How long does it take you to get over it? I guess for all of us it depends on what “it” is. When I think about getting over problems in business, or even personally, I think about certain sports positions — mainly quarterbacks and pitchers. Those two positions in sports must quickly forgive and forget.
Try and image standing 90 feet away from a batter, you throw a heater right down the pipe, the batter swings and knocks a towering fly ball right out of the park. You’re not going to be pulled from the game, but your mound is quickly turning to quick sand.
The madder that pitcher gets, and the more frustrated he gets about losing one over the fence, the more likely he is to walk a few batters or have another home run hit. Before the pitcher knows it, he’s multiple runs down with bases loaded, a full count on the batter and up to his neck in quicksand.
The same thing happens to a quarterback. First, he throws one pick, then another, and before he knows it, his decision-making abilities are out the window. He too would be up to his neck in quicksand.
Quicksand is something that continually inhibits all of us. Have you ever had an issue with an employee and not been able to shake the frustration? Next thing you know, you’re on edge and everyone around you is feeling the wrath. As you let things fester inside, you are letting the quicksand take hold. The more frustrated you get, the further you sink — eventually becoming entirely immersed in the sand.
In business, as well as in life, it’s important to stay calm and overcome problems as quickly as possible. In many situations, our furor tends to take hold and we make rash, unnecessary decisions. There are many obstacles around us that will blindside us on a random Tuesday. However, as professionals, it’s our job to handle ourselves better than everyone else — a lot of pressure, but that’s what we thrive on.
Remember, when things go crazy around you, you must be the solid rock that keeps everything together — it’s why you’re a leader. However, remember, the quicksand is always at your feet waiting to pull you down — when you feel it, take a deep breath and make a pact with yourself to move forward and out of its grasp.
For further understanding of quicksand, please reference my video of Keanu Reeves from the movie “The Replacements.”
Tyler Montgomery is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com
