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What defines a master? Does being a master mean that we are the best of the best? That we have reached the pinnacle of our achievements and are ready to sit back with our arms folded like the Buddha, taking a deep breath, observing all we have accomplished? Does becoming a master mean that we are now ready to pass our knowledge to others who are writing their own stories of success? One of the definitions offered by Webster’s Dictionary is “a player of consummate skill” and the definition of Consummate is “complete in every detail.” If we buy into Webster’s definitions, it would be impossible to achieve a “master” status in anything. If we were to be “complete in every detail” of our lives, we would have ceased trying to improve ourselves. We could sit back like Buddha, observing all and nodding our heads in approval, but as athletes, this is not our inclination. As goaltenders, we continually seek improvement over what has come before. With every practice and every game, we strive to play with more accuracy, stamina, strength and commitment. We “master” a skill only to practice it over and over again, perfecting our technique, making good even better. The competitiveness and fast-paced nature of hockey requires that we are constantly on top of our game. Opportunities can come and go in the blink of an eye. We must always be mindful of the details necessary to capitalize on these opportunities and propel us to the next level. Even in the top leagues of the sport, there is a continuous quest for perfection. We all seek to become masters. As you move forward, think about what you can do during practices, games, and all moments in between to maximize your potential. Pay attention to those details; not just on the ice, but in the dressing room, at the training table, as you rest, as you relax with your friends, and as you prepare yourself for the next competition. Remember that it is the details that make up the whole. All of the parts must be present and functional for your machine-like body to perform efficiently. So do not focus too much energy on being a “master.” Instead, place your thoughts and actions on the moment-by-moment “details” that, when put together, form a complete and amazing whole. ** There is No Such Thing as Failure, Only Results There is no such thing as failure. There are only results. At the outset, this appears to be a false statement. For example, let’s say a runner sets out to complete a 25-mile marathon. He makes it only 13 miles before falling to the ground, totally exhausted. He lies there on his back, stares up at the sky and declares himself a failure for not having achieved his goal. His desire was to run a marathon but he did not get to experience his desire. But what he has experienced is a result; he is halfway to his goal. The runner catches his breath and rolls over in the grass. A small voice, one that only he can hear, tells him to keep training, keep running, and to keep holding the vision in his mind of what it will feel like when he finally accomplishes his goal. He gets to his feet and begins walking. He gazes at the horizon. He takes a deep breath. He sets his sights on his next run. “Most people fail in life, not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.” –Les Brown If our runner would have given up his desire to one day complete a marathon because, at present, he is only able to run 13 miles, he would not experience the sense of fulfillment that goes along with achieving his goal. However, if he adjusts his thinking and does not even introduce the idea of failure into his belief system, the possibility of never achieving his goal will not exist. Instead, he will view the 13 miles completed as a stepping stone, a result of his efforts thus far, and motivation to keep on going. Therefore, part of what defines a master is having the ability to change our thoughts regarding any particular goal we wish to achieve. Rather than labeling ourselves as failures because we may stumble along the way, we simply have to step back and re-evaluate our assessment of the situation. Instead, we have to see our blunders only as results. At times they may be undesirable, but they are always, without exception, results. If we wish to change our results, we must first change the behavior that produced them. But before we change our behavior, we must change our thoughts. When we begin to change our thoughts and behaviors from those of either failure or success to those that simply generate results, we remove our self-prescribed labels of “good” or “bad” and begin to see our actions and their effects for what they really are; steps in a process that will inevitably produce a result. It can be helpful to think of the process of achieving our goals (and eventually becoming elite) as a pyramid. At the very top, the pinnacle, is the dream we wish to achieve. That dream could not exist without the wide base of experience underneath it. Without a solid foundation of layer upon layer of carefully placed blocks, the pinnacle would collapse. The steps to achieving a goal are like this pyramid. Each block in the pyramid does not consider itself a failure because it is not the crowning glory of the structure. It sits with all the others as a support for the entire structure and its position is very important. Without it and those around it, the entire thing would crumble to the ground. If we can learn to think of our experiences on the way to achieving a goal as these supporting blocks, we realize that without them our goal would not be possible. Our experiences, or blocks, are not successful or unsuccessful, they are just part of the process we go through as we construct our own pyramids. Before you step onto the ice or head out to the gym, remember that there’s no such thing as failure, there are only results. Each time you do something that produces a result, you have placed another block onto the pyramid that is your life. If you want to get to that pinnacle, the only way to do it is to keep building and strengthening the foundation.