True and Real   Knowing yourself, finding your true purpose in life, is the essence of true and real. “You have to be, before you do, to have lasting inner peace.” In other words, making a living is not the same as making a life. Find what makes your heart sing and create your own music.   Many people work all their lives and dislike what they do for a living. In fact, I was astounded to see a recent US Today survey that said 53 percent of people in the American workplace are unhappy with their jobs. Loving what you do is one of the most important keys to living a “true and real” Dash.   You can’t fake passion. It is the fuel that drives any dream and makes you happy to be alive. However, the first step to loving what you do is to self-analyze, to simply know what you love. We all have unique talents and interests, and one of life’s greatest challenges is to match these talents with career opportunities that bring out the best in us. It’s not easy – and sometimes we can only find it through trial and error – but it’s worth the effort.   Ray Kroc, for example, found his passion when he founded McDonald’s at the age of 52. He never “worked” another day of his life.   John James Audubon was unsuccessful for most of his life. He was a terrible businessman. No matter how many times he changed locations, changed partners, or changed businesses, he still failed miserably. Not until he understood that he must change himself did he have any shot at success.   And what changes did Audubon make? He followed his passion. He had always loved the outdoors and was an excellent hunter. In addition, he was a good artist and, as a hobby, would draw local birds.   Once he stopped trying to be a businessman and started doing what he loved to do, his life turned around. He traveled the country observing and drawing birds, and his art ultimately was collected in a book titled Audubon’s Birds of America. The book earned him a place in history as the greatest wildlife artist ever. But more importantly, the work made him happy and provided the peace of mind he’d been seeking all his life.   P.S. To find out more about The Dash, you can click on the image below, or if you have not seen the three minute inspirational movie that over 30 million people have watched, you can click here to watch it. Here’s a warning…once you watch it, you’ll never forget it!   See Coach Welch's comments below.........

     For my players, I hope that playing basketball is ONE OF THE THINGS that makes them happy. At this level, it almost has to be because they have to work so hard at it to be successful.  They HAVE to play the game with PASSION to play at the college level.  And to do that they have to love it and derive happiness from the daily grind that a six month basketball season - and a five or six month preparation for that season - can become. They must get happiness from the camaraderie with their teammates.  Take pride in the fact that they are working together toward a worthy goal and each teammate has a part to play.
     The movie that is attached to this talks about the importance of a man - or woman's - life and what they have done with it.  I think that the importance of doing something that makes you happy is totally under rated in today's world.  The pressure begins at a young age in most families to be the best, make the most money and get ahead in the world.  It's a natural parental instinct to want the best for your children and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it should be tempered with an understanding that in the end, being happy is what makes us, and our children, the most productive people we can be. 
      As a young man I knew I wanted to coach, but for several years "life" got in the way.  A loss of a parent, finding the love of my life and starting a family, trying to start my own business and make a "living" to support my family - all those things played into me not following my dream.  Don't misunderstand, my wife and my family are the most precious things in my life and I wouldn't trade any of them - or a day of the life we've had together - for a successful basketball season, but coaching young people is my passion and circumstances, and a loving and understanding wife, have allowed me to re-gain that vision.  For that I will be forever grateful, because what I'm doing makes me - and my family happy.  I wish each and every person who reads this the same thing.  Make a life - not just a living.

      Go out and live your "dash" to the fullest.  Find something worth doing that makes you happy. Live with PASSION and love what your doing!

Have a great week!
Coach W.