For three years, Smith-Cotton boys basketball coach Ray Hughes has followed from afar the inspirational messages of renowned motivational speaker Eric Thomas.
From tuning into his videos on YouTube to visiting the Detroit native’s website, Hughes has embraced Thomas’ “breaking the cycle” message.
kAm}@H 96’D 9@A:?8 E96 $>:E9\r@EE@? 4@>>F?:EJ — 2?5 >@C6 6IA2?D:G6=J $652=:2 — H:== 7@==@H 9:D =625]k^Am
kAm!C6D6?E65 3J E96 $>:E9\r@EE@? 32D<6E32== AC@8C2> :? 4@?;F?4E:@? H:E9 E96 $\r pE9=6E:4D s6A2CE>6?E E@ 36?67:E :ED DEF56?E\2E9=6E6D 2?5 DE277[ %9@>2D H:== DA62< 7C@> `_ E@ ``ib_ 2]>] %9FCD52J 2E $>:E9\r@EE@? w:89 $49@@=’D w64<2CE !6C7@C>:?8 pCED r6?E6C] %96 6G6?E[ H9:49 42CC:6D E96 E:E=6 “$F446DD :D E96 @?=J @AE:@?[” :D 7C66 2?5 :D @A6? E@ E96 AF3=:4]k^Am
kAmv6EE:?8 %9@>2D E@ DA62< E@ 9:D A=2J6CD 2?5 D49@@= 92D 366? 2 EH@\J62C G6?EFC6 7@C wF896D[ H9@ =67E 9:D 2DD:DE2?E 4@249:?8 A@DE 7@C E96 y6776CD@? r:EJ w:89 $49@@= 3@JD 32D<6E32== AC@8C2> E@ C6A=246 z6G:? $49?:4<6C :? =2E6 pAC:=]k^Am
kAm“tG6? 2E y6776CD@? r:EJ x H2D ECJ:?8 E@ 86E 9:> :? E@ DA62<[” D2:5 wF896D[ H9@ H2D H:E9 E96 y2JD 7@C `a J62CD] “u@C 2 =@?8 E:>6[ x’G6 366? ECJ:?8 E@ 4@?E24E 9:D A6@A=6 E9C@F89 9:D H63D:E6[ E9C@F89 6>2:= 2?5 925?’E 8@E 2 C6DA@?D6 324<] qFE x <6AE D6?5:?8 DEF77 2?5 D6?5:?8 DEF77 2?5 x 7:?2==J 8@E :? E@F49 H:E9 9:D 3@@<:?8 286?E]k^Am
kAm“~?46 x AC6D6?E65 E96 :562 E92E x 925 E96 8FJ D64FC65[ W$\r w:89 $49@@= !C:?4:A2= $E6G6X %C:A=6EE[ W$\r p4E:G:E:6D s:C64E@C #@3X s2G:D 2?5 W$\r 9:89 D49@@= 2DD:DE2?E AC:?4:A2= v2G:?X |:==6C 324<65 :E `[___ A6C46?E 2?5 >256 DFC6 :E 92AA6?65] %96J H6C6 G6CJ :?DECF>6?E2= :? >2<:?8 DFC6 H6 3@@<65 tC:4]”k^Am
kAmwF896D[ H9@ H:== 364@>6 E96 6:89E9 9625 4@249 7@C $>:E9\r@EE@? @G6C E96 A2DE `h J62CD[ D2:5 E96 >@G6 :D ?@E @?=J 2? :?E68C2= DE6A :? 96=A:?8 492?86 2 AC@8C2> E92E’D @?=J 925 @?6 H:??:?8 D62D@? @G6C E96 A2DE `c D62D@?D — $49?:4<6C =65 E96 %:86CD E@ 2 `c\`b C64@C5 :? a_`_\`` — 3FE 2 >@G6 7@C E96 H9@=6 2E9=6E:4D AC@8C2>]k^Am
kAm“|J 2E9=6E6D 2C6 6G6CJ@?6’D 2E9=6E6D[” wF896D D2:5] “%96D6 <:5D A=2J >F=E:A=6 DA@CED 96C6[ D@ E96 >6DD286 96C6 DAC625D 24C@DD 6G6CJ DA@CE[ ?@E ;FDE 32D<6E32==]”k^Am
kAmqFE :? E96 D2>6 3C62E9[ wF896D <?@HD H9J E96 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 3C@F89E 9:> :?]k^Am
kAm“%96 =@D:?8 >6?E2=:EJ 2?5 4F=EFC6 92G6 E@ 492?86[” D2:5 wF896D[ H9@ 92D H@C<65 E:C6=6DD=J @G6C E96 DF>>6C :?DECF4E:?8 6=6>6?E2CJ[ >:55=6 D49@@=[ ;F?:@C 9:89 2?5 9:89 D49@@= A=2J6CD]k^Am
kAm“%9:D :D @?6 @7 E96 >2?J DE6AD :? E96 C:89E 5:C64E:@?]”k^Am
