Review of “Elevate and Dominate” by Deion Sanders

Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)

Elevate and Dominate by the incomparable Deion Sanders might just be the best non-fiction book we've read this year!
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Elevate and Dominate is an absolutely phenomenal motivational, inspirational, and instructional book crafted by someone who has walked the talk and succeeded in virtually every aspect of life—an NFL Hall of Famer, two-time Super Bowl Champion with the 49ers and Cowboys, eight-time Pro Bowler, the only player to appear in both a Super Bowl and a World Series, and now the head coach of Colorado Buffaloes, en route to guiding them to the greatest turnaround in NCAA history!

Why wouldn't you want to learn from this man?

In this book, Sanders outlines his 21 ways/principles for success.

One of the first big takeaways we had from this coach is to always be willing to learn and to always be coachable. The best are always learning, not just stuck in their ways. Even Sanders himself is always learning.

Perhaps the best explanation he gives is encapsulated in the quote: “Sometimes, when you're in the fight, you can't see the bigger picture. That's where I come in. I'm a FIXER. I've always been a FIXER. And I'm always gonna be a FIXER.”

Essentially, this is saying that we're often blind to our own mistakes and weaknesses. These are things that coaches, teachers, and mentors can point out to us, providing constructive criticism that can build us up and make us better and better.

Authors and writers fall victim to this “blindness” a lot. They will often be so familiar with their own writing, their own thoughts, and their own ideas that they are blind to what the typos they make or how their writing or ideas might not make sense to some readers. That's where editors and proofreaders come in.

Coach Prime says that while many see him as naturally gifted and talented—associating his success purely to that—“this game is about more than talent—a lot more. I’ve always been driven to do and know more.” He talks about how he constantly watched film (of himself and players on other teams) and studied as much as possible. This is why he was able to know where the ball would be thrown a lot of the time or how he would run routes for receivers. In life, you should be always trying to learn and get better. Hard work can trump talent when talent doesn't work hard and/or isn't prepared. Just look at Mike Tyson versus Buster Douglas in 1990.

Part of being a better person is knowing yourself and being genuine. Prime humorously calls this “getting naked.” To "get naked" means to be honest and vulnerable, confronting one's true self without pretense or façade. Sanders believes that only by being fully transparent and authentic can people make genuine progress in life, face their challenges, and achieve personal growth. This concept of "getting naked" is foundational in his coaching and motivational style, as he urges his players and readers to confront their fears, insecurities, and weaknesses openly, enabling them to build true strength and resilience.

This also highlights Coach Prime's charisma and infectious sense of humor, using an uncomfortable analogy (like “getting naked”) to convey a meaningful message to the learner.

Prime breaks the ice by promising to “get naked first,” talking about himself at his best as well as at his worst. Indeed, we get some emotional and riveting stories about Prime's darkest days including the time he survived driving his car off a 30-40 foot cliff or when he was on the verge of dying due to blood clots in his leg, begging, “Take my leg, take my foot, take my toes—whatever. But don’t take my life.” He talks about creating his alter-ego, “Prime Time,” as a way of pushing past personal insecurities, using it almost like a suit of armor around a much frailer and vulnerable person. These are truly some of the most powerful and emotional passages in any book we've read.

He tells readers that “It's ok not to be ok.” In other words, everyone is imperfect. Everyone is going through things. Everyone has weaknesses, whether they want to admit it or not. Don't make a situation worse and be down on yourself because things didn't go perfectly, you don't feel good, or you made a mistake. Do the best you can from here on out. You can't control the past, you can only control what you do now.

He tells us: “Yesterday is GONE. Tomorrow is not here yet. You need to think about the day you’re actually in. DON’T MISS THAT DAY. If I concentrate on my day and get that day’s stuff done, it’s going to prepare me for tomorrow.”

He continues: “Just stay in the PRESENT and establish a good routine. Block all the other stuff out. If you don’t, it will eat you alive. Trust me.”

Speaking of being genuine, you can really tell that Prime genuinely cares about helping and teaching people, particularly young people. Sanders started a youth sports organization called TRUTH. Initially intended as a single team, TRUTH quickly expanded to multiple teams across different age levels and sports, including football, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, and track and field. Sanders’s mission with TRUTH was not just to develop athletic skills but also to instill life values in young athletes. He emphasized academic performance, requiring participants to maintain a certain GPA, and brought in full-time tutors to support their education.

Through TRUTH, Sanders aimed to nurture leadership qualities, encouraging kids to aspire to be CEOs and leaders rather than followers. His approach combined sports with life skills, focusing on discipline, education, and personal growth for a diverse group of young athletes.

We're also told about the tremendous work and progress he made at Jackson State College as well as the current work and progress that's being made at Colorado, which is (at the time of this writing) one of the top-ranked teams in the Big 12 Conference after being 1-11 two years ago.

Prime talks about how he's “raising those kids to be CEOs, not employees. Leaders, not followers. They thought we were teaching them football, which we were, but we were also teaching them life by being demanding of them on the field and in the classroom.”

Sanders shares his sense of calling to make a positive impact on others, especially young people. For Sanders, feeling "needed" is not just a sense of duty but a divine purpose. He views his talents and experiences as gifts meant to serve a greater good, inspiring him to take on the challenges and responsibilities of coaching and mentoring. This belief drives his commitment to helping others reach their potential and face adversity with strength and purpose.

This book has an extremely conversational tone and writing style, which is authentic in itself. However, Coach Prime is able to use this tone and writing style to tell beautiful, powerful, engaging, and entertaining stories.

It's not unusual for celebrities to employ ghost writers to craft their books. However, Coach Prime's writing is uniquely his own. If you've seen him write on social media, for example, you know what we mean! It's not perfect writing with perfect structure and grammar. However, it's RAW. It's REAL. Props to Simon & Schuster (the publisher) for allowing Deion Sanders to go wild and retain his unique voice.

Prime encourages readers to read this book with a pen in hand, underlining, circling, and/or highlighting parts that resonate with them the most or that teach them something new or special. He says that part of the purpose of this book is to help readers to find their “personal navigation system.”

A "personal navigation system" is a metaphor for inner guidance and purpose. He describes how his own life experiences, faith, and values help him navigate challenges and guide his decisions. This "navigation system" is not just about setting goals but about understanding who you are, where you're headed, and how to stay aligned with your core values and mission. Sanders encourages readers to develop their personal navigation system by focusing on self-awareness, purpose, and discipline.

Some of the most powerful quotes from Prime's stories, particularly involving his near-death experience in the hospital and the loss of his toes, are:

- “God always gives his largest struggles to his strongest soldiers”

- “The strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire. That means when you’re going through a tough time, that’s when you’re being tempered and strengthened. That pain won’t last forever. It’s there to make you GROW. To make you jump higher, run faster, and be better.”

- “The enemy is trying to disrupt my MOBILITY. He’s mistaking it for my ABILITY. He thinks if he stops my MOBILITY, he can stop my ABILITY. That’s not true.”

Circumstances may have taken his toes and nearly taken his life, but they haven't taken his ability to inspire and communicate.

He is even able to use his supposed disadvantage and an advantage to fire up his players, saying: “I am eight toes down, behind you all the way.” In other words: I am doing all I can with what I have and the cards that I have been dealt, I expect you to do the same.

Sanders introduces the "Three W's" as essential components of his coaching and life philosophy: Will, Work, and Wisdom. First, Will represents the inner drive and determination necessary to achieve success. It’s about having the resilience to push through obstacles and stay focused on goals. Work is the relentless effort and dedication that transforms intentions into results. Sanders believes that talent alone is not enough; consistent hard work is what truly brings progress. Finally, Wisdom is the understanding gained from experience and reflection. It enables one to make informed decisions, learn from past mistakes, and guide others. Together, the Three W's form a powerful framework for not only achieving success but also building character and leading a purposeful life.

Also, be willing to work and be consistent at that work. One of the best examples he gives of this is of his step-dad, who “worked as a foreman for Wickes Lumber. And he put on a uniform every morning.
I suppose he didn’t like it. He definitely didn’t love it. And there were times that I’m sure he didn’t want to clock in. Sometimes he was too exhausted. But nevertheless, I would peek out of my room and see him in his uniform, ready to go to work. I would always see him in the kitchen, getting something to eat before going to work. He was PROVIDING something for us. No matter how he felt, he fulfilled his duty to his family. That made an IMPRESSION on me.”

Always go to work. Always do your duty. Stay on the grind, whether you like it or not.
Trust the process.

By the way, this section of the book, which talks about the power of a uniform, gives us one of the best quotes in the book: “WHEN YOU LOOK GOOD, YOU FEEL GOOD. WHEN YOU FEEL
GOOD, YOU PLAY GOOD. AND WHEN YOU PLAY GOOD, THEY PAY GOOD.”

There are so many amazing stories in this book, like the time when he played with a hammertoe and still almost had a pick-6 to the time when Coach Dave Capel let him play for Fort Myers Rebels in a better part of town. He noticed that all the parents in that part of town owned something, had big driveways, pools, and ate together. That gave him something to aspire to. It also highlights how one person giving you a chance, like Coach Capel did, can make all the difference in a person's life.

There are a few funny and amusing stories as well, like when Shiloh Sanders (his son) was late for a Gillette Commercial and forgot/didn't know his lines. Boy, was Papa Prime disappointed!

This book also says a lot about setting priorities. Speaking of which, we get this awesome quote: “If your problem is about money, it’s not a problem. You can get more money. If it’s about health, that’s different.”

You only get one life and one body, don't trade it away for superficial things.

This is such an excellent book full of great stories and lessons.

Check it out on Amazon!