Here in the United States, the National Football League (NFL) finally signed a contract with its players this week, and football will, once again, fill my weekends this fall. For an old football coach, this was welcome news!

I have been friend and probably a mentor to the NFL Seattle Seahawks' coach, Pete Carroll, who is in his second year with the Seahawks. We've done some project together, most notably Pete's focus on "A Better LA" from his days with the University of Southern California football.

Pete's not your "normal" football coach, and his personality and attitudes have caused some skepticism with the local sportscasters and sports writers. The thing about Pete is that he is a very "up" person. It's not artificial, something he puts on for the press. This is the real Pete. He has a real belief that something great is about to happen, and he means it. "If something is going wrong, I don't care, because I know, over here, something really good is just about to happen." I've told him, "You can't be that way all the time," but he says he is. And, if something were to really go wrong, "I don't come out of my office until I get myself right. I'm too contagious." 

And this is what I am saying to you: You, too, are too contagious. You have an effect on the people around you, positive or negative, because you have influence. Because you are growing and becoming closer to your true potential, you have influence. Others look to you for an example to follow. I know it seems like a heavy burden; it doesn't have to be. You can carry it well, and here is an affirmation from Pete to help: "My inner spirit is so strong and so bright that nothing, or no one, can blow my light out." For myself, I added another piece: "I'm like the birthday candle that won't go out."

You are strong and capable, and with an inner spirit so bright, if you use it for the right reasons, you have a positive influence on the world around you. Now, multiply that by a million and what do we have? Multiply that by a billion, and what do we have?

A world of possibilities ready to become realities, that's what.