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| Wisdom | |||||||||||||||
| by Doug Reese TTNL | |||||||||||||||
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Matt Ghaffari has proven himself as a top international competitor.
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| What is the key to Ghaffari's success?
Matt Ghaffari likes to have a strong support group to assist him with his training and competition. Before the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Anatoly Petrosyan, USA Wrestling's Resident Greco-Roman Coach joked about Ghaffari's army of coaches. "Matt has many coaches, he has, oh, around eight. He has diet coach, sports psychologist, weight coach, Olympic coach, National coach, technique coach, mental skills coach, and me." Ghaffari noted that, "I don't want to have to think about every little thing. I would overload. So, I put together a group of experts I trusted and I learned to work with them. Having people who are experts in their area to help you means a lot. I wanted them there and I use them." Matt Ghaffari had wisdom in his corner - his coaches and support staff. His many advisors blazed a sure path to athletic success. Athletic Principle Wisdom is the ability to make sound choices, good decisions - the best decision. Wisdom is intelligence shaped by experience, information softened by understanding, it is knowledge applied. Wisdom is not something a person is born with. Intelligence is. Cleaverness is. The ability to appear dynamic is. But wisdom is not. Wisdom only comes from living, from making mistakes - or from listening to others who have made mistakes and learned from them. As an athlete you can gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom by listening to your coaches, to clinicians, and to others who have a solid background in the sport. These individuals have been there before you, they are experienced and they know the "tricks of the trade." They have lived through the "agony and the extacy." They know the high road and the low road - and they know the surest path to victory. Having a coach who has been there, done that, is a valuable jewel that should be treasured. The treasure is their nuggets of wisdom that can save you from the struggle of poor choices and decisions as you pursue your athletic goals. |
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| "Dan Gable once told me something that helped my career, both on and off the mat. I asked him, 'What does it take to be the best.?
"Gable replied, 'I always tried to act naive when it came to learning more about wrestling." |
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| "I took this to mean that you should always listen to what coaches and other wrestlers have to say...even less talented or less accomplished people. Digest this information keep the valuable and disregard the rest. Always looking for the valuable peices of information that will help you improve. Continuous, rentless, obsessive hunger for knowledge will keep your career advancing forward. Be a sponge...soak it up." Steve Fraser - USA Wrestling Greco-Roman National Coach, 1984 Olympic Champion | |||||||||||||||
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| There is nothing that turns the stomach of a coach faster than a cocky, conceded athlete who knows it all. An uncoachable athlete travels alone. A wise athlete has many advisors (coaches) for their specific needs - they travel together as a great army, strong and prepared for battle.
Matt Ghaffari was not alone. He traveled his path to the Pan-American Games, the Grand Prix, the World Cup, the World Championships, and the Olympic Games with the advice, knowledge, and great array of wisdom from his advisors. Matt Ghaffari was prepared - prepared with wisdom, the wise counsel of his coaches. As you step on the field of combat in competition, are you totally ready? Are you listening to your coaches? Are you following their plan? Are you seeking their wisdom? God's Performance Principle Maybe you are thinking that wisdom would be a good thing to possess? You're right! |
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| "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7) | |||||||||||||||
| According to King Solomon, wisdom is one thing you must have - regardless of the cost. It is a pursuit you should take seriously. You are probably thinking, "Okay, if wisdom is so important, well, then how do I get wisdom?" | |||||||||||||||
| "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5) | |||||||||||||||
| Seeking God, seeking wisdom is a wide decision. Start by asking God through prayer. God will also guide you to wisdom through His Word - the Bible. The Bible is filled with godly wisdom that will prepare you for the challenges that you will face on and off the field. The key is to dig into God's Word each day. God's wisdom will give you a rock solid foundation to build your life upon. | |||||||||||||||
| (Jesus speaking) "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:24-25) | |||||||||||||||
| Put God's word into action in your life. Just do it! When you put in to practice God's principles, precepts and commandments you are exhibiting wisdom. You will be blessed for your wise decisions. | |||||||||||||||
| "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding." (Proverbs 3:13)
"To the man who pleases God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness." (Ecclesiastes 3:26) |
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| Wisdom is attained by pleasing God. You can please God by seeking Him, by prayer, and by reading His Word and learning God's will for you. Be wise - seek to know God! | |||||||||||||||
| "Wisdom make one wise man more powerful than ten rulers in a city." (Ecclesiastes 7:19) | |||||||||||||||
| Copyright (c) 2000, 2001, TTNL Reprinted with permission | |||||||||||||||
