Do You Have March Madness?
The television in my house is alive with whistles, cheering crowds, and the din of commentators trying to explain the exciting moments that we are watching. It is college basketball's tournament season and I love every minute of it - although, that was not always the case. My interest in basketball was piqued during the 11 years I worked for one of the campuses in the Indiana University system. You couldn't work for IU without catching tournament fever. Over the years, I have participated in office "pools" and never won. However, it gave me lots to talk about with colleagues. "Did you see last night's game? Can you believe that shot at the buzzer?" Or, "The refs blew that call!" It has also taught me the value of time.
One of the most important concerns of any basketball team is time. How much time is left in the half, how much time is left on the shot clock? And, I think, the most important of all, how many TIME OUTS do we have left? It is the TIME OUT that I find most interesting. Ask anyone, other than your young children, and they will tell you that TIME OUTS are actually a good thing. They are used for a variety of reasons. Including: to slow down the momentum of the other team, to plot your strategy at a difficult time, to calm the team down or to motivate team members, and to remind players of what they are capable of doing. It also allows the players to take a bit of a breather and drink a little bit of water. It is like a gift that is given as a part of the contest. They are critical to the game. Many teams have won or lost by the way they utilized their TIME OUTS.
Think of the value that a TIME OUT can bring to your life. What if you took a couple of minutes throughout your day and used them to: plot your strategy during a difficult day, or calm yourself down, or motivate yourself, or to remind yourself of what you are capable of doing? Why not use a TIME OUT as a gift for yourself. It will help you to shift your focus to what's important and give you a much needed breather. You can even sip a bit of water from a cup with your favorite team's logo. Many people I talk to express a reluctance to take a TIME OUT. They don't want to break the momentum. They think that "powering through" will make them more effective. To that I say, "Watch the last minute of any game during March Madness. See how the course of the game can change by utilizing that incredible one minute break!"
Go UCONN!
Tracy
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Tracy Knofla
High Impact Training
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