At half-time of the 1989 AFL Grand Final the Hawthorn coach, the late Allan “Yabby” Jeans, looked around the rooms and saw a team in a lot of pain.
Although they were leading by 37 points, there were multiple injured players after a tough and spiteful first half against Geelong.
Yabby looked his players in the eye and told them this story:
A young boy went into a shoe store to buy a pair of shoes.
He had a choice between buying a cheap pair or an expensive pair.
He settled on the cheap pair and made his purchase.
Within hours, he regretted his decision, wishing that he had paid the price for a better pair of shoes.
Upon completing the story, the coach went from player to player. He eye-balled them each, thrust his finger in their chests and asked them the same question in ever-increasing volumes.
“Are you willing to pay the price? Today? Now?”
The team went back out to the field of battle, some with tears in their eyes and they went on to win an epic contest by 6 points in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest grand finals in history.
I don’t know what your plans, goals or dreams are, but let me ask you the same question.
Are you willing to pay the price?
Or are you going to live a life of regret because you made do with a cheaper, easier alternative?
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5 comments
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July 22, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Stacey Kirkpatrick
Thanks for your blog. I enjoy it thoroughly and read it regularly! Keep it up!
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July 22, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Darren Poke
Thanks very much for the encouraging comments Stacey. I appreciate the support.
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July 23, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Debbie
wow . .. that is a strong message, but important one. Thank you for spurring us on!
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July 23, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Darren Poke
Thanks Debbie.
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September 26, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Freeson Daugherty
I like the general idea that you’re getting across. However in my life experience I’ve come to believe the things in life that require effort, are things that require effort. Like lifting weights, Manual labor or certain types of athletic activities. Pretty much everything else in life I have come to discover requires focus, more that it requires direct effort. We told ourselves store the that only things that are good and noteworthy in life are brought about through tremendous hard work, pain, suffering and sacrifice.
If we really stop and think for a moment we can see that’s not true. breathing, drinking and eating are three very good things that are very easily and should require little to no effort to do.
life can literally be as easy as breathing.
only when we allow ourselves to get distracted by our worries, fantasies and egocentric thoughts does life become a life and death struggle.
Life becomes so easy when you learn how to focus.
Please check out my youtube channel (Freeson Daugherty) I have some great videos on mindfulness and how to increase once focus
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