Gary Neville's 18-word message that GAA legend says is key to success

Irish Daily Mirror

4 hours ago

Tipperary hurling legend Liam Sheedy believes sport is bigger than just winning or losing on any given day.
As well as having a positive impact on your mental and physical health, engaging in sport at any level can develop characteristics that can transfer to work and to the hectic nature of modern life.
Sheedy cited his own experience, as well as conversations with Manchester United legend Gary Neville on how sport has shaped his personality.
'I suppose at the end of the day, they all want to win,' he said of the Tipperary teams he has managed to two senior All-Ireland hurling titles.
Sheedy was speaking on the latest episode of Electric Ireland's GAA Minor Moments podcast.
He continued: 'They are on a relentless pursuit of getting the best out of themselves.
'In some ways, if you are getting the best out of yourself, you are winning. Media, etcetera, they'll all focus on the result. But most teams, if they win half the time, they are doing well. You don't win every day.
'And I think they have an ability to believe in themselves, and they have an ability to… Gary Neville has a great line where he says, 'I'm going to attack every day and I'm going to show up again tomorrow; win, lose or draw'.
'So, it's just taking that approach to life that says, I'm going to dust myself down and go again.'
According to Sheedy, the skills he learned on the pitch as a youngster prepared him for a successful business career.
'I only have the one set of tools. Whether I'm in a boardroom or in a dressing room, it's the same Liam Sheedy that you get,' he said.
'A lot of my skills, a lot of my character and how I was moulded has come from the pitch, and I managed to transfer those skills over to work, because they are fully transferable.
'There certainly wasn't anything in my DNA at 17 or 18 years of age that would have said I'd have gone on to have senior leadership roles in companies.
'I think that's the beauty of sport and about being curious and trying to get the best out of yourself. Doors have a habit of opening.
'My mother was very supportive of me throughout my life and having that strong backing, if you believe in yourself, go for it.
'She used to always say, try to give as much as you can in life, because life's a reflector. Whatever you give, you get back.
'If you give abuse, you'll get it back. If you give positivity, you'll get it back too.
'We should listen to the people who know best and the ones that have all the experience, because you are learning everyday.'
One key lesson that he passes onto any young hurler whose path he crosses is that talent is only one part of success in sport.
'I think character is everything,' he said. 'As I often say to my panels, talent might get you in the door, but it's your character that will determine how long you'll stay.
'I think the GAA have an awful lot to offer in what they give.
'I'm 55 now and it's a much more complex world that people are having to grow up in now, and I don't think the club and the community has ever had a more important role in society and in providing those kids a safe place where you can go down and express yourself and enjoy yourself, and get the best out of yourself.
'You can get all of those skills that you need in life and in work, they are all going for free, they really are all going for free. So I think the GAA has an important role to play.
'Whether you play minor for Tipp or minor for Longford, or whether you just play for your club, if you are playing and you continue to play, I think you are surrounded in a really good group.
'As I said, the kids of today, they have to deal with a lot more than we had to deal with, with social media.
'Look, it's just not simple anymore for kids, but I think the GAA has to be the heartbeat of every community.
'I think if you are in the GAA you have the best chance possible of getting the best out of yourself over your hurling career, footballing career and your business career.'