Millie's Motivational Minute

By Millie Allen Eubanks

My family and I still reside in the state of Oklahoma. I just got back from a trip to Elk River, Minnesota, where I coached some wonderful people at Scott Breuer Homes.

I had a wonderful time there, and the weather was nice and cool, which was a change from the 100-plus-degree temperatures we experience throughout our summers. Scott, and Ann Breuer and I were on our way to one of the communities they developed and build in – it is, of course, beautiful, just like their homes! I asked a question about the “10,000 Lakes” slogan that Minnesota has posted on its license plates. Scott said, “Well, actually, there are more than 10,000, but 10,000 sounds better than 10,567 lakes.” When I flew home, I wondered if our Oklahoma license plates still said, “Oklahoma is OK!” Not great, fabulous, extraordinary – just ok. And they did.

In our market conditions today, being OK is not good enough. You can’t just be alright at something. You must be better than you were yesterday, and if yesterday you were anything less than perfect, you are losing sales. So far this year, one thing in Oklahoma that we are almost perfect at is OU football.

The University of Oklahoma is ranked number two in the Associated Press (AP) Poll, and we are all proud! But if you tuned into any Oklahoma radio, station you would hear that we are not satisfied with being number two and that things need to change. One thing upon which most armchair quarterbacks agree without question is that, to win the hearts of OU fans and to keep his job as coach, Bob Stoops must:

1. Beat Texas.
2. Win the Big XII championship.

I know most of you are thinking, “Good grief! OU is ranked number two in the country. SO WHAT!” But being number two means there is someone out there who’s better than you. Our goal as a football team is take 'em down! It’s funny to me that we have this type of reasoning when it comes to football, but in our everyday lives, of which we are in “total control,” it’s so easy for us to do just enough. Am I the best Mother, Wife, Trainer, Daughter, Grand Daughter, Volunteer, Christian and Leader that I can be? I strive to be, but sometimes I just want to “get it done.”

What are you doing in your life? Are you exceeding your goals and striving for
Perfection, or are you doing just enough?

I had the privilege of hearing Bob Stoops speak one day last year. He was articulate and funny, and he walked around in a circle. Now, it wasn’t as noticeable as you might think. It was a big stage, and there were people all the way around, so for most people it just looked like he was trying to include everyone. But I saw something different—then it HIT ME. On game days, when he talks to the players, he walks in a circle. “Why?” you may ask. He talks to his football players and coaches by walking around in a circle because they all sit around him in a big circle. Now, imagine my enthusiasm when I figured this out (to which my husband responded that I think too much). Maybe I do, but my point is that he is the same man off the field as he is on, and to me that is the very essence of leadership.

What is your definition of Leadership?
Do you fit your own definition?

While we are all in different leadership roles in our lives, I find that our definitions don’t always match our efforts. Zig Ziglar said, “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” Be committed to excellence in everything you do! My favorite quote is, “Life is a Journey, not a Destination.” Stephen Covey said it in the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Life is not something you do until you get to a certain point. Life is to be lived so when your life is over and you are standing before your Higher Power you can look them in the eye and say with confidence, “I used it all—every bit of talent that you gave me.”

Happy Journey,

Millie Allen Eubanks