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From www.CourierNewsOnline.com

Before the BIG game, Bears Coach Lovie Smith said – No motivational speakers required. Instead, they would get their inspiration from within during their final team meeting. Perhaps, Lovie should have as the Colts brought in a motivational speaker (according to the article, their speaker was not someone like Matt Foley, the late Chris Farley’s farcical motivational speaker who lived in a trailer down by the river). Their speaker was Former Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves. “Helio and I have gotten to become good friends,” Colts coach Tony Dungy said. “He actually let me in his pit when they were getting ready for the Indianapolis 500. I think it’s a big stage and the Super Bowl of their sport and he’s won a couple of them.”

Smith choose NOT to have a former player or inspirational speaker. “I’ll cut you off right there,” Smith told a questioner at Friday’s press conference. “We’re winners, we go through the same routine. I don’t really bring in a lot of outside people. We have coaches, we have players and that’s the way we do things. So we won’t be doing that.”

My question: Should he have? If so, who should he have brought in and why?

Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund. For more information on Tim, go to www.TimRichardson.com

I heard on the radio that January 23^rd is National Handwriting Day. The inspiration for this day was of course John Hancock.  You probably remember from history that Hancock was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. His name was larger than anyone else who signed the document which is why when you sign your name to a document, it’s called giving your John Hancock. In memory and honor of John Hancock, and by the power vested in me by having access to great trivia and historical facts, I, Tim Richardson, official declare today, January 23^rd, as National Live Large Day. Here’s my insights on Living Large (I would love to hear what you think):

1) Be first at something – be a pioneer, an adventurer, a trend setter.  Think about the number of new innovations (Post-it Notes, E-bay, snowboarding) that you may have thought of first. Or how about investment opportunities (Google, Starbucks, Microsoft) that passed by you without action. Don’t you wish you hadn’t waited?  In my professional speaking business, some of my peers who were first in the web or blog world are getting more online exposure for their motivational speaking businesses than those who waited. Sitting back and waiting to see what everyone else does can hurt you. Don’t let indecision hold you back from acting, particularly when it involves your goals, your career, or your dreams for your life. 

2) Be a leader – John Hancock was a man who could accomplish big things. However vain he might have appeared, he had the good sense to surround himself with people who had great leadership potential. He commissioned George Washington as Commander and Chief of the Army of the united colonies in 1775.  He obviously knew something about human potential.  Be smart enough to recognize the strengths of those around you. Lead both by example and by being associated with others who possess skills you might not possess.  

3) Stand out – whether it’s signing your name to an important document for which you feel strongly or standing up to voice your views (even when they are in the minority), stand up by standing out. Be different. Don’t let the status quo rule your life. Just for fun, write you name somewhere today REALLY large  (not on the side of a building or bridge with a can of spray paint, please!).  Life’s too short to go unnoticed. Live Large today!