Author Archives: Tom Purvis

It’s easy when I show you the answer!

I ask a question. Class stares at the machine/person/whatever like it’s going to magically appear. Then I show them. Some still don’t see. Others think they’ve got it… Then I ask them to come show me Some still have no clue Others do… at least in that scenario. For the ones who “get it” it’s […]

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“Let’s just agree to disagree.”

Nope! Not possible! And you’re not going to get off the hook that easily!!! Again… the subject of opinions! All too often in a discussion dependent on objective facts, people want to “disagree”. People need to understand that when you “disagree” with contextually accurate facts, evidences, and thoroughly explored, logic-based rationales, you are NOT expressing […]

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“I think it’s…”

“I think it’s good equipment.” Really? Strength equipment is not subjective. It’s design is either consistent with human motion and strength profiles or it isn’t! Your endorsement of something that is objectively “not good” doesn’t make the equipment any better. It simply exhibits your ignorance of the facts! Even if the equipment you believe is […]

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“Just win baby!” -Al Davis

“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing” is a well-known quotation in sports. It is attributed to UCLA Bruins football coach “Red” Sanders. Such quotes are seemingly inspirational. In truth they are highly contextual. How do you measure winning? Why are the winners of a game worshiped… and then later frowned upon when it is […]

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“Intellectual Immaturity”

I have presented at many different levels from virtually exercise professional kindergarten to well beyond PhD. Sometimes the level is above the audience, sometimes it’s below… or at least a few of them think it’s below them. And over the past three decades of presenting nationally and internationally I can’t count how many times have […]

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stupid quotes: “you miss 100%…”

On my list of stupidest quotes ever uttered is “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” I bet statisticians have an f’n hey day with that!!! So let’s apply the logic… Your kid breaks 100% of the toys he doesn’t own! (that’s why toys r us went bankrupt) You go to jail for […]

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Failure…

The Perceptions, Realities, and Benefits of Failure “If you tried to do something but couldn’t, you are far better off  than if you had tried to do nothing and succeeded.” -John Ragland, Jr It is likely that over the years you have heard many quotations like the one above on the subject of failure. They […]

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“…20 years of experience…”

“I’ve been doing it for 20 years…” is a often heard statement used to support one’s beliefs in the way to do something and potentially a degree of hands-on knowledge forged in the most important aspect of the process of life-long learning that is mastery, mistakes followed by endless the process of attempted correction called […]

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