The Little League Playoffs

The day was beautiful. No clouds. Sunshine. A light breeze.

Perfect for little league playoffs.

The player's uniforms were crisp. The field was perfect. And the stands were electric as anxious parents gathered to watch their sons and daughters compete in this winner takes all ritual of spring.

I watched from the stands in amazement as my son's team of "Bad News Bears" were transformed into a mighty baseball machine. Play was smooth and execution was flawless. They hustled and worked together treating every play and every at bat as if it was the most important of their lives. They had made it into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. The last seed. And now, with everything on the line, and one shot to advance, for the first time this season they were playing to win.

I cheered loudly as my son rounded third and slid into home to score another for his team and then considered the "what ifs?" What if his team had played every game like this? What if the parents had turned out and cheered at every game like this? What if the coaches had prepared for every game like this? Our season might have been different. More wins, more fun, more respect and instead of being last seed we could have been the #1. What if we had just treated every game like the playoffs?

As usual, my thoughts shifted to sales, business and life. I began asking questions of myself: Do we treat every precious moment in our lives like the playoffs? Are we training our mind, body and spirit in preparation for our big games? Do we wake up every morning with the fire inside of us to play life as if everyday were the playoffs? What would be different in our lives if we did? How would we be changed?