Today is Wednesday, so this post is on outstanding performance.
As everyone in the US knows by now, the New York Giants won the Super Bowl on Sunday. They beat the New England Patriots in what is probably the second biggest upset in Super Bowl history. (I think that Joe Namath and the New York Jets’ upset of the Baltimore Colts is the biggest.)
There was one play that really captured the people’s attention – the Eli Manning pass to David Tyree late in the game. I’m sure you’ve seen it replayed a million times. It was a remarkable play. Eli should have been tackled for a loss, and David Tyree made an almost impossible catch. But, that’s how big games are won. Big players make big plays.
The Giants are champions. Good for them. Eli is the Super Bowl MVP and a hero. Good for him. When we watch outstanding performances like the entire Giants team turned in on Sunday, it’s easy to forget how much effort goes into getting ready to be able to play like a champion on game day.
I came across a great quote from Mia Hamm, America’s most famous woman soccer player in the January 2008 issue of Women’s edge magazine (www.womensedgemagazine.com). “The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking. True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts.”
Winning performance on the playing field comes from the willingness to work hard on the practice field. Outstanding performers in business need to work hard; just like champion athletes. I was in Orlando last week. I did three talks at a convention. Cathy was with me on this trip. Every night she sat on the bed in our hotel room and listened to me practice the talk I was going to do the next day. I went through it out loud. I did this because I wanted to make sure that I would give a knock out performance when I was in front of my audiences.
At the end of the week, I was hoarse – from the practice as well as the talks. My hoarse voice was the speaker’s equivalent of Mia Hamm’s athletes drenched in sweat.
The common sense point in all of this is simple. If you want to become an outstanding performer, you have to work at it. Create a plan and then work it. If your plan isn’t working, don’t be afraid to revise it. Stay focused on what you want to accomplish. Be tenacious, don’t let setbacks, small or large deter you from reaching your goal. Find a coach or mentor to help you. Most of all, believe in yourself. Believing is half the battle – just ask the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. I am not posting regularly on my www.CommonSenseGuy.com blog right now, as I want to concentrate on this one. It is still up though. Please don’t cancel your RSS feed as I will be posting there occasionally. And, you can still get a free ebook version of my book 4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations by visiting www.CommonSenseGuy.com .
I’ll see you around the web and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand, my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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