It’s almost time for kickoff of Superbowl XLVIII (48 for those that are Roman Numeral illiterate). As the Denver Broncos take the field for the AFC and the Seattle Seahawks take the field for the NFC, many people will be gathering around the stadium in New York, as well as around their televisions to watch the event. Parties will be taking place, and fans of these teams will be happy or sad by the time the game is over. Fantasy football will be at it’s peak, with the winners showing their pride in selecting the right team for their season.
But for me, it’s one of the first times that I do not care who wins. In so many years past, I have either had a team there that I really wanted to see win the game, or, in many cases, there may have been a team I really did NOT want to win the game (that has happened a lot lately).
But as these two teams take the field, I see myself sitting back and just enjoying the game of football. I get to enjoy just watching two teams go head to head for the Vince Lombardi Superbowl Trophy, and be happy or sad based on who wins it. I have been known to be superstitious about the fact that I can control the win or loss of a team, simply by ‘willing’ the team to win or ‘wishing against’ the team I hope will lose. There are now some very funny commercials about football superstitions (“It’s only weird if it doesn’t work!”).
I thought about this over the weekend, and it struck me as a great metaphor for how we should look at events in our day to day life. Too many times we position our lives as if it is the Superbowl and we are ‘required’ to pick a team we want to win or a team we hope will lose. We see events at work or in our personal lives as ones in which we must either win or lose – and there will be no room for a break even, or even a win-win situation.
My challenge to each of you, is to step back and examine how you approach each event in your daily life. Are you struggling with everything that is going on? Are you trying to drive things to a win at all costs? Are you subconsciously wishing for someone to lose? If so, think about the situation – is it truly important? Take yourself out 6 months, 1 year, 5 years and ask yourself if this is really important enough to be anxious, losing sleep, or worried about.
So as I sit back and relax with no tension for a team to win or lose, I ask you the following… what can you sit back and relax about tomorrow, this week? or this month? What things can you stop worrying about and let the ‘game of life’ take it’s course. Focus on the important things. There are many things in which you MUST worry, and you MUST win at. But that list of things is probably much shorter than the one you are carrying with you right now.
Work the list. Everyday is a new kickoff and it starts off with 1st down and 10 yards to do. It’s your decision how you plan the plays to be successful.
Enjoy your game!
Mike W. Lyles 