Success/Motivation
How to Be Successful and Satisfied. What is success? How can we obtain it? A look at a major obstacle to success and satisfaction; thoughts on how to find both. Spanish Croatian
Going for the Gold. Famous Olympic medalists who are after more than gold. Their stories will inspire and motivate you to consider the principles that guide their lives. (Magazine article)
A Hug from the Coach. A short story with a heart tug for sports fans.
Greater than Olympic Gold. World-class British hurdler Tasha Danvers-Smith found herself unexpectedly pregnant three months before the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Should she terminate her pregnancy in hopes of Olympic glory and fortune? An inspiring story. (Short op-ed)
Divine dilemma: Who gets God’s nod in March Madness? By Mark I. Pinsky and Rusty Wright. Thursday evening (March16), in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Duke University, a historically Methodist school in Durham, North Carolina, tips off with Pentecostal powerhouse Oral Roberts University, in Orlando, Florida — a Southern Baptist stronghold and a part of the country that takes both religion and college athletics very seriously. If two Christian schools’ fans pray for victory, which one gets God’s favor? (Religion News Service release 3/16/23).
Paris Hilton and What We Want. The heiress scored number one on Google News searches in 2006. What do people want to know about? Why do celebrities rank so high? What clues might this hold to our wants and needs and how to meet them? (Short op-ed)
“Life Without Limbs” Inspires. Discouraged about your finances, employment, business, or rocky relationships? Meet a guy – born without arms or legs – who will inspire you to face your challenges and dream big. (Short op-ed) French
Mighty Macs Movie – Teamwork Works. The basketball team at tiny Immaculata College – a “pint-sized papal institution” – became an example “for every team that thought they never had a chance” as they played for the national title. Their story could get you cheering, too. Rocky meets Sister Act meets Hoosiers. (Short op-ed)
Linsanity movie: hoops, hopes, Harvard, heaven. Benchwarmer Jeremy Lin set the basketball world ablaze when he led the faltering New York Knicks to seven straight wins and helped boost them into the NBA playoffs. The film documentary of his phenomenal rollercoaster ride – from struggling underdog to global star – will inspire you. (Short op-ed)
New Football Movie: Character trumps winning. Could a football coach who teaches that character trumps winning … win games consistently? It’s happened – and quite dramatically – inspiring the film When the Game Stands Tall. Jim Caviezel plays Coach Bob Ladouceur, who led an obscure, struggling California high school team to record-shattering national prominence by helping his players mature toward adulthood. (Short op-ed)
Woodlawn movie: racial strife, football, faith. A nation too-often tarnished by racial conflict could use an inspiring film like this. The poignant story of NFL star Tony Nathan and how football plus faith helped bring harmony among racial enemies during his high school years in early 1970s Birmingham, Alabama. Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are executive producers. (Short op-ed)
Peanuts movie: good grief – plus fun – in 3D! Charlie Brown wants to change who he is and become a winner. Snoopy’s determined to shoot the Red Baron from the sky. The perpetual underdog and his dog embark on an epic quest that’s all about dreaming big. Lots of family fun in this delightful film; lots of inspiration in the Peanuts stories. (Short op-ed)
The Real MVP movie: Kevin Durant’s inspiring mom struggles and shines. When NBA superstar Kevin Durant received the league’s Most Valuable Player award, he named his mother “the real MVP.” The standing ovation and subsequent media groundswell confirmed that something significant had just happened, something transcending the game. Now, Lifetime Television brings the inspirational backstory to a wide audience. (Short op-ed)
Run the Race movie: dreams, despair, romance, redemption. Ever had a dream die? Or a loved one? Perhaps you struggle with why bad things sometimes happen to good people. Maybe you enjoy romance, brotherly bonds, or football. If so, Tim Tebow’s film (he’s an executive producer) should appeal to you. (Short op-ed)
NFL coach John Harbaugh on COVID sports coping. The coronavirus pandemic has brought global lifestyle changes, and athletes are not immune. Personal identity, control, and security can all become scrambled in chaotic times. Super-Bowl-winning coach John Harbaugh explains how he’s coped amid the loss of sport. (Short op-ed) Washington Examiner version
‘Wonder Woman 1984’ movie: Will you get what you want? Suppose you could have anything you ever wanted – fame, fortune, relationships, pleasure. Would that make you happy? A megalomaniacal global villain is tapping human desires to help him dominate civilization. In 1984, Wonder Woman races to foil his dastardly scheme. (Short op-ed) Washington Examiner version
‘Show Me the Father’ movie: You and your father. How do you think of your father? With love, happiness and respect? With fear, misery and anger? Your relationship with your dad can influence your self-image and success. Show Me the Father uses gripping stories of good parenting and bad to motivate viewers to promote healthy fatherhood.(Short op-ed)
‘Big George Foreman’ movie: Fame, tragedy, triumph, second chances.George Foreman’s storied career has many facets: Olympic gold medalist, twice World Heavyweight Boxing champion, TV grill pitchman, philanthropist. But a near-death experience forever altered his life’s trajectory. Sony’s new biopic conveys his tragedies and triumphs, with inspiration for anyone who ever needed a second chance. (Short op-ed)
Reagan movie: 40th U.S. president’s roots, relationships, revolution. Hailed by many as a history-altering savior responsible for communism’s decline. Scorned by others as a clueless, intellectually unsophisticated actor out of touch with both common folks and the real world. Ronald Reagan made a lasting global impact. A new film explores the roots of his confidence, the relationships that nurtured it, and the revolution he inspired. (Short op-ed) Washington Examiner version