Preparing for life like a football quarterback
Part I
In some cities residents say college football is like a religion. Religion is a principle or system of beliefs followed by others with faith. What people mean is football is an institution that has a devoted group which honors the practice with intensity. Using religion to describe a sport is one way to depict the extreme vigor that people embody for the sport around the world.
I like seeing the unity of the players on the field, dressed in the same color, walking in stride to begin the game. Sideline players, cheer leaders and coaches are the most nervous on the field as they shout affirmations of greatness to the teams on the field.
For me the most aspiring part of the game is watching the quarterback’s level of concentration, sheer will to play through pain and determination to progress the ball yard by yard down the field and score a touchdown.
The fans only see the four-hour performance and they expect a winning outcome. They never see the preparation.
• Intense practices to demonstrate fitness and endurance in a 4-hour game.
• Sacrificing personal time to study film tapes and learn all possible offensive plays for game day
• Sacrificing personal stats to lead plays that result in team wins.
Each week teams return to the football field to contend for another win. The players are representing their school, respect amongst college football peers, prospecting NFL teams, media and friends. The relentless pursuit of those accolades is witnessed every Saturday for nearly 4 months. At times, the pursuit rival’s sheer desperation to be better than the week before, to be stronger than the year before, to be categorized as elite athletes.
Teams returning from a winning week enter the stadium with cheers from fans to be unbeatable, unbreakable, and legends. Teams returning after a loss are welcomed back to shouts of courage, perseverance and hope.
The nation watches weekly as the quarterbacks and their teammates grow, develop and mature into seasoned players. This is a role that has an embedded pressure to be on all the time.
As I watch the players I connect with that pressure. I think these feelings resonate with all of us as we contest with life every day.
Everyone prepares the night before to show up for the following day. We spend thousands of dollars investing in ourselves. The investment may be in education, acquiring skills, building our people network, developing a craft or a combination of each. We spend our time and money on where our heart is. Where our dedication resides. Where we want respect. Few witness the preparation:
- Sacrifices of personal time studying and practicing our craft for public presentation.
- Allocating time to nurture relationships and connections in our professional and personal lives.
- Investments into our appearance.
Every day we deliver an 8-hour performance. We enter Corporate or entrepreneurial work, everyday life, or school to deliver our 8-hour performance. We are fighting for our strategy, vision, resources, our voice and employment. We are striving to be relevant, for access, to win the confidence of others and promotion.
Our colleagues and peers only see our 8-hour performance. They watch what we expose. They are studying us like athlete’s study film. They are mastering our attributes that are applauded and taking mental notes of our weaknesses.
They take noticed that we have been preparing and in this moment we are prepared and are positioning ourselves to win.
Are you taking the steps to prepare for life like a quarterback?
I write this for myself and everyone out there that has worked tirelessly to prepare for their definition of success. You experienced sleepless nights, invested in yourself with books and coaches. Your financial budget was used to fund your ideas and activities that honed your expertise. The money sacrifice is respectable but there is not a price tag for the hours, minutes and seconds spent to be brilliant.
At times, the cycles of preparation can create immense pressure. But like a true quarterback when our backs are against the wall our vision intensifies and we always see an opening for progress. Do not become fatigued with preparation because that results in procrastination. If you procrastinate then when access is granted, you will not be ready. And quarterbacks are always ready!
During this football season I am more tuned in to the heart of the game. I am witnessing the public display of countless hours of preparation. I applaud you all. I recognize you. I recognize the heart. We all recognize you because that is our heart too!
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Courtney Jamille Stoner
