Success Advice
15 Life Lessons From the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles

No one thought they’d win. Not the media, not football fans or even the casual observer. How do you beat Tom Brady and a franchise that keeps on winning? How does a city that has never won a Superbowl beat a city that has won 5? How do you take on the greatest quarterback of all time and come out victorious?
Whatever you may believe about the Patriots dominance or the Eagles lack of winning championships, both teams found themselves in chilly Minnesota weather playing for the coveted championship trophy.
Football fan or not, the Eagles pulled off the ultimate underdog win. How does a no-name, no Championship under their belt, no pomp team come out victorious against one of the greatest teams of all times? The Eagles soared while the Patriots came to a crashing halt.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an Eagles fan or not because there are 15 life lessons we can take away from the 2018 Super Bowl:
1. Don’t be intimidated
If you walked onto the battlefield against a superior team, you might be shaking in your helmet. If this is you, then you have lost the game before you stepped onto the field, yet the Eagles reminded us that even if you’re seen as the weaker team by everyone else, you don’t have to be intimidated. You show up to win. The only game that matters is the one in front of you today.
2. Take risks
The Eagles played like confident superstars who had been to the Super Bowl many times before. They took risks including what’s called one of the riskiest plays in sports history called the “Philly special”. Despite the fact they were underdogs, they came in with the confidence of a team determined to win.
3. Focus on your own game
You can’t go onto the battlefield of life wondering what life or the other team is going to do. All you can do is come in with your own battle plan, your own strategies and your own game. Execute your goals and achieve your plans instead of being preoccupied with what the other side is doing. Play your own game.
4. Never give up
Don’t give up before you step on the field. Never give up before you start. Don’t let what others say, what the media says and what people around you think, determine the outcome. Create your own game, and achieve your own outcome. Don’t throw in the towel until the game’s over.
“We might have just won the Super Bowl, but we all have daily struggles. That’s where my faith comes in. That’s where my family comes in. I think when you look at a struggle in your life, just know that it’s an opportunity for your character to grow.” – Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback
5. Always stay hopeful
No matter how much the odds are against you, stay focused on the possibilities. Have hope that you will get through whatever challenge comes your way. Stay focused on your strengths, your preparation and your ability.
6. Stay present
Play the game that’s in front of you today. You don’t have to play against the legends of the past or heroes of tomorrow. You don’t have to play against the other side’s reputation or history. One play at a time, one day at a time.
7. Don’t stay stuck in the past
Don’t remind yourself that you weren’t the best or you’ve lost before or struggled. The past is the past. You’re not the person of the past, you’re the person of today.
8. Keep getting better
It’s not about being the very best today. All you have to do in Super Bowls and life is keep getting better than you were before. Always keep improving because your life’s biggest game could be today’s game or the next game.
9. Believe in yourself
You’re the only one who can believe in yourself. When the odds are against you and the media is against you, all you can do is remind yourself of the work you’ve done, your abilities and the circumstances working out for you.
10. Don’t play like you’re the underdog
Underdogs usually come in scared and prepared to lose. The Eagles walked in like they were the championship team. They played like they were the top dogs running circles around a more experienced, winning team.
11. Stay aggressive
Keep pushing ahead. Don’t slow down just because you’re unproven. Go faster, push harder and come in with a winning mentality. Condition your mind to believe that you’re on equal footing as the opposition.
12. Keep preparing
Build your skills, your team, your mind and your body. It’s not starting today and it’s not over today. If you’re in it for the long run, keep conditioning yourself knowing your big moment could show up any day. It may be today or tomorrow, but you’re going to be ready either way.
“Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of life. It’s a part of building character and growing. Without failure, who would you be? I wouldn’t be up here if I hadn’t fallen thousands of times, made mistakes.” – Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback
13. Up all aspects of your game
The Eagles didn’t just play well on one side of the field. Similarly, you can’t just be good in one part of your life and expect to improve every part of your life. Your personal life, social life and health can improve, because all aspects of your life are tied together. Improve all parts of your life to face your most trying day.
14. Have a support system
You can’t do it alone. While one team had one star that shined, the Eagles had many stars that shined. They came in together as one unit, relied on each other and supported each other. They worked together like a machine, not taking credit for themselves but giving the credit to team-mates, coaches, families and fans. You need a team.
15. Your time is coming
One day you may feel like you’re done but the very next day, the ultimate gift could come your way propelling you to success and glory. People give up to soon. Nick Foles was about to retire last year but hung around for one more year to be the game winning quarterback and most valuable player. Your day of victory may be coming soon, so do not quit before it gets here.
What are some life lessons you learned watching the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots? Comment below!
Success Advice
Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)
The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)
Success Advice
What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)
Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)
Entrepreneurs
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
-
Build diverse talent pipelines
-
Embrace flexible work models
-
Design compelling career paths
-
Simplify HR processes
-
Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
Entrepreneurs
What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators
Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)
-
Personal Development4 weeks ago
Discipline Creates Freedom: Why Systems Make Success Sustainable
-
Change Your Mindset4 weeks ago
Why Ideas Are More Valuable Than Resources for Entrepreneurial Success
-
Entrepreneurs3 weeks ago
Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs
-
Health & Fitness3 weeks ago
The Surprising Link Between Exercise and Higher Income
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago
What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators
-
Entrepreneurs2 weeks ago
The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025
-
Change Your Mindset1 week ago
7 Goal-Setting Mistakes That Are Secretly Sabotaging Your Success
-
Success Advice4 days ago
What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)
1 Comment