It’s over and the champions have received their trophy. Their first one, actually. On Sunday, February 7, 2010, the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

The Colts were favored to win the game. Analysts said that Peyton Manning and the Colts offense couldn’t be stopped but they were wrong. When the clock hit 0:00, the Saints began partying and the Colts caught a flight home.

So, how did the Saints do it and what does a football team have to do with you and your business? The Saints had the winning formula and if you know the formula, you can be just as successful.

Determination

The Saints found themselves in a 10-0 quickly after the game started. The Colts were explosive on offense and playing ruthless defense. But the Saints didn’t call it quits.

No matter what your situation, having determination can prove to be a vital aspect of success. If you look at any great individual – Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Margaret Thatcher – you will find determination. Lincoln failed at many of his professions before becoming president. Edison failed to create the lightbulb the first 1,000 times he tried. Thatcher’s decisions were publicly criticized every day she was in office. Did that stop them from being great? No, and your failures or set backs or critics shouldn’t stop you or your company.

The Saints held on and prevailed in Super Bowl XLIV. You will prevail, too.

Risks

The Saints didn’t play a textbook game by any means. On fourth and goal right before halftime, they elected to go for the touchdown instead of an easy three points. They ran a reverse play that lost seven yards. They did an onside kick to open the second half. Without their risks, the Saints would have let the championship slip away.

It’s pretty tempting to play it safe. It’s easy to go for the field goal when you could try for the touchdown. But, if you play it safe, you will never know you’re full potential. How can you know what works best if you don’t try new things? Analysis and research will only get you so far. At some point and time, you will need to decide if you should play it conservatively or risk it. If you play it conservative, you won’t lose anything. Then again, you won’t gain anything either.

The New Orleans Saints knew they weren’t going to beat the Colts playing it safe. Some of their risks went in their favor and some didn’t. But, in the end, they found greatness and glory.

Passion

If you compared the game play of a Colts and a Saints player, you would probably notice that the Saints player had more passion. He had more pep in his step. I’m not saying the Colts didn’t care about the game because they most certainly did but they weren’t playing at the same level as the Saints.

Whether you’re reading this article because you’re looking to improve your business or your personal life, you need passion. Do the following words describe you at home or at work – lethargic, routine, simple, mellow, standard? If you can safely say that one or more of those words describe you on a regular basis, it’s time for a passion assessment. When you have passion, you will be willing to go the extra mile and you will be engulfed in learning and growing. Consider passion to be the catalyst for determination and taking risks. Without passion, determination and taking risks wouldn’t be possible. Be passionate and everything else will fall into place.

Every member of the Saints had passion during the Super Bowl. The outcome may have been different without it. Consider it an essential element in your personality toolbox. It really can make a difference.

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by vancanjay

When I first picked up Tribes by Seth Godin in my local library, I wasn’t immediately overwhelmed or impressed. In fact, I was wondering what all the fuss was over such a small book. The notion that great books needed to be thick and long-winded passed through my mind. After skimming its pages, I decided to check out the book and give it a chance. I’m glad I did.

The Heart and Soul

The message and concept of Tribes is simple: a person needs to be part of a group and wants to bond with other people who share similar goals and passions. However, Tribes is not a how-to manual for creating great groups. Instead, Godin lays out the benefits of leading a group of people, communicating with people who share similar interests, and growing together with like-minded individuals. Through stories and analogies, Godin inspires readers to lead, unite, and change their world.

Godin highlights many points throughout the book but there is a common thread: we need you. The world needs you. The world needs the abilities and passion you can bring. And, believe it or not, the world is ready for you. Godin states, “What I’m saying is that one person – okay, what I really mean is you – has everything. Everything you need to build something far bigger than yourself. The people around you realize this and they are ready to follow if you’re ready to lead.”

Tribes is a call to action to lead with vision, purpose, and faith.

The Disclaimer

Although it would be great to sit here and tell you that every person should own a copy of Tribes (I’m sure Seth Godin would appreciate that pitch), it’s not true. In fact, I don’t think most people should purchase the book. Tribes is a revolutionary book. It is a book that contains powerful information and directives to move ordinary people into extraordinary roles. I believe that if each person owned a copy of the book, most would put it down before page ten. Why? The message is too personal and involves too much risk.

If you are passionate about change and about leading a group of people, Tribes is for you. You don’t need to be a “leader,” to have charisma, or to have money to read Tribes; you just need passion, faith, and a desire for the betterment of the world around you. The book will not contain a specific formula for success; it will inspire you to find your own formula.

I highly recommend Tribes and feel that it is a book that can revolutionize the way we live. It is a quick and interesting read. As the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. Tribes can change your life. To give you a sneak peak of some of the great content in Tribes, I have included some of my favorite quotes below.

A Few Quotes from Tribes

“The real power of tribes has nothing to do with the Internet and everything to do with people. You don’t need a keyboard to lead…you only need the desire to make something happen.” – pg. 6

“When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.” – pg. 55

“Leadership is a choice. It’s the choice to not do nothing.” – pg. 59

“Every organization needs at least one thermostat. There are leaders who can create change in response to the outside world, and do it consistently over time.” – pg. 102

“Change almost never fails because it’s too early. It almost always fails because it’s too late.” – pg. 119

Additional Information

Seth Godin’s Blog
Tribes on Amazon

If you purchase the book, I suggest you keep a pen and highlighter handy when reading to take any notes or mark any thoughtful passages.

Have you read Tribes? If so, what are your thoughts? What was your big takeaway?

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Jule Berlin