|
Know When to Quit
by Lee J.
Colan, Ph.D.
Swooosh! The same sound I heard the last
three shots as I catch the basketball after it glides through
the net creating music to any shooters’ ears… swooosh.
“OK, you’re up 8 - 1”, I say to my 14 year
old son as I gasp for air and try to remember if my son knows
CPR. You know, just in case.
As he launched his next shot, I quickly
reminisce about the days when I would go half-speed and
purposefully miss shots to keep my little guy in the game,
trying to preserve his sense of accomplishment. The sound of
another swooosh yanks me back into reality: 9 - 1 now. Today I
am wishing robust competitor would repay me with the same
mercy. After all doesn’t he realize he is still my “little
buddy”….no such luck!
Then it hits me – not the basketball, but
my limiting thinking. Sometimes winners need to know when to
quit. No, not quit the game, but quit doing what’s not
working. I had been using the same playing strategy on my
changing (growing) opponent. If Dr. Phil was watching me he no
doubt would ask me, “So, Lee, how’s that working for you?”
Well obviously down 9 - 1, not very well.
So rather than drive to the basket and try to go over the
outstretched arms of my son who’s looking at me eye to eye, I
relied on his natural instincts to jump high. I stayed low and
laid up a scoop shot underneath his arms. A few moves like that
and I made the score respectable... and yes a victory for me.
Well, let me redefine victory. It is being able to walk off the
court unassisted. I will leave the victory based on the
scoreboard to the mightier species of basketball players like my
son.
As I gave my son a high five and walked off
our driveway court (unassisted, let me remind you), I thought
about how the inherently competitive nature of sports reveals
many lessons. Sometimes as if to say “Gee, I should have had a
V-8!” (as my cognitive light bulb goes off). I thought, how
many times I have been working harder and harder in my
business. The sense of frustration builds as there seems to be
no correlation between my efforts and improved results (my
business scoreboard). I am all about sticking to your plans
long enough to win, but winners also know when to quit.
They quit certain strategies and try new ones to get the results
they want.
Our competition is always changing, and so
are we. In fact, our biggest competitor is often our own
potential and our desire for the status quo. Often, our
goals are not as big as our hearts.
Get the Flash Player to see this video.
Don’t bask in the glory of victories gone by - your competition
certainly isn’t (mine surely wasn’t!). Old strengths might now
be weaknesses, but taken-for-granted abilities might now be your
greatest strength – experience, intuition, flexibility or even a
few “trick shots” you have always had up your sleeve. My
upcoming webinar will help you build new victories.
Know your competition, and know when to
quit so you can start winning!
Copyright © 2006-2008 by Lee J. Colan and The L
Group, Inc.
Return to Back Issues
|
