Do you need some extra “Monday Motivation” today?  Did your team have a tough weekend?  Even if you’ve won every game of the season easily so far, there are going to be times when you are going to need a little extra kick in the butt to get you going.

In yesterday’s edition of the Calgary Herald, Theo Fleury, a former NHL superstar and one of the best “small” players of all-time, shared his tips for motivating the girls’ hockey players at Union College (who are going through a rough patch this season).

Theo has dealt with his fair share of adversity in his hockey career and, from the sounds of it, he has turned really turned it around.  Theo hit the nail on the head with this one.  No re-writing necessary.  Check out his advice below.

“Hello, everyone, from Schenectady, N.Y., home of the Union College Dutchwomen. I’m here this weekend to do some team-building with the women’s hockey program.

The world of women’s hockey has exploded in the last 10 years with the popularity of the game at the Olympics. I have attended a few games over the last few years and am quite impressed with the intensity. We are seeing the first generation of girls who started playing from a very young age.

As for my Union College team, they are going through some rough times and have called on me to rally the troops. Having had many winning experiences throughout my career, I know I can help them.

Most people will argue that it’s five per cent ability and 95 per cent between your ears. So I think we will start with the mental side of the game. How well am I prepared to play each and every night? Take away all excuses and think like a winner. You always want to overachieve in everything you do — not just in hockey, but in life.

There are a lot of negative people in this world who are followers:  Be a leader, take the bull by the horns and control your own destiny. I never, ever once thought of myself as small, although that was my moniker as a player.

So I think we’ll try to change the culture here at Union. Get everyone to start thinking like winners. Surround yourself with good people, people who care about each other. Inspire someone on a daily basis to be better than they were the day before and results will come. Winning is a process.

It doesn’t happen overnight. If people are unwilling to follow what you’re selling, then you need to get rid of the cancer. If you notice a guy who’s played on several teams, it’s not because he’s wanted, it’s because he is a cancer.

Everyone fears change, but you don’t need to make drastic changes right away.  Start small, realize it wasn’t as bad as you thought and move on to the next stage and then the next, and all of a sudden you’ve empowered yourself.

Ultimately, you control your own destiny. I know if you’re reading this, you are starting to feel a little uncomfortable. I’m trying to take away your excuses.  Quit blaming everyone else for where you are at in your life.  Rise above all the negative and turn your life into a positive.  Somebody’s gotta win and somebody’s gotta a lose. 

You might as well be the winner.

If you don’t like the team you’re on, find a new one.  Take the high road to a more positive life experience.  Drop the zeroes and get with the heroes.  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. Recognize the fact that you are the one who is going to change your life and destiny.

Stop co-signing everyone else’s B.S.  My life changed immediately after I adopted this philosophy.  And the people I thought were my friends, I haven’t heard from since.

Every day, there are ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they are willing to put themselves out there.  Are you one of those people?  I think you are.  Look at today as the day you made a positive change in your life and reap the benefits.  You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.  I’m not sitting here trying to convince you to do this, but I’m just sharing with you some of the things that have helped me to improve the quality of my life.

My relationships with the people close to me have improved immensely and I’m a lot more happy with who I am and the direction my life is headed.  So as I leave after today’s game, I hope that I’ve made an impact on the lives of these players and encouraged them to be better people.

These are some of the lessons I’ve learned playing the greatest game in the world.  So as you can see, there’s more to playing the game of hockey than just lacing ‘em up every day.”

Well said.

Play the game like you live your life.  Work hard and enjoy the ride.

Which part of Theo’s message speaks most to you?  How will you help motivate others when the road gets rough?

Share your thoughts below.