Life Lessons from Football

Life Lessons from Football
by TSK. Raman

Football is an amazing game. The most popular sport
all over the world. Played by many, wacthed by many.
An estimated 45 million people will watch Italy taken
on Franc in Berlin in the finals on Sunday July 9,
2006.

In some ways it is the mirror of life.  Yes, other
sports provide life lessons as well, but football
though it doesn�t happen to be my number one
favorite
sport but it is one which I understand pretty well.
Of late I�ve been following this game more than I do
any other. Though not the best followed sport in
India, the Premier League, Europen Football being
shown on TV more and more these days, is gaining
popularity albeit slowly.  It is an experience, not a
mystical experience though, but a test of character,
an escape, a source of rare joy and excruciating pain.
No psychological test will tell you as much about a
person's character as a game of football.  I�ve seen
many a match now and some of the best players in
action, and here are some of my observations about
football and the game of life:

1. Expectations & Flexibility.

Football, like life, is not mastered in a season, and
it is particularly frustrating if we approach it with
stiff and inflexible expectations.  Great football
begins with stretching, bending, loosening up, and
matching desired outcomes with the realities of a body
grown lazy over the off-season time. There is a lot of
action, combativeness and emotions involved in the
sport. I�ve not seen too many footballers display
humour. A sense of humor, and a sprinkling of humility
go a long way!

2. Clarity of Purpose.

Many footballers never stop to think about why or how
they play the game. One reason obvious is that all of
them play to win. To have fun. To earn fame and money.
But the question that comes into my mind is whether
they play for social reasons, or for the challenge?
For the exercise?  Just as striving to become rich and
famous often creates frustration and disappointment,
few will play professionally, and striving for
perfection is a setup for "failure".  It is therefore
important to know why you play the game and where you
find your satisfaction and joy in it.

3. Equipment.

The one game that needs least equipment. It needs a
just ball and a good pair of studs.  Active
footballers check their studs for weitgh, flexibility
of leather, grip of the studs, and the size (not too
loose � not too tight), and have them re-made every
season. Almost any job is easier with the right tools.

4. Solid Foundations.

Footballers go to extremes.  Some take lesson after
lesson, trying to fix the tiniest flaw in their quest
for the perfect trap.  Others, ignore the classic
foundations of trap, instead laern more of dribbling
in their eagerness to "do it my way."  Success is
usually found in a healthy balance of learning from
the wisdom and experience of others, while celebrating
your unique style and approach to the game. So then
trapping a pass, dribbling and making acurate passes
are the basics which all footballers aim to master all
the time.

5. Profitable Practice.

On the day of a big tournament, they often go to the
green and watch skilled, dedicated footballers
practice.  With a small crowd milling about, they
quickly hit ball after ball, to keep their rhythm,
timing and confidence.  They, harldy let any
frustration creep into their armoury, they  carefully
honed their skills  In football, like any other game
and in life too, we need to learn to practice smart.
Practice for success!

6. Smart Preparation.

Tour players always play practice matches. The great
Pele used to walk the course at twilight before a
tournament to learn all it�s hidden tricks and
traps.
Top players rehearse every shot in their imagination
before going to the turf.  They prepare in advance so
they are ready when the moment of truth arrives.It
pays off.

7. Show up.

The biggest challenge for many professional
footballers and other young players is to play their
best football without a nickel in their pocket, often
lonely and far from home.  They have reasons to be
distracted.

8. Warm up.

Every great athlete, the ones in the best physical and
mental shape, respect their bodies enough to loosen
up, stretch and rehearse before competition. Even
amateurs need to go tthrough all that trouble. Before
any important event, arrive early, walk around, relax,
and warm up to the task at hand.

9. Focus on Results.

Every footballer works to create a result. Sometimes
they are known to muff the easiest of chances, like
the present icon of football David Beckham missing a
penalty shoot-out,  sometimes it goes out of bounds.
Footballers tend to focus
(1) on the result they would have preferred, which is
merely wishful thinking, or
(2) on beating themselves up for being so "stupid",
which is painful.  Learn from every match.  Observe
the results they actually get and all the tactics they
used or misused.  Life never lies!

10. Review and Adjust.

If they don�t get the results they want, they find
the
reason.  They can trust the manager for that. If they
want a different outcome, they change their setup,
routine, or other actions and their entire gameplan
including substitution, until they get the result they
prefer.

Someone said, "Doing the same thing over and over and
expecting a different result is a mark of
consistency."

Successful people learn quickly; others learn
eventually.

Do preserve yourself & others while evolving continuously...