Anyone that has been with me during the fall season at anytime in the past 40 years knows that I am a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. Sundays start early on TV with the Donovan McNabb show, the Andy Reid show, ESPN pre-game, network pregame, the game itself and then postgame live on Comcast for a few hours. Likedon't call me on Sunday when the Eagles are playing. One of my biggest thrills as a kid was suiting up with the Springfield Boys Club and sitting in the endzone at old Franklin Field as the Eagles played the Cowboys before our postgame scrimmage on a cold day in 1966. Joe Scarpati won that game by stealing the ball right out of the hands of Cowboys receiver, and the world's fastest human, Bob Hayes late in the fourth quarter. I remember it like it was yesterday. This is the backdrop of my interest as I witnessed the latest off-season whining from Terrell Owens, the Eagles receiver who is unhappy with his 7 year, $49 million contract that he signed just last year. However, I have a different perspective on TO's "unhappiness" and it has little to do with money, respect, security or any of the other crap he has been saying in the press. In his book The Four Agreements, author don Miguel Ruiz lists four agreements we must make with ourselves and work towards to be truly happy. These are: Be impeccable with your word Don't take anything personally Don't make any assumptions Always do your best With this in mind, it is not hard to see why Terrell is really unhappy. Be impeccable with your word? This means to be honest, to say what you mean and mean what you say. Do not get involved in gossip. Be precise with what you say. Did Terrell do this when he said that McNabb was a hypocrite and then later retracted saying he said things he shouldn't have in the heat of the moment? Don't take anything personally? Despite signing a secure long term deal for top dollar, and despite the Eagles going to bat last year and getting him out of a messy situation with San Fran and the Ravens, Terrell thinks that because he isn't getting the renegotiation he wants that the Eagles are disrespecting him. Disrespect? All I've ever heard the coach and front office is say is positive things about TO and how much he is wanted and needed in Philadelphia. Although I do think that TO's work ethic and results on the field do prove that he does always do his best, I think he certainly has violated agreement #3 and makes all kinds of assumptions about what he is worth and what people think of him and what people mean when they say certain things. So, again, it doesnt surprise me that TO is unhappy. How does this relate to you the small business owner? Well, as stated before, the closer you can assimilate these agreements in your everyday life, the happier you will be. Are you precise with your speech? Do you take things personally or make assumptions? Nothing anyone says or does is because of you. And you should always have the courage to ask follow up questions if you are unclear as to what someone means. And as your mom probably told when you were a kid, "always do the best you can do and be the best you can be". |
