Pregame dinner; warm ups; coin toss; locker room; intros and kick off.
You had a plan. You prepared all week based on the information your broke down ahead of time. You felt there were certain things you'd be able to do well and certain things you felt you may struggle with. You knew how you wanted to move the ball and knew how you wanted to stop them. You knew special teams and field position would be important. You knew limiting mistakes would be crucial. No fumbles, no interceptions, no costly penalties. You knew you had to stay positive and you knew you had to be focused.
Then they blitzed... and now you have to adjust. They're bringing pressure you didn't expect. Coverages you've never seen. They're showing things you didn't think you'd see. You're worried you're not as prepared as you thought you were and you're confidence is shaken. But no one can know. You're in charge, you're the leader, what are you going to do? You have to stay positive and keep with the plan but you also know you have to adjust. Not bail on your game plan but adapt. What are you going to do?
Now its raining and you didn't plan for that. The ball is slippery and the receivers are struggling to catch it. Its getting muddy and the offensive line is having troubles with their footing. Its raining so hard, the fans and band left.
Things are happening that you didn't know how to prepare for... you didn't even know this situation was a possibility... but here it is.
The beauty about football and sports?
For me, it's the clock. Knowing how much time is left.
(Take a second to re-read above and think how it relates to life.)
You planned, you thought you prepared well. You probably did. But life, like football, can throw you into some situations you weren't prepared for and didn't even know you should've prepared for. And we have to adjust and adapt or we'll "lose."
You knew what you wanted to get done, you had goals. In football, the ultimate goal is to win the game. And along that path, there are many mini goals that lead to the ultimate goal. A coach cant just blindly say "Our goal is to win," without other conversations like "we need to block better, we need to tackle better, we need to limit mistakes, we need to attack them here and protect here," and on and on. Maybe your goal is to own a home. So along to that goal is a path of several goals. Could be get a second job, start a savings account, save "x" amount per month and on and on. Many steps can lead to one goal.
You have to overcome adversity and know sometimes not everything is in your control. The team couldn't control the weather and the mud. The team couldn't keep the fans and the band with them. The only thing the team could control was how they would adjust and respond. In moments or phases of adversity, how will you react, adjust and respond? Cars break down, companies go out of business (some for very strange reasons), things happen... how will you react, adjust and respond?
But the clock is still in the background.... and that's the only analogy we cant really relate to. Our clock isn't in our site. We don't know when the game is over. We may know we're down two touchdowns and its 3rd and long... but we don't know we're already in the 4th quarter and we never really will. But we know we only have one "game," and we have to play it to "win."
Whats your "game?"
What are your goals? Can you see the mini goals along the road?
How are you preparing and planning?
How are you adjusting, adapting, reacting and responding?
How will you "win?"
**UPDATE**
A friend recently sent me an amazing youtube clip where a young man was training and there was a motivational speaker over the highlight. The speaker told a story of young man who wanted to be successful. The quote that has stuck with since and has really always been in my head is "When you want to succeed, as bad you want to breathe... then you'll be successful."
When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe. When you want to win as bad as you want to breathe. When you want to live as bad you want to breathe. When you want to _____ as bad you want to breathe.... then you'll be successful. Because remember, success is full go! Success is maximum effort! Success is going and going and going and working and doing every single thing you can, in every moment you can... when you want it as bad you need air! That's success.
One game. One life. Full go.
