I have been working with my 12-year-old son in understanding the importance of effort. He is gifted in so many ways (both my children are), but he still hasn’t quite learned to go full throttle. He is beginning to learn the consequences of not giving his best effort all of the time—“one-hundred percent one-hundred percent of the time.” In Saturday’s football game, he was in only 11 plays other than his special teams assignments. I could tell it frustrated him—as I hoped it would. Now, he has a decision to make.
We all think we should be getting more—we should be better paid, be promoted, etc. The question is: are we willing to put in the necessary effort? Moreover, are we willing to accept that our effort may not bring the desired reward? I trust that, too often, we are not. I know that I could have done more at critical times in my life.
George Halas is spot on. There are no regrets when we give our best effort—when we “leave everything in this room.” Regret is nothing more than an opportunity to change our approach.
My son, has a choice this week. He can choose to muster the necessary passion and show his coaches that there is desire behind the talent they already see, or he can keep underperforming. I appreciate that the coaches are trying to draw out that passion. This is opportunity.
We frequently hear of people being privileged, and some are. But there is something that is often lost with privilege. That is hunger. It is a disadvantage to the man who has everything handed to him. Andrew Carnegie wrote that he would prefer to pass his business on to someone with humble beginnings—who has the hunger for success. No matter where one finds him/herself on the privilege spectrum, he or she must work to succeed. Some must work harder than others, but anything less than one’s best is unacceptable.
We cheat ourselves and we cheat those around us (e.g., our teammates) when don’t give “one-hundred percent one-hundred percent of the time.” We must push ourselves and, thereby, push (or pull) others toward success. Every moment is an opportunity to get better and to be better. Even our opponent (as weak as he or she might be) deserves our best, as it makes them better, as well—and what is the point of competition if it is not competitive.
Today, may we challenge ourselves and those around us. We all get better when we demand everyone’s best effort.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!