Love was in the air at The ASI Show Chicago as NFL legend Terry Bradshaw shuffled through the capacity crowd, shaking hands and hugging attendees during his keynote address on Thursday.

In his first time taking the stage in two years, the affable co-host and analyst of FOX NFL Sunday shared anecdotes, jokes and his principles for success. “The key ingredient for success is to love what you’re doing,” Bradshaw said. “Failure isn’t bad because that’s when we find out if we really love what we’re doing. Failure develops character.”

A former MVP for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bradshaw explained the concept of mirror economics, in which you look in the mirror every morning and are brutally honest with yourself. Don’t focus on your appearance, though, dig down deep and consider how you treat others. “Looking in the mirror reveals the truth,” Bradshaw said. “When you learn to care about human beings, you’ll see how your business and life grows.”

Of course, we’ve all experienced disappointment in our lives, Bradshaw said. It’s hard to believe, but the four-time Super Bowl Champion failed to make his school football team from fifth through eighth grade. “Why didn’t I give up? It was my calling and I knew it,” Bradshaw said. “So, I put in the work.”

While it’s up to you to prepare and do your homework, nothing can be accomplished in business and in life without teamwork. Nobody knows that better than the Hall of Fame quarterback. “I can’t call a play if nobody wants to run the routes or my offensive line isn’t looking out for me,” Bradshaw said. “We need one another. We won’t get anywhere in life without saying ‘thank you’ to somebody else.”

It's all about making a difference, Bradshaw declared. As a parent, spouse or entrepreneur, you should strive to do better than you did yesterday, and to make your better your best. “Am I going to leave a mark or am I just going to end up six feet in the ground? Do you want to be average or exceptional? It’s all up to you,” Bradshaw said.

In addition to pearls of wisdom and plenty of laughs, Bradshaw left three lucky attendees with autographed footballs.