"Walter Payton," Martin answered with a big smile on his face.

"Yes, Sweetness," coach responded as he paused and reflected for a moment. "They called him Sweetness because he ran with such style. What a football player. What a human being. We sure do miss him."

"He was one of the best," Martin said.

"Yes, he was, Martin, and that's what I'm talking about. For many who strive to be the best, there was a person before them who paved the way, who showed them that greatness was possible. Sometimes this person was a friend or mentor, and other cases it was a complete stranger who showed the world what being the best looked like.

"Now, for others who have become the best in their field of work, there was no role model for them. These people simply were given a God-inspired vision to pave the way and create something bold and new that had never been done before. They had a clear vision and they devoted their life to it."

"So they knew that they always wanted to be great at something?" Martin asked.

"Well, not exactly. Yes, there were some that always knew what they wanted, ever since they were young. But for many who became the best, they didn't always know what they wanted. They were just doing something they loved and didn't realize they were excelling. Then one day lightning struck and they had a 'Eureka!' moment where they thought, 'Hey, I can become great at this.'"

Coach continued, "Then there were those who were simply settling for mediocrity. They created a nice, average life with something they were average or good at, with a feeling in their gut that there is something more—something missing in their life—something that was left unsaid and undone. They wrote down goals because people said you need to do that, and yet the goals had nothing to do with what they truly wanted. They knew there was more, and thankfully one day they found it ... or rather, I should say that their vision and purpose found them. Instead of being one of the sheep that followed the herd, they became shepherds who saw the way.

"But the common thread between all these stories and people is this: Regardless of when and how, whether by practical experience, role model, spiritual insight, or lightning strike, the best of the best all had a moment in their lives when their vision became clear. When they said, this is what I truly want. This is what I want to strive for and I will pay the price to make it happen. It was as if they looked through a telescope and saw their future. For some, it came when they were young. For others it was much later in life. But they all had that moment at some point when they had what I call a 'mountaintop experience.' I call it this because it's like they went to the mountaintop, pulled out a telescope, and saw their destination—the big-picture vision.

"Seeing it is important because to reach your destination you know you have to travel through the valley of hardship and struggle to get there. But your big-picture vision will fuel you during your journey and help you bear the struggle and overcome the hardship to reach your goal. When you know what you want and you see it, you will be willing to pay the price and overcome challenges to realize it."

"But what happens if someone doesn't know what they truly want?" Martin asked. "I have many friends who don't have a clue."

"If you don't know what you want, then you won't have a passion for it and you won't strive to be great at it. You'll be like 90 percent of the world's population who are either doing something they are good at or just collecting a paycheck. It's not truly what they want, so they don't pay the price to become great. Forget life mission. They're basically on life support just hoping to get through the day. Believe me. I know. That's where I was years ago after my football career was over.

"I decided to go into the restaurant business, and I was pretty good at it and the restaurants were successful. But one day after waking up feeling depressed I remember asking, 'Why am I not jumping out of bed? Why am I here? What do I truly want?' I realized I was happiest and most energized when I was around the game of football. The idea of coaching popped into my head and so I made a few calls, sold my restaurants, and started as an assistant to the assistant to the assistant, just to get my foot in the door. I was making basically nothing and yet I loved every minute of it. Sure, I was good at the restaurant business, but I am a great line coach. I think a lot of people spend their life being average or good at something but they don't strive to become great. That's no way to live, and that's why I've always told my four daughters, 'Don't choose your career based on what you think will please me. I don't care what you do. Just find something you love and are passionate about and pray for guidance that God will show you why you are here and reveal what you truly want. If you ask you will receive. But whatever you do, don't be a 50 percenter. Invest 100 percent and every ounce of your energy in knowing what you want and becoming great at it. Strive to be your best and stand tall.' Even you, Martin, and your 5 feet, 7 inches can do this," Coach said with a big laugh.

Martin laughed and for a brief moment wondered what it would have been like growing up with a father. His dad had unfortunately died in a car accident on his way to a construction site one morning. His last memory of his father was having a football catch with him, but he was too young to remember any memorable advice his dad might have given him.

"So, how about you, Martin?" Coach Ken asked. "Do you see it? Do you have a vision of yourself playing in the NFL? Do you see what is possible? Do you see your future?"

"Yes, I see it, Coach," Martin said. "I saw it in college for the first time, and that's why I'm here. I remember when the thought first hit me, 'Hey, this dream really could happen.' And being here and after last night especially, I see it more now than ever. I could do this. I really could do it. Most importantly, I now also realize that I must pay the price to get it."

"Well, that's good to hear, because now that you know what you want, to be the best you must want it more than everyone else. The best of the best not only know what they want, but they want it more. They have a greater desire. That's the second trait in the playbook," Coach Ken said as he directed Martin to turn the page. The page looked like this:

"Ah, great question. You're smarter than your college coach said you were," Coach Ken said, laughing. "The answer is that we can't measure desire in terms of merely thought and wishes. After all, someone could wish for something twelve hours a day, but if they aren't taking initiative to make it happen, then what good is all the wanting? We must also measure desire in terms of actions, too.

"You see, I believe that everyone has a desire to be great. Everyone has a desire to accomplish something meaningful and have an impact. When I speak to teenagers I ask them if they want to be great. Of course they all say yes. Then I tell them that you want to be great because God made you to want to strive for greatness. But here's the difference. The best of the best are willing to do what it takes to be great. The best don't just think about their desire for greatness, they act on it. They have a high capacity for work. They do the things that others won't do, and they spend more time doing it. When everyone else is sleeping, the best are practicing and thinking and improving."

Martin couldn't help but think of the advice his momma would always give him. She would say that everyone is called by God to something and if you were called to be a bus driver, then you should develop your skills and become the best driver you could be. If you were called to be a teacher, then become the best teacher you can be. And if you were called to be football player, then you should become the best football player you can be. To settle for anything less than your best was a waste of the gifts and calling you have been given. It was selfish not to be your best, she would add, because as you developed and shared your gifts, the whole world benefited. To deny being your best was to deny the gift you were meant to give others. Perhaps that's why he worked so hard and perhaps that's why everything Coach Ken was telling him resonated with him.

"So, the best take action that demonstrates their greater desire," Martin asked. "That's the difference, right?"

"Well, yes and no," answered Coach Ken as he walked over to the telescope and pointed it toward the sky and directed Martin to take a look through it. "The best not only do the things that others won't do and invest the time others won't invest, but they also do so with passion and the intent to get better. The best are never satisfied with where they are. The third trait of the best is that they are always striving to get better."

"Time and effort," he answered.

"Of course, those are essential, but what it really requires is a willingness to be uncomfortable. Here's the deal. If you are always striving to get better, then you are always growing. And if you are growing, then you are not comfortable. To be the best, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable and embrace it as a part of your growth process. It's a process, and I'm going to tell you how it works."