Soccer is More Than Life, It’s Business

Haruki Murakami wrote a book titled What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. In it he states; “When I’m running I don’t have to talk to anybody and don’t have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can’t do without.” This one statement made perfect sense to me, and a big reason this book is quickly becoming an integral part of my present life. As running is life for him, soccer, is life for me. When I play, I am focused on nothing else but the game. To me it is an extension of who I am off the pitch. Soccer, like running, can offer us many lessons about many things. I thought I’d take a few minutes to share how soccer, the most graceful sport on earth, teaches me both life, and business lessons. I’ve said a bunch of this, in one form or another on previous posts but this is going to be a bit more concise, focused, collection.

• Pre-Game Waiting is the Worst: The number one time that you will psyche yourself out is standing at the midfield line, waiting for the ref to blow the whistle, starting the game. In any presentation you give, the number one time that you will psych yourself out is that final minute before you take center stage. Learn to accept the fact that you have done all you can to prepare for this. Accept the fact that, while you have control over the outcome, you really have no control at all.  Accept that you cannot prepare for every possible outcome. Roll with it.
• Addressing the Ball: I have spent countless hours in my life kicking a soccer ball. From long ball shots, to short quick passes, I have focused on how I approach the ball in any number of situations. Those couple steps that bring you into alignment with the ball so that you can effectively kick the crap out of it, is called addressing the ball. I only became proficient at addressing the ball by doing it. I will only perfect the art of the proposal by doing it, over and over again. I will only become better at addressing my clients by consistent practice. Address the ball over and over again. Address the client, over and over again.
• Capitalize on every advantage, hopefully: When, in the middle of a match, you gain the advantage, the last thing you want to do is to let that slip through your fingers. This concept may seem very elementary, and hardly worth mentioning, but the application of the concept is much harder to effectively do, every single time. When I intercept a pass, I have a matter of seconds to decide on the best course of action, and act on it. Many times it is the wrong move, many times it is the right move. Which ever the move is, right or wrong, I must live with it. No action gets a redo, but I can at least get better at moving forward after making the play.
• Play the ball, not the player: The players legs and feet have a way of lying to you. You will get faked out if you concentrate on what they are trying to make you think the ball is about to do, instead of what the ball is actually doing. Even then, you will still get faked out. The point is that you don’t make it personal, meaning focusing on the individual instead of the important object is the wrong point of focus. Yes, this game is, on many levels, between your team and theirs. This game is also between you and the ball. Learning to separate the two will also teach you the difference in business.
• It is All Trial and Error: When I go head to head against someone, I win sometimes, and sometimes not. what I do with this is of the most importance. If I win, I probably cannot win that way again so what will I do to beat them again? If I loose, it is basically the same question. This time though I’m focused on the adjustments that need to be made to beat the player the next time. Some things will work, some won’t. Can’t be afraid to try, can’t be afraid to get beat.
• You will not Succeed if You Don’t Live in the Moment: You must be focused on the game to the exclusion of all else if you hope to be successful. Nuff said.
• You Will Fail: And that is perfectly OK. In soccer, business, and life, failure is built into the equation. It’s all about what you do with it. You will not get better if you don’t evaluate what as happened, win or fail. Again, nuff said.

Soccer, and running, is for me, very spiritual. Being on the pitch, I get an opportunity to refocus myself. It has been nice to gain that competition back. I am better for it. Running, is a bit different. Like Murakami said, “When I’m running I don’t have to talk to anybody and don’t have to listen to anybody.” Nor, do I have to think about anything in particular. I am free to let my mind wander, thoughts passing through, like clouds across the sky, and with each falling step, I sort through my issues. Each step gets me closer to a unified me.

To be different, focused, exceptional, or passionate in business, I must be these things in my personal life. There really is no separating them.