracing the hard truths most avoid.

Because at the end of the day, success isn’t about luck. It’s about who you become when life tests you the most.

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Change Your Mindset

Work-Life Balance Isn’t a Myth: Here’s How to Actually Make It Happen

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