The Draft

Various sports around the world hold drafts that allow them to choose which players they will sign contracts. The earlier a player is drafted usually corresponds to the amount they will be paid. This is similar to children picking captains to choose who will be on their team. The captains normally select the better players first, while the other children just do not want to be the last one.  

Sometimes the teams making the choices are fortunate to find a hidden gem that works out better than expected. Too many times, someone selected too soon is cause for heartbreak. Drafts are highly unpredictable. You really do not know what you have until you have worked with them.

Many instances of life are similar to drafts. In politics, we vote for someone we do not really know to keep the promises they make. Sometimes they do, but for a variety of reasons, they more often do not. 

Job interviews are also like this. Some people interview well and get the job unable to fulfill the demands. Those not selected may exceed the job requirements, but they are unable to master the interview.

Fixing missed opportunities can be a lengthy and costly process. 

We can choose our friends, as well. Sometimes we choose well. Then we have those times when we wonder how we got involved with some of them. I have been very fortunate. I have great friends. I may not see them all as often as I like. This is largely because of where everyone lives these days. However, with technology, it is easier to stay in contact. 

The one thing we cannot choose is our family members. I would also like to say, that I would still draft everyone in my family. From siblings to cousins and even my in-laws, they all have been a blessing in one way or the other. There are some with whose opinions I may never agree. Some make decisions that I do not understand. What difference do things make? They are still some of the greatest people I have ever met. 

If I had to draft family members, I would miss some things that make me who I am. No family is perfect. Nevertheless, my family is perfect for me.

I hear people complain about their families. Bad relationships have ruined the mere concept of family for some. Some of the reasons they have are understandable, but my heart goes out to these people. I think they are missing out. 

I wish everyone could have the large, loud, and possibly obnoxious family and friends that I do. I think family is important. Fortunately, some friends are more like family. For those that do not think they have a great family, find a few good friends. Some do not know how to make friends. The best way to make a friend is to be friendly.  

What do you want to eat?

Whether there are only two people or many, the question of where or what to eat seems to come up. We often repeat the question several times because no one wants to make a decision. Finally, after getting tired or hungry, someone names a place, and everyone settles for it.

More often than not, people know what they do not want but are not sure of what it is they truly desire. Others just do not want to make a choice in fear that others may reject what they really want. 

Today, I saw a car on the interstate trying to decide whether to exit or not. He finally took the exit and at the last possible minute swerved back in front of me to stay on the interstate. Fortunately, my brakes work well, and an accident was avoided.

Indecision is a problem. Some things, like dining out, are not as important as causing possible crashes.  Some things matter a lot more. I would never want to hear a plumber tell me that they were unable to decide if the natural gas lines in my house were leaking or not.

We need to make decisions. It is not always a fun thing to do. What do you want out of life? How do you plan to accomplish your goals? Will others need to assist with your plans? There are questions that need answering.

One of the decisions we must make is to have faith or live in doubt. It is a choice that we must make. If you think something is possible, it is. If you doubt you can do it, you probably will not. If you cannot decide what to believe, you have already begun the process of failing.

If you choose to live in faith, you must decide what it is that you choose to believe. I chose how I wanted to raise my family. I chose to believe that my plan would work. I chose not to abandon that plan. After 25 years, my choice seems to have paid off. This does not mean I made no mistakes. I just had to adjust a few things here and there to keep on track.

Making the right choices helps you achieve what you want. The Bible even says when you ask anything from God you must ask in faith without doubting. If you doubt, do not think you should receive anything from him.

Whether in business, relationships, or just in life itself, be confident of what you want. Be confident in your choices. I often hear that making the wrong choice is better than making no choice. That is true because you can always fine-tune things along the way. You cannot alter your direction if you are not going anywhere.

When Life Hits

Stephen Piscotty is the starting right fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. He accomplished something that I have never seen until now. The ball hit him three times on the same trip around the bases.

A pitch hit his right arm that allowed him to go to first base. Then on a dropped pitch, he went to second, but the ball hit him on the arm during the play. Finally, as he went home, the ball hit him in the head. He laid there for several minutes before walking off the field under his own power. By the way, he did score on the play.

This was just the second game of the Cardinals season. Last year, a pitch hit Stephen 12 times, which ties him for eighth most in 2016.

There are times when life hits us hard. Sometimes it hits us several times in a short period. In tough times, we must make the decision to press forward. When we walk through the fires of life, we may end up with a few scars, but we can learn from those experiences. Even better is that we can teach others how to make it through the flames they face.

Some decide life is not fair and quit. They end up with no great accomplishments. No one benefits from his or her challenges or experience. Quitting benefits no one. Running from your problems does not make them go away. Usually, there is another one lurking right around the corner. Learn to get through one and use that experience to be victorious over the next one.

It is like learning how to walk. You take a step and then fall. You get back up and take another step. Falls will continue to be there for a while. One day, the falls stop. You learn how to stay upright. We need to do this in life.

This weekend, Sergio Garcia won his first major golf tournament at The Masters. This was his 74^th attempt at winning a major.  The lack of a major did not make him a bad golfer. In fact, between 2000 and 2009 Sergio ranked in the top 10 for over 300 weeks. He ranked as high as second in 2008. I am certain he is glad he never quit.

Time continues whether you see success or not. We need to make the best choices. We need to stay in the game. It may seem like you are accomplishing nothing, but you are gaining experience that can be used. You can share and teach the life lessons you learned. You may never win a Masters Tournament. You may never score in a Major Baseball League game. You can win at life.

If you lack some knowledge or skill that helps you to succeed, seek that knowledge or skill. Learn whatever you can learn. Learning may be easier than making the decision to seek the missing components. However, if you do not seek the tools required, you will never find them. Make the decision to continue. Stay in the game until you meet your goal. Never give up. 

The Best Me

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” ― Oscar Wilde

While I am not a big fan of impersonators, I have always appreciated the talent one uses to sound like another person. I cannot impersonate a specific person, nor can I imitate accents. In fact, all of my accents sound identical to the one before it. However, impersonating their voice and imitating them are two different things.  

Many people have role models. Some dress, talk, and act like them even to the point of reading the same books or eating the same breakfast. To some degree, this can be a good thing. Sometimes, it is not. 

Just because you follow the example of a successful businessperson, does not mean you will have the same results. The results may be better if you follow their example in some areas. However, is trying to succeed without being true to yourself you truly a success? 

I am a firm believer in being you. My goals and dreams are not dependent on what others are doing. They may have similar ideas, and I may be able to take some of the things that worked for them and apply them to my situation. Nonetheless, my background is not identical to their background. My thoughts and feelings are not always their thoughts and feelings. My values may be different from their values. Similar does not mean the same. There are always differences. 

We tend to do things how our instructors taught us. If I trust my teacher, why would I change? Maybe there is more than one way to accomplish the same thing. Maybe there is a more proficient way for me to accomplish the same goal. There always seems to be more ways to the same end. One path may be easier for you while another path is better for me. 

I believe we all have unique skills and talents. We should use the skills we have to fulfill whatever our purpose in life may be. We should refine those skills. We should practice those skills. We should even add to our skill set, if possible. "That is just who I am" should not be an excuse to fail or misbehave. 

Anyone who knows my youngest son and I know we both look and act incredibly similar. However, there are differences because we are not the same person. We do not need two of me walking on this planet. I need to be me, but I also need to be the best me that I can be. 

Imitating someone may be flattering to them but being the "best" you that you can be is what makes you special.