Chasing Greatness Blog

Open Up To Learn Lessons: How You Can Help When The Times Are Turbulent

Don Yaeger June 10, 2020

Most of my Sunday mornings consist of family, faith, and reflection – there’s occasionally a morning car ride to pick up brunch for my wife and kids. But, this time,…

A Masterclass In Leadership: The Last Dance

Don Yaeger May 20, 2020

Michael Jordan still sells. An average of 5.6 million viewers watched 10 episodes of ESPN’s docuseries “The Last Dance” over a 5-week time span, making it the most-watched documentary the…

If You’re Not Part Of The Pivot, You’re Part Of The Problem

Don Yaeger May 13, 2020

If there’s one thing guaranteed in a crisis, it is that we all go through stages as we deal with the challenge. First, we rally, committing to come together, a…

See It To Seize It: How Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton Used A Ladder, Some Scissors, And A Little Magic To Capture A Title

Don Yaeger March 11, 2020

After the final seconds ticked off the clock in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Saturday night, a mob of Florida State basketball players giddily tossed one another t-shirts…

A Step Of Faith: Nik Wallenda Walks Over Masaya Volcano To Chase Greatness And Shows How Anyone Can Live A Life Of Meaning

Don Yaeger March 3, 2020

One of the greatest athletes I know will spend tomorrow night doing something extraordinary: at 8:00 PM Eastern, aerialist Nik Wallenda will step out onto a 1,800-foot high wire strung…

Become A Legend: Carolina Hurricanes Emergency Goalie David Ayres Teaches The Three Keys To ‘Seizing Your Moment’

Don Yaeger February 26, 2020

Imagine being in a crowd at a professional hockey game drinking a soft drink, sharing a sandwich with your wife when your cell phone goes off. It is a working…

Losing More Than A Title: Houston Astros Cheating Scandal Proves The Loss Of Reputation Is Greater Than Any Trophy

Don Yaeger February 22, 2020

It has been a couple of weeks since the Astros cheating scandal took over the news cycle in baseball. Because everyone with a microphone within earshot had an opinion, I…

The XFL Becomes Football’s New Innovation Lab—and Shows You How to Turn Heads in Your Industry

Don Yaeger February 18, 2020

Painter Pablo Picasso famously said, “Good artists copy. Great artists steal.” His point was that the marginally talented attempt to do something exactly like someone else. The innovators—the true geniuses—borrow…

Practicing To Fail: Duke’s Tre Jones, A Missed Free Throw And One Of The Best Business Lessons You’ll Ever Learn

Don Yaeger February 10, 2020

If you follow college basketball, you know the near-mythical rivalry that is Duke-North Carolina. Over the last 100 games between these two teams coming into their matchup over the weekend,…

Stay In The Game: Patrick Mahomes Delivers A Super Bowl Victory Because He Didn’t Give In

Don Yaeger February 5, 2020

The past 48 hours have brought a lot of Patrick Mahomes news. As the second-year quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs delivered that city’s first Super Bowl victory in 50…

Keep Shooting Your Shot: A Kobe Bryant Memory And A Lesson In Greatness

Don Yaeger January 27, 2020

I was getting ready to go to Tampa yesterday when my phone started buzzing. I ignored it for a while in order to get my shirts packed the way I…

A Piece Of Greatness: LSU’s Joe Burrow Delivers A Championship Moment After Delivering A College Football Title

Don Yaeger January 16, 2020

Like nearly 26 million other people, I sat down on my couch Monday night to take in the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the LSU and Clemson. What…

Believe Enough To Sell It: Clemson’s Dabo Swinney Offers Three Lessons On Vision And Building Something Special

Don Yaeger January 13, 2020

The most influential man at Clemson University is only 50 years old. His aw-shucks Southern charm makes him seem approachable and affable—and he is—but it masks something greater: a vision…

Even In His Absence, Tom Brady Reveals The Secret To Greatness That You Might Be Missing

Don Yaeger January 11, 2020

After 20 seasons, six Super Bowl rings, scores of NFL quarterbacking records, and an ever-increasing grip on the title of GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), you’d think Tom Brady might enter…

Closing Your Circle: How The NFL’s Black Monday Can Spark Your Best Year Ever In 2020

Don Yaeger January 2, 2020

The start of the year always brings with it a few rituals. There’s the annual performance review at work. There’s the celebration at midnight on New Year’s Eve. There’s New…

The Eye Of The Beholder: What Your Business Should Learn from Drew Brees, Lamar Jackson, And Joe Burrow

Don Yaeger December 26, 2019

Last week, I read a fascinating article on the art of observation which detailed the story of a seminar in Germany where forty people in an auditorium witnessed a staged…

The Tale Of Two Cities: How The Atlanta Falcons And New England Patriots Went In Opposite Directions After An Epic Super Bowl Comeback

Don Yaeger December 3, 2019

I spent part of a Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago in an Atlanta airport watching the hometown NFL team take a beating in their magnificent stadium. The Falcons…

Forget The Records: Why College Football’s Rivalry Week Should Give You Reason To Pause…And Be Grateful

Don Yaeger November 22, 2019

Next weekend, we’re going to hear some rather strange game titles in the news. Iron Bowl. Egg Bowl. Palmetto Bowl. Clean, Old Fashioned Hate. The Game.

Just Desserts: How Ed Orgeron’s Open Eyes Turned LSU Into A Title Contender And What We Can Learn About Pivoting

Don Yaeger November 12, 2019

Going into this weekends’ biggest college football game, I asked my friends who they were taking: the LSU Tigers or the Alabama Crimson Tide? While the margin was closer than…

When Leadership Misses The Mark: Willie Taggart, FSU, And The One Thing You Need To Keep Handy In Times Of Transition

Don Yaeger November 5, 2019

Okay—complete transparency here. I live in Tallahassee, I’m a Florida State University season ticket holder, and I know there are other sports stories I could write about this week. But…

No Place Like Home? The Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, and When Home Field Advantage Might Hurt More Than It Helps

Don Yaeger October 29, 2019

It wasn’t long after Sunday night’s World Series Game 5 came to an end that I sat down to write this. Between the Series returning to Washington DC for the…

Become Someone Worth Following: New Cubs’ Manager David Ross Shows Us How To Go from Teammate To Team Leader

Don Yaeger October 23, 2019

When you write a book with someone, it’s kind of hard not to become a devoted admirer. I’ve partnered with some amazing people in my career, and I’ve come away…

You Are Worth It: Kyle Carpenter On Grenades, Marathons, Marine Service, And Taking Advantage Of Your “Bonus” Days

Don Yaeger October 14, 2019

It seems fitting, after a weekend that saw Eliud Kipchoge break the 2-hour mark for a marathon, that I’m writing about one of my favorite marathoners. You might have heard…

Feel the Heat: Dan Snyder, Bruce Allen, And The Washington Redskins’ Dumpster Fire Culture

Don Yaeger October 10, 2019

I travel sometimes for work, which means I spend a lot of time in airplane seats next to people I don’t know. I go out of my way to be…

Chasing Greatness Blog

Weekly leadership lessons learned from the world of sports.

Open Up To Learn Lessons: How You Can Help When The Times Are Turbulent

A Masterclass In Leadership: The Last Dance

If You’re Not Part Of The Pivot, You’re Part Of The Problem

See It To Seize It: How Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton Used A Ladder, Some Scissors, And A Little Magic To Capture A Title

A Step Of Faith: Nik Wallenda Walks Over Masaya Volcano To Chase Greatness And Shows How Anyone Can Live A Life Of Meaning

Become A Legend: Carolina Hurricanes Emergency Goalie David Ayres Teaches The Three Keys To ‘Seizing Your Moment’

Losing More Than A Title: Houston Astros Cheating Scandal Proves The Loss Of Reputation Is Greater Than Any Trophy

The XFL Becomes Football’s New Innovation Lab—and Shows You How to Turn Heads in Your Industry

Practicing To Fail: Duke’s Tre Jones, A Missed Free Throw And One Of The Best Business Lessons You’ll Ever Learn

Stay In The Game: Patrick Mahomes Delivers A Super Bowl Victory Because He Didn’t Give In

Keep Shooting Your Shot: A Kobe Bryant Memory And A Lesson In Greatness

A Piece Of Greatness: LSU’s Joe Burrow Delivers A Championship Moment After Delivering A College Football Title

Believe Enough To Sell It: Clemson’s Dabo Swinney Offers Three Lessons On Vision And Building Something Special

Even In His Absence, Tom Brady Reveals The Secret To Greatness That You Might Be Missing

Closing Your Circle: How The NFL’s Black Monday Can Spark Your Best Year Ever In 2020

The Eye Of The Beholder: What Your Business Should Learn from Drew Brees, Lamar Jackson, And Joe Burrow

The Tale Of Two Cities: How The Atlanta Falcons And New England Patriots Went In Opposite Directions After An Epic Super Bowl Comeback

Forget The Records: Why College Football’s Rivalry Week Should Give You Reason To Pause…And Be Grateful

Just Desserts: How Ed Orgeron’s Open Eyes Turned LSU Into A Title Contender And What We Can Learn About Pivoting

When Leadership Misses The Mark: Willie Taggart, FSU, And The One Thing You Need To Keep Handy In Times Of Transition

No Place Like Home? The Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, and When Home Field Advantage Might Hurt More Than It Helps

Become Someone Worth Following: New Cubs’ Manager David Ross Shows Us How To Go from Teammate To Team Leader

You Are Worth It: Kyle Carpenter On Grenades, Marathons, Marine Service, And Taking Advantage Of Your “Bonus” Days

Feel the Heat: Dan Snyder, Bruce Allen, And The Washington Redskins’ Dumpster Fire Culture

Contact Don Yaeger