B.Y.O.G. - Bring Your Own Guts

I am a Clemson University graduate and subsequently a fan of Clemson athletics.  I had the opportunity to attend the Clemson vs. Notre Dame Football game last Saturday. It was a hard fought battle on both sides that was decided by the last play in wet and windy conditions. I am big supporter of the Clemson head coach, Dabo Swinney, not because of his postgame dance moves or winning records, but because of the passionate way that he motivates and leads his team. Dabo constantly uses different techniques to push his team beyond what they may have believed they could achieve.  The sideline reporters love his post-game interviews because you never know what he is going to say, but you do know that it will be delivered with passion.  

After this week’s win, Coach Swinney said the following:

“It ain’t always perfect. But what I told them tonight was, listen, we give you scholarships. We give you, ah, you know, stipends, and meals, and a place to live. We give you nice uniforms. I can’t give you guts. And I can’t give you heart. And tonight, hey, it was B.Y.O.G. Bring your own guts. And they brought some guts and some heart and they never quit ’til the last play.”

This idea of Bring Your Own Guts translates to life beyond the playing field. In life, your ultimate success is up to you – you just need to have the guts to go for what you want and not quit along the way. There may be some level of risk involved and that is a good thing. I have always believed that any risk is not big enough if it does not make you nervous.

Dabo stated “It ain’t always perfect”, which is true of so many times in our lives. Though, if you believe in yourself and stay the course you have set, you can achieve your goal. You may not necessarily remember all the mistakes along the way, but you will remember the end result and a sense of deeper satisfaction for not giving up.

So ask yourself, do you B.Y.O.G. each and every day?

One final thought on this topic: If like Dabo you lead a team, then you may need to bring your own guts first. Sometimes you need to show your guts to inspire your team or peers to show their own guts.

Dabo Swinney B.Y.O.G. Post Game Interview Video