80 Life Changing Lessons Learned From My Mentor & Friend “Coach” George Raveling
How does one begin to thank a person that has completely altered the trajectory of their life?
That person for me, is my dear mentor, friend and business partner “Coach” George H. Raveling. I had the honor and privilege to start building a relationship with Mr. Raveling in 2011. Being in his presence during these years and working closely along side of him, has been comparable to receiving a PhD in the most important subject: Life.
Mr. Raveling has navigated the streets of Washington, D.C. as a youngster and the halls of Villanova University as a student-athlete. He became the guardian and safe keeper of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have A Dream speech in 1963 and shattered barriers as a head basketball coach at Washington State, the University of Iowa and USC. He has graced a plethora of sidelines as an ambassador to the game of basketball and as a global citizen in countless of countries. From the headquarters of Nike in Beaverton, Oregon to his enshrinement at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts…Coach’s genuine heart, epic wisdom, amazing grace, compassionate spirit, unconditional love and support has left a powerful and profound imprint on humanity.
But, what one quickly comes to realize when you have the unique privilege and opportunity to be in Coach’s presence is that it’s beyond the box scores from his coaching days or the accolades. Mr. Raveling’s story captures the the essence of overcoming obstacles and setbacks and the power of what can transpire in one’s life when you relentlessly invest the time, energy as well as consistent focus and discipline into your craft. His life has been a tale about challenging the status quo, empowering hearts and minds, and being a positive difference maker in the lives of as many people as possible.
At 80 years old, Coach has not lost his childlike curiosity which enables him to see and think about the world differently. He is a gentle giant who is allergic to mediocrity and obsessed with greatness…spending each precious moment striving to venture closer to exhausting every finite niche of his potential.
Today, on Mr. Raveling’s 80th birthday, I am reminded of a powerful lesson he learned from an economics professor at Villanova University six decades ago…
Nothing in life is of any value, unless you can share it with someone.
As I celebrate the extraordinary career and life of an impeccable educator, innovator and servant leader, I share with you eighty life changing lessons on life, learning, leadership and legacy that Coach has graciously taught me over the span of our fruitful partnership.
The Art of Living
- The best years of your life are in front of you. Things have a way of working out for the best.
- You are the architect and designer of your own life and career.
- The truth will always set you free.
4. Believe in your heart for it offers Hope. Believe in your mind for it offers Direction. Believe in your soul for it offers Strength. And believe in your Yourself because you are and will always be enough.
5. It is never too late to become the person you have always dreamed of being. You are never too old to dream!
6. Say thank you to everyone and everything.
7. Some things in life are non-negotiable.
8. You don’t win all the time and you don’t lose all the time.
9. Let what you do be an expression of who you are. If it is to be, it is up to me!
10. Stop comparing yourself to others. Never ever forget that you are more than you see in the mirror. You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. Smarter than you think.
11. Do not die with your dreams still inside you.
12. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living. Inside every difficulty, there is a hidden opportunity.
13. Spend less time with people who suck away your energy and more time with people who inspire you. Don’t walk away from negative people…RUN!
14. No matter how good something looks, if it doesn’t feel right…walk away.
15. If you maintain a high standard of excellence with the little things, you never have to worry about the big things.
16. Strive to get 1% better each day. Never let a day go by in which you have not done one thing to become better today than you were yesterday.
17. Everyday is a gift, an opportunity, an interview, a new story, a celebration, a blank canvas, an intellectual journey, a negotiation. Everyday is simply Now.
18. When confronted with a challenge you have three choices: Give up, Give in or Give it all you have.
19. See what others do not see. Do what others will not do. Ask what others are afraid to ask. Give more than others are willing to give.
20. Never lose sight of the journey and the bridges built from sacrifice that brought you across.
The Art of Learning
- Always go to bed, smarter than you were when you woke up. True wisdom is knowing what you don’t know, but need to know.
2. Dare to think different. Give yourself permission to be wrong.
3. Today a Reader. Tomorrow a Leader. Books are not just made of pages and words. They are made of hopes, dreams and possibilities. A person who does not read, is no better off than a person who cannot read.
4. Face every precious moment of your 86,400 seconds each day to maximize your full potential while being a positive difference maker in the life of another person.
5. Technology has blurred all of the lines, so you have to be a global citizen.
6. Investing in your self-development is the best investment you will ever make.
7. Change before you have to change.
8. If you always agree with someone…“someone” is unnecessary. “
9. We all wear an invisible mask that says: Make Me Feel Important.
10. Between power and influence, you want to influence the people with power.
11. Never take a job just for the money. Take positions based on opportunity.
12. The New York Times Corner Office feature by Adam Bryant in the Sunday Business section is a must read, offering invaluable highlights from conversations with executives about leadership and management.
13. It’s only by dreaming that you will ever discover who you are, what you want and what you can do. So dream of things that never were and ask why not?
14. Everyone has a comfort zone. Not much learning takes place there. A dream without a plan and a deadline is nothing more than a wish.
15. Mental toughness is the ability to see the bright side of a hopeless situation. Adversity is an experience, not a final act. Learning to succeed begins with learning to fail.
16. Learning is a process that has no beginning, middle or conclusion. It is life itself. Unlearn to Learn. Undo to Do.
17. Do not allow opportunities to pass you by, even if the time, funding and circumstances are not completely right.
18. Create space in your day to allow insights and inspiration to flood in. The best never stop learning and getting better!
19. The better you know yourself, the better capable you are of enhancing your life.
20. Master the art of relationship building. Relationships must be authentic and sustainable. Relationships are partnerships. The goal of partnerships is to create value and win-win situations.
The Art of Leadership
1. Do not brag about yourself. Brag about others.
2. Never underestimate the power of a kind word, touch or smile. People will never forget how you made them feel.
3. People are in constant evolution. The person you meet today, will be different tomorrow.
4. Saying no is a leadership skill.
5. If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far travel together.
6. Talent opens doors, but strength of character keeps those doors open.
7. Whatever you do…do not praise mediocrity.
8. You don’t need a title to be a leader.
9. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more…You are a Leader!
10. Most people are good at evaluating the obvious. The exceptional leaders will look beneath the surface and see what others don’t see. Possess the wisdom and courage to see beyond the obvious.
11. To be a true teacher, you must be a learner first.
12. Your task as a leader is to help people replace their negative mindset with a positive mindset.
13. Small minds cannot understand big dreams.
14. Change requires new ways of thinking, doing and learning.
15. Problem Solving is the essence of what leaders exist to do.
16. Throwing money at the problem is NOT a strategy.
17. Develop a detailed, strategic plan from moving from where you are now, to where you want to be.
18. Impact the competitive landscape with disruptive innovation and creativity.
19. Leverage technology to improve the quality of your instruction and relationships.
20. Lead with enthusiasm and gratitude.
The Art of Leaving a Legacy
1. Always aspire to provide real value and to create work that matters.
2. Dare to be great. Dare to dream the impossible dream.
3. Everyday do something that brings you closer to your Dream.
4. Challenge the status quo.
5. Look beyond what is, into what can be and further into what should be.
6. Hold yourself to only one standard: to be the very best version of yourself.
7. If you work towards being normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.
8. Design the life you wish to live. Life is always under construction.
9. Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.
10. Make your life an awesome story of love, courage and perseverance.
11. Everyday attempt to do more of what really matters and less of what does not.
12. When you find something you would do for free, because you find it fulfilling, you have found your calling. Money never replaces purpose.
13. One of life’s biggest challenges is to differentiate between what the world expects of you, and what you expect of yourself.
14. Most roads that lead to success are toll roads. There is a price that one must pay to travel it.
15. Your growth depends on your willingness to be uncomfortable.
16. Your ability to grow starts with your willingness to change.
17. One of the most meaningful journeys is the transition from mediocrity to excellence.
18. Success does not have business hours, it only has production hours.
19. Surround yourself with as many extraordinary people as possible. Individuals who can help you tap into your own unique and unlimited potential for greatness.
20. Each of us would be better off, if we mastered the ability to place ourselves in the shoes of others.
So to my dear mentor and friend, Thank You from the bottom of my heart and Happy Birthday! I know you will continue to explore the outer depths of who you are as you navigate the universal reservoirs of life’s abundance.
Words cannot truly express the sincere gratitude I feel each day to have you in my life. I will keep celebrating your legacy by being the best version of myself and being of service to humanity.
Through your time, energy, selfless acts of love, support and generosity while always making me feel important since our first encounter in 2011, you have carved powerful lessons of divine truths on my heart that I will cherish forever.
Thank you, Mr. Raveling, for changing my life and for being my friend, role model and hero. You are immensely appreciated Coach!
Love You,
Kimati
About the Author:
Kimati A. Ramsey is an innovative brand strategist, inspirational educator and motivational speaker who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. His educational, career and life management strategies have empowered thousands of student-athletes, high school and college students to seize opportunities and turn dreams into realities. Stay connected at www.kimatiramsey.com.
Found this post interesting? Kindly tap the ❤ button below. Thank you for your time and support!
