I often talk about mistakes in life and mistakes in sport. Any mistake you make in sport can be corrected within minutes, and if not in the current game, then a week later in the next game. Life is a little more unforgiving; it can take you weeks, months, or even years to correct a mistake. Therefore, it is crucial that we carefully consider our daily decisions and ensure we make the correct ones.
What Sport Teaches Us About the Comeback
I will start with sport because that is the easiest one to talk about and explain in terms that most people can relate to. In sport, it might not even be a mistake or the fact that you are playing badly; sometimes things just go against you. The fact is that you are behind on the scoreboard, and you have to turn opportunities into points. I think the second game against the All Blacks in New Zealand was a great example of a comeback.
So, where does it start, and what is the process? The first step to take is not to panic and believe in the system or the process. Secondly, you have to stay calm and make the correct decisions to start the comeback. Belief in your personal skills and the collective skills of the team is crucial in coming back from a setback or a deficit on the scoreboard.
Staying Calm Under Pressure
I am not sure of the year, but I will never forget the comeback win we had with the Stormers in Sydney against the Waratahs. We were 21–0 down after 12 minutes, and I was standing behind the poles with the team. They had scored three brilliant individual tries that were unstoppable. What do you say in these pressure situations?
Well, I will never forget what I said: “Guys, we are 21–0 down, but we haven’t had the ball yet. Let’s get the ball back from this kick, and then we hold on to it until we score.” I suspect it was said with a few swear words in between, but it doesn’t really matter. We went on to win 42–28 or something like that. We used all our opportunities, and it will be forever etched into my mind how we managed to stay calm and execute under pressure. Sometimes you just have to go back to the basics, stay calm, and execute the plays that you have practiced a hundred times over.
Taking Responsibility in Life
In life, we make decisions that make things complicated and hurt people, and that is much more difficult to fix. We live in an era where people always want to blame someone else for their mistakes. Nobody wants to take responsibility for losses and mistakes. Everybody wants to take the glory when things go well but not take the hit when things go pear-shaped.
Mistakes are there so that we must learn from them and be better. If you are blaming someone else or making excuses about your past, then you will never learn anything from your mistakes. We all make mistakes, and some are more in the public eye than others, but no matter what the situation is, you need to take responsibility and learn. May this week ahead be one where we make the correct decisions, and if we don’t, let’s take it on the chin.
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If you would like to get in touch with me about my key note presentation, Debunking Motivation, please send an email to corne@cornekrige.com. Visit my website to review my speaker sheet for more info. I also share my story on my social media pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.