Success is There. Staring Right at You!

We know nothing about football. My wife and I.
Sweet nothing!

But, I have to tell you…
There wasn’t a strategy employed by Mr Southgate…
nor a winning tactic made by each Lion…
that was not guided by our coaching from our front room!

And when it comes to tennis!
Well!

I’ve only ever held a badminton racket at interschool competition level.
(Don’t recall ever winning a match.)

Yet…Our real time coaching from East Grinstead, West Sussex…
was mirrored perfectly in each of Carlos Alcaraz’s volleys and serves throughout Wimbledon Fortnight!

I wonder if we’re the only species so delusional about our Armchair Wisdom?

More importantly…

I wonder if we’re the only species who so frequently miss the fresh lessons for Survival and Success…
being played out. Right there in front of us?

What have I learned about this Glorious Summer of Sport (so far)?

Lesson #1
If I hold onto the baggage (success or failure) of the last few points, games or sets…
rather than the possibility and priority of The Right Now…
Then…
There’s a good chance that I’ll quickly become IRRELEVANT!

The same for Financial Planners in business.
Our world is changing. Rapidly!
Views and behaviours – and skills – of yesterday…
are just as quickly becoming irrelevant… today!

We’ve all heard (and used) the term “Old School Financial Advisers”.
And there’s a reason for that.

Being skilled in what’s appropriate for THIS moment of history.
That will dictate our relevance. Our impact for good. Our success.

Lesson #2
Brilliance (or failure) in our technical role (say, being a Highly Acclaimed Financial Planner)…

Does NOT endow us with the strengths or talents needed to:
lead a team, or
run a business.

As a player (in his technical role)…
Gareth Southgate will only EVER be remembered for his tragic, legendary – losing – penalty kick.

But as a National Team Manager? As a Leader?
Ah! That’s a different story!

Isn’t his record of taking the national team to milestone finals and semi-finals… equally legendary?

Sport generates such wonderful parables and analogies for us to learn from.
For our survival.
For our success.
In business.
In life.

They’re played out… right there in front of our face.

The question is…
With all of our looking and crowing and baying and armchair critiquing…
Do we actually SEE what’s staring at us?

I wonder… What have YOU learned so far from this Glorious Summer of Sport?