Burning-Match -derek-GaveyMonday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

All In One Rhythm

Have you been glued to the television coverage of The World Cup? What many people say is the greatest sports spectacle in the world, the quadrennial soccer tournament featuring teams from all over the globe is being played this year in Brazil. The passion and pageantry are amazing and even the casual sports fan has been tuning in to watch the United States team. “All In One Rhythm” is the World Cup tagline and it not only embodies the carnival-like atmosphere of the host country but also the syncronicity of how the game of soccer is played at the highest level.

I’ll be the first to admit I am not a soccer fan. To me it’s a very boring sport to watch while others will call it “the beautiful game.” As a sports fan though I tune in to the games and follow the results. Much of the game seems to be played “in reverse” with players kicking the ball backwards to teammates in order to move forward around the defenders. There is minimal scoring with many games finishing with a 1-0 score of the dreaded “draw” – a.k.a “tie.” Then there is the aspect of the players seeming to flop every time they are lightly touched by an opponent, as if they were shot by a sniper sitting atop the stadium.

14071918886_0637d7b283Of course, very rarely are the players actually hurt. They are strategically seeking to rest and perhaps even draw a foul on an opponent or a free kick which could help their team. If the infraction happens in the penalty box, it could even result in a penalty kick – a chance for one player to kick a shot from 12-yards in front of the goal with no defenders except the other team’s goalie.

The other thing the casual sports fan will notice during these “injury” moments is the clock never stops the way it would in football, basketball or hockey. An official actually is keeping track of the time when the game is not being played and tacks that time on to the end of each half. When the 45 minutes of each half has been reached, the teams continue on in what’s called “stoppage time.” The game continues with everything still intact – the same rules, the same score and no rest for the weary players. Players continue to attempt to gain advantage and score because they really do not know when the whistle will blow to signal the end of the half or game.

In a number of occasions during the tournament, teams have scored goals (or missed them in the case of some teams) during this stoppage time. The two biggest were probably Portugal tying the game against the United States with less than thirty seconds remaining and the Netherlands scoring on a controversial penalty kick against Mexico during the extra, added time. (While I was writing this, Greece also scored “the equalizer” – a tying goal in stoppage time only to go on and lose to Costa Rica in a sudden death shootout of penalty kicks)

Even after these late heroic goals, the teams kept playing because there was still more time to go. The final whistle hadn’t been blown so the effort needed to stay at 100% and players still had to believe they could win and execute as best they could.

What If We Had Stoppage Time in Real Life?

If there was some bonus time added on to all of our activities, decisions and days, would we try as hard before the expected end? Remember, there’s no clock showing how much stoppage time you’re going to get.

Would we make one more phone call? Knock on one more door? Send one more email? Who knows what might happen if we kept trying with 100% focus and determination.

Could we follow-up with clients and make sure they were satisfied with our service and that their experience was truly memorable? Or are you content taking your commission check to the bank and hoping everything will turn out okay?

If the future of your business depended on you securing one more appointment, one more client or one more signed agreement, would you give everything to make it happen the way the World Cup athletes are trying to help their country advance for a chance to play for the presitgious title?

Maybe it’s time for us all to stop thinking we can’t do any more or that we’re too late to make something amazing happen.

Put yourself in position, hustle, trust your instinct and use your head. And maybe say this to yourself over and over until you hear the final whistle…

“I believe that we will win!”

 Click here to see video

 

Photo Credit: Derek Gavey

Photo Credit: Jorge in Brazil