Archive for the ‘The Mind Side Blog’ Category



Why Most Mission Statements Are Useless & How to Fix Them

Sam Obitz / June 14th, 2012 / No Comments »

Almost every company has a mission statement. Most companies spend a great deal of time and money crafting theirs because it is supposed to be the guiding principle for all their decisions going forward. So how come (despite the importance

Read More

Purposeful Practice – Dancing with the Stars Edition

Sam Obitz / May 31st, 2012 / No Comments »

Ever wonder why Dancing with the Stars is being dominated by former athletes? Most people jump to the conclusion that it is a result of their physical prowess. Certainly this does not hurt them, but I know many highly accomplished

Read More

One Reason Why So Many College Stars Fail in the Pros

Sam Obitz / May 17th, 2012 / No Comments »

Many athletes think that because they are an exceptional college athlete, that it will translate into success and riches at the next level. The higher the level you are playing at in athletics, the more important the mental aspect of

Read More

Why the NFL and NFLPA Need to Do More Post Career Counseling of Players

Sam Obitz / May 3rd, 2012 / No Comments »

After the tragic apparent suicide death of Junior Seau yesterday, it’s time for the NFL to take the lead and set up a mandatory symposium for all players exiting the league. If they care enough to have these symposiums for

Read More

Being Referred to as ‘Talented’ is Demeaning (part 3)

Sam Obitz / April 19th, 2012 / No Comments »

The hidden secret about both talent and intelligence is that they are probably the worst predictor of future success you can find. As Alfred Binet, the inventor of the IQ test once said, “People who start out the smartest don’t usually

Read More

Leaving College Early? Too Many Athletes Listen to the Wrong People

Sam Obitz / April 5th, 2012 / No Comments »

“In some South Pacific cultures, a speaker holds a conch shell as a symbol of temporary position of authority. Leaders must understand who holds the conch—that is, who should be listened to and when.” – Max De Pree More often

Read More

The False Allure of Shiny Things

Sam Obitz / March 22nd, 2012 / No Comments »

We are all naturally drawn to shiny things. When I refer to shiny things I do not just mean things that sparkle like diamonds and ruby’s, or glow like gold, platinum or chrome or even things that reflect the sun.

Read More

NFL Punishment Hypocrisy Already Apparent in Saints Bounty Program

Sam Obitz / March 8th, 2012 / No Comments »

In the middle of October of 2010 the NFL decided it was time to take a harsher stand against vicious hits in their games, fining three players a total of $175,000 for hits they made in games the previous Sunday.

Read More

Is Federer Poised For A Rise Back To the Top?

Sam Obitz / March 1st, 2012 / No Comments »

As I wrote about here nearly a year and a half ago, Roger Federer’s fall from the top spot in the world of tennis was precipitated by a loss of confidence, not a diminution of his tennis playing skills. Federer,

Read More

Media’s Fascination With Overnight Success Sends Wrong Message

Sam Obitz / February 16th, 2012 / No Comments »

There was a time in our country’s history when hard work and perseverance were valued above all else. These values inspired (and it can be argued helped to create) many of our greatest citizens. In 2005 a competition was conducted

Read More
Page 17 of 24« First...10«1516171819»20...Last »