This Sunday, two of the most storied franchises in the NFL will meet for the Super Bowl. Being a Steeler fan, I’ve been watching much of the circus that leads up to the gam, and through it all, I’ve continued to have the same thought…isn’t it time to play the game already!?!
I mean, all the hype the media makes in the 2 weeks between the conference championships and the Super Bowl is fun and all….seeing all the big name players perform the dance of words with the reporters, the back stories about how certain players got to where they are, and all the rest of it. But after almost 2 weeks of waiting and building the anticipation, enough is enough already! Bring on the game!
I’ve also been thinking about how all of this relates to life too. Think about it. We each have our own “back story” about how we got to where we are, we all have tough questions to answer throughout our lives, and most of all, we all have many chance to play on the big stage of life!
But many people suffer in what Thoreau called a quiet desperation. They sit in the stands and watch and wait for life to come to them. Or they become paralyzed with the fear of failure or think they aren’t “good enough” to succeed. So instead of getting in the game, they don’t even bother to take the chance. And by not taking the chance on winning, ultimately they lose. For the prize of life isn’t in “winning”, it’s in the trying. The struggling. The problem solving. It’s in getting in the game to begin with! That’s the game of life!
Some of you may actually be old enough to remember that game. It was a board game that was popular in the 60’s through the 80’s. the premise was to go through life going to school, getting a job, maybe having a family, etc. all the way to retirement. Oh, and there were consequences too, like going to jail and other things. But my point isn’t to talk about the Milton Bradley game from years gone by. It’s about the REAL game of life.
Life really is a game you know. There are rules, consequences for breaking them, payoffs for our actions, etc. And every move has possibilities. But the trick is you have to play it to even have a chance of winning. You can’t sit on the sidelines and watch others play. You actually have to take a turn and roll the dice and make you move. Because if you choose not to decide, you have still made a choice (thanks for the lyrics Geddy Lee!! Very profound indeed!!). What I mean is the only way to lose is to choose not to play. We’re all given a game piece and entry into the game, and we all start at the same point. So we all have the same chance to end up with what we want. But we have to make a move to even have that chance! We can’t be afraid to fail because failure is not an option if you play. The only way to truly fail is to not get in the game. To sit on the sidelines and watch others play the game and watch it all pass you by, taking it in like a spectator at a football game.
Just like Super Bowl week, the anxiety and hype that is built around the game can make even the most experienced players nervous. But in the end, the Super Bowl is like any other game during the regular season. It’s played on the same field, with the same measurements, the same rules, and the same intent. Those players lucky enough to play in the Super Bowl go through the circus week waiting and waiting and trying to keep their anxiety in check. But finally, the game comes and the best of them rise to the occasion and say “GAME ON!”. They get pumped up for it. They don’t allow the anxiety and stress of the previous week overwhelm them to the point they can’t play. They get in the game and make their move!
We should take the same attitude toward life. Instead of being paralyzed with fear and anxiety or hesitating because we’re afraid to lose, we should channel that energy into action! Take the leap and just do it! Every morning, instead of waking with the dread of what the day may bring or worrying about the possibilities of failure, get up and say “GAME ON!” and hit the ground running! Enjoy the journey. The prize isn’t at the end of the rainbow, or even at the end of the season like in football. The prize is the rainbow! It’s the journey that’s the payoff in life. Enjoy it!
Paul Bond is a Registered Nurse and award winning Nurse Educator who produces a twice monthly podcast called Emergency Nursing Today. His company, Paul Bond & Associates Consulting, offers courses and coaching on such topics as positive thought, reaching your potential and improving your life experience. He also offers courses for continuing education credit for health professionals through PhoenixCE. The podcast can be found on iTunes, and PhoenixCE offers  “podcast extras” for more in-depth coverage of the podcast material.
Paul is also the President of the Morning Coach advisory board and currently pursuing his coaching certification through Morning Coach.
Follow Paul on his journey and learn more by visiting his website at http://www.paulbond.com. If you enjoyed this post, or have a comment about it, he would enjoy hearing from you! You can email him at paul@paulbond.com
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Many people today seem to be quite alright with paying lip service to values. Case in point is the words we say to each other. Many people say they will do things to help others, or make promises to someone. But when it comes right down to it, do they really mean they will follow through with what they offered? It would seem we have forgotten an age old saying….”let your actions speak louder than your words”. This simple yet very powerful statement carries a lot of weight. Although I wonder how many of us truly live by it?
Paul Bond is a Registered Nurse and award winning Nurse Educator who produces a twice monthly podcast called 
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