Anyone who knows Keith knows he's a huge football fan. Maura, on the other hand, could go her entire life without watching a single football game and she'd be just fine. One Sunday while Keith was watching his team play, Maura said, "I don't get it. What's the appeal? All they do is hand off the ball and then smash into each other. Or once in a while they throw the ball, some guy catches it, and then he falls down. Then it seems like somebody always gets injured, they carry him off the field, and everybody claps."
When Keith told Maura that football is a metaphor for life, she said, "You have got to be kidding." So Keith explained that in football, you must take the game one play at a time, just as it's important to take life one day at a time. Like life, football is a game of inches; a long-range goal can ultimately be achieved by focusing on one little piece at a time.
To achieve success in football, you must play as a team. Each player has his own responsibilities -- his own job to do -- and if one player neglects his job, the whole play breaks down and ends up in a loss. In life, a company that works together as a team will experience not only success but also longevity. Without teamwork, the company breaks down and ends up losing business. When a highly accomplished football player acts like a superstar instead of a team player, he can alienate himself from the other players, attract negative press, and lower morale among team members and fans alike. The same goes for a company; one person trying to take on everything alone can result in that person burning out, leaving others with work they may not be prepared to handle.
Whether in business, personal relationships or the game of football, clear communication is key. If the communication is going well, then everyone feels good, people work well together and the result is a win. A very important part of communication is listening. In football, active listening can mean the difference between a big play and a big loss in yardage. The quarterback yells out a cadence before every play, and the players need to hear when the center is going to snap the ball to him. If the crowd noise is too loud, then the players must use another form of communication. They then have to tune in to each other for their cues. Isn't this true in life as well? When life gets too busy or too stressful, we don't always hear our own inner voice telling us which way to go, so we must rely on our colleagues, friends or family members for guidance and support.
The coach is a very important part of the football team. He is the one the players look to for support, consultation or the final word. A good coach can motivate a team that is losing at half time to come out and play with passion and heart, and end up winning the game. The game of life can also be improved by the support of a skilled personal or business coach, or the inspiration of a world-class mentor. A good coach will advise you and motivate you on your path to success. Your coach will hold you accountable to keep your commitments so you can reach your goals. A football coach is always a former football player who has had a successful career. No one's going to be motivated by a football coach who was a mediocre player. Likewise, a good mentor for you is someone who has achieved the kind of success that you want to achieve. You wouldn't ask a poor person how to be rich, or an obese person how to lose weight, or a person who's been divorced four times for relationship advice, would you? So choose your mentors wisely if you want to get real results.
And last, but not least, let's take a look at the role of focus. Focus is as important in the game of football as it is in every aspect of the game of life. In football, if a player loses focus for even one second, the result could be anything from a game-foiling fumble to a career-ending injury. In life, losing focus for a moment can cause us to make costly mistakes, and losing focus of our long-term career or relationship goals can rob us of our dreams and visions, leaving us unfulfilled and full of regrets. Indeed, our degree of focus will ultimately bring us success or failure, victory or injury, happiness or sadness.
So is football a metaphor for life, or just a silly game where people smash into each other and fall down? Maura was convinced; now we'll let you make the call.
Many Blessings,
Keith and Maura
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