The World Cup – What’s the take away?

You were born with wings, why do you prefer to crawl through life? -Rumi

Whether you went to Brazil, were glued to a flat screen or were just a casual observer like me, World Cup Soccer definitely dominated national discourse over the last couple of months. Let’s face it; it’s the fans that make sports the sensation that it is. Face painting, shirt wearing, screaming, emotional fans express their loyalty and patriotism through undying team and player support. As a coach, I admire the players and those who coach them to be their personal best, even if they sometimes miss a goal, receive a penalty or lose a game.

In my observation, the best thing about the World Cup, however, was how it motivated so many diverse, multigenerational people from many countries to come together in community and cheer on athletes who were putting their heart and soul into a sport they love in the spirit of honor and pride. There was a general presence of healthy competition among co-workers, acquaintances, strangers, friends and families, debating over their favorite player or team. Heck, people switched support of countries as teams were eliminated from the rounds leading up to the finals.

The take away here is that we all are motivated to rally behind those who work hard to be their personal best and cheer them on. We love and want to emulate that behavior. It makes us proud of ourselves. The players have the benefit of the coach who observes their participation and makes them accountable to make adjustments in order for the team to be successful. Are you ready to train to be your personal best? Can you commit to do the work it takes to do what you love, receive the pride and support of your “community”, and be sustained on a journey of being all that you can be? Don’t think about it too long, ignite your passion now.