I recently heard an interview given by an ex-NFL player
discussing his time in the League. A very talented athlete and a highly touted player
coming out of college, he never really found his groove in the NFL. He
recounted the struggle he faced to find motivation and meaning in the pros and
remembered the difficulty in maintaining the intensity and drive necessary to
play football at that level. The problem: his whole life was focused on getting
to the NFL, but there was nothing drawing him beyond that dream. Being drafted
was the finish line to him and he lacked aspirations beyond that milestone. In
his mind, he had arrived. Soon, he found himself mired in complacency and mediocrity,
triggering a tailspin that included addictions, broken relationships and eventually,
led to his exit from the NFL.
This unfortunate story is not unique to this individual – certainly
not inside the NFL and professional sports, nor inside everyday life. We are
all susceptible to creating “finish lines” that tell us we are done when there
is still a race ahead of us. If we aren’t careful, we can fall into the trap of
thinking we have “arrived,” when in reality, the real work has just begun.
It could be getting hired into that “dream job” or a big
promotion. It could be getting accepted by the prestigious college or receiving
that expensive piece of paper we call a “diploma.” Maybe it’s finally “getting
the girl” and making the woman of your dreams your wife. Perhaps it’s losing an
arbitrary amount of weight without committing to a lifelong change in eating
and exercise habits.
Whatever your aspirations, be mindful of the temptation to take
your foot off the gas and coast after you’ve hit your goal. Beware of finish
lines.
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