"Balloon Boy."

Everyone is talking about it. You can't watch TV or go online without seeing a reference to the story of the Heene family and the "hoax." And the now infamous CNN interview with six-year-old Falcon saying "We did it for the show." We did it for the show; that says it all doesn't it?

A couple, so desperate for celebrity, was willing to put their own young children smack in the middle of their stunt -- parents willing to exploit their own children to promote themselves -- it's disgusting. The thirst for fame in our society has become so strong and prevalent that at this point, I am no longer surprised at the lengths to which people will go to attain fame. Why? And what's wrong with fame?

Well, there nothing is wrong with wanting to be famous. The money, power and recognition that often come with fame can be quite alluring. The thing is that the majority of the people we would call famous did not set out to be famous. Whether it's Beyonce, Angelina Jolie or Barack Obama -- they didn't just decide to be famous and the do things to gain fame (the Paris Hiltons of the world aside).

These folks had a desire to excel at something and worked hard to achieve it. Sure, for many well-known people, fame was a desired component of success and that's okay, but it came ONLY through hard work and committing themselves to their craft or career. Don't believe me, just check out an episode of "driven" on MTV. But far too often these days we want to enjoy the fruits without the labor.

As a coach, I have often relayed the words of the wise Mr. Miyagi (Karate Kid) to my athletes. "Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die." Many of us want to be famous but have no interest in putting in the work. So we take shortcuts, looking for the fastest track to the spotlight. In lieu commitment and sacrifice, we go for stunts and gimmicks. We sing in our underwear in Times Square, sell ad space on our forehead or call the local news to tell them our six-year-old boy is trapped in a runaway helium balloon.

Instead of reaching for fame, work for success. If you are driven, devoted and dedicated -- you will be successful. And hey, you never know, fame just might be a nice reward for your success. Remember, there is difference between being famous and infamous.