When you walk onto a court to play a game, do you immediately think that you’re going to lose or that you’re going to win? Do you stare at your opponents while they warm up and begin to wonder why you even laced up your Nikes, or do you focus on giving your all? Do you see obstacles, or do you see opportunities?

In Numbers 13, the spies were sent into Canaan to check out the land. God had already given them great victories in battle and rescued them from tough situations. During the 40 days that they were evaluating the land, they could have seen a great opportunity, but they didn’t.

When I was a coach, one of the hardest things was getting my athletes to understand that improvement took place in the off-season. I would always get the same song and dance about their working hard during the season and needing the time off. Let me tell you something. Work ethic is a big deal to a coach. Athletes who put in the work are always better off in the end.

Loyalty is essential in the world of sports. It is unswerving, unshakeable faithfulness at all times. There should be no denying our loyalty to our team. Today, athletes and coaches change schools, teams, and programs at the drop of a hat. It seems loyalty is a thing of the past—old school. But for the success of a team, loyalty is imperative!

The 1920 Olympic sprinter, Charles Paddock, was speaking at a school one day and said to the students, “Right in this school we may have a future Olympic champ.” Afterwards, a skinny little boy came up to him and said, “I want to be a champion runner some day.” Paddock replied, “You can if you’ll make it your dream and give it your all.”