Monday Morning Match is a 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.
Now It Gets Serious
It’s playoff season. The National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association have both begun their playoffs – season ending tournaments to crown a champion. In both sports, The East & West Conferences will battle in head to head series between the top 8 teams to identify a Conference Champion, who will then play in the league finals to determine the Stanley Cup champion and NBA Champion. In a best of 7 series, it’s pretty easy to understand that every game counts.
It’s no different in Major League Baseball where 30 teams just kicked off their 6+ month season of 162 games a few weeks ago but it won’t feel like “every game” counts until we get closer to the end and people start counting games. A loss in April counts just as much as a loss in late September but sports fans don’t seem to think of it that way.
Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson lost the Masters to Jordan Spieth by 4 strokes. Those four strokes weren’t necessarily shots made (or missed) on the back nine on Sunday, they could have been shots made (or missed) on Thursday. A fumble in the 1st quarter of a football game could prove to be just as costly as one that happens with 2 minutes left. the only thing that changes is the situation in the game at the moment.
It even happens in politics where the two major political parties have already started jockeying for votes in a presidential election that is still 20 months away. The fact of the matter is, votes could be won today…or lost. Every game counts.
Will This Week Make or Break Your Year?
It sounds silly to say that what you do…or don’t do…this week will have a major impact on your year but just like those first minutes of a game are just as important as the last few, it most certainly will have an affect. The appointments you schedule this week could lead to that one deal that helps you reach your goal. The connection you make this week at church, school or the gym might be the relationship that turns into several referrals later in the year. The listing you don’t get this week just might keep you from earning the recognition within your office, company or local board that you desire.
It’s easy to say I’m just going to sleep in today; I can run a little extra tomorrow. Skipping a business development activity that was scheduled on our calendar might not seem like a big deal now. We can find ways to justify that our efforts today weren’t going to work anyway.
Someone out there is working harder than you right now”
Don’t wait for the end of the game to make your move. Aim to win each day, each week and each month. Strive to schedule an appointment every day. Expect to get every listing you compete for (assuming the price, terms and commission are in you favor). Make one more phone call, send one more hand-written note or email just one more person. Knock on one more door. Just because hockey and basketball teams have the potential to play seven games, doesn’t mean they wouldn’t like to win the first 4 games to sweep the series so they can rest up and prepare for their next opponent.
Jump out to a comfortable lead on the front nine, the first leg of the race or the early innings of a game. Always know your opponents are there but never allow your focus to be on them instead of the outcome you desire.
Focus on building relationships, solving problems and having fun today better than your competition so you can win today. Then rest up…because you’ve got another game tomorrow and it counts as much as today.
Photo Credit: North Charleston via Flickr
Photo Credit: PeterThoeny via Flickr