Friday 40 for 40s - #16: TMI

Item #26 that I'm learning I can't change is:

There will always be more books to read, movies to watch, sports to watch, TV shows to discover and music to listen to than I will have time for

I love all of those things - reading a great book, being moved by a powerful movie, watching the Patriots, Raptors or Blue Jays play, enjoying a great TV drama, listening to incredible music.

With all of the options available to us now though, especially with streaming services like Netflix, I am learning to accept that I'm never going to watch, read or listen to it all.  My Netflix list is ridiculous - it has over 100 titles in it!  I'm never going to make the time to watch all those movies and certainly never be able to watch entire series of shows that I've never seen.

What's fascinating to me is that even though I know that's true, when I look at Netflix, generally the first thing I do is look at the New Arrivals - what else has been added to Netflix that I can watch?!  My list is already too long, but I keep searching for something even better - even though I can't remember half of what is in my list.

Even more scary (and embarrassing) is the recognition that there is a level of stress caused by all this - as someone who is a high achiever and likes checking things off a list, having a list that is never going to be complete can actually breed anxiety.  I know there's something unresolved, something I haven't finished, so it can cause me to feel like I have to make it a priority.

I have the same feeling in October each year - when baseball playoffs have begun, the NFL is kicking into full gear and the NBA starts up... there's so much to watch (and we don't even have cable!)  Trying to keep up with all those scores (and know enough of what's happening with the Leafs to participate in those important conversations...) can again be a source of stress.

Instead, I know I need to just accept that I will never be able to be on top of things - and that's ok.  I can enjoy the things I get to do, when I get to do them, rather than feeling like it's another "must do" that defeats the whole purpose of watching, reading or listening to it in the first place.

Monday Musings - Why I love the NFL

[I thought about titling this "Why I love Football", but I knew there would be an uproar from my friends south of the Equator, so NFL it is... and let's not even get started on those who say only the roundball game is truly Football...]

Before we moved to Canada, I had some interest in the NFL.  Mostly, that had consisted of watching the Super Bowl, because we didn't really get much access other than that.  However, when OneHD launched, suddenly we had the opportunity to watch multiple games each week (fortunately my DVR allowed me to not have to get up at 4 am to watch them...)

Over the last couple of years, watching an NFL game on a Sunday has became a big part of our weekly rhythm - I have certainly enjoyed having Sunday Night Football (or a recording of an earlier game) to help me unwind at the end of a weekend.  I have finally become an unabashed Patriots fan (I take quite a bit of criticism for that, but what can you do...?), and so obviously I'm excited about next Sunday's big game... hoping for a reversal of the last time these two teams met on the big stage.

A couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to teach at our site and as part of my message, I mentioned where my love of the NFL has come from.  I believe it is one of the greatest examples of a true team sport - where each person who's part of the team needs to play their role for the team to be successful.  Sure, there are other sports which have that element (basketball still remains No 1 in our house...), but in many other sports, it's easier for one person to dominate and make a huge difference.  In the NFL, each person needs to play their role or there is no chance of team success.  Yes, a great QB makes a difference, yes, having incredible TEs can change things, but every player needs to be ready to contribute, no matter their role.  The results of last weekend prove the value of a kicker...

Far too often though, we find ourselves thinking about how important we are.  Whether that is in our career, our friendships, our churches... if we're honest, a lot of the time, our focus is on ourselves.  While it is certainly true that we need to continue to play whatever role we have been given to the best of our ability (particularly if we're in a leadership position), I wonder how much difference it would make if we focused on our role in the context of the team we're playing on - and how we encourage our teammates to be the best they can be as well.

I need to prepare as best I can... for the sake of the team.  I need to take care of myself so I'm in good condition... for the sake of the team.  I need to be focused on the right things... for the sake of the team.  I need to encourage the other people on our team to do their best... for the sake of the team.

I wonder how much difference it would make if we all approached life from that perspective - certainly I'm sure it would mean our motivation would go up at different times (instead of the consequences just being about me, I realize if I make a wrong choice, that affects us all...).  At the very least, we would shift the focus from ourselves to those around us and our communities and that in itself is always a good thing.

What teams are you part of?
How much are you performing at your peak for your team?
What can you do this week to increase the contribution you make to your team(s)?

inspiration

Last weekend was a massive weekend in Canada. For those who didn't hear the shouting, Sidney Crosby scored a goal in overtime to win Canada the gold medal for the hockey at the Winter Olympics... and the crowd went wild (across the country).

I said to a lot of people that I'm not aware of another sport that a country expects or wants to win in as much as hockey at the winter games for Canada. Maybe basketball for the US at the summer games, or the World Cup for England (I'm leaving out sports like cricket that not many countries play), but there are very few. It's Canada's game, and they want to win it more than anything.

When Crosby scored the goal Sunday night, the response was incredible - this clip from Vancouver being an excellent example... That win, added to the record number of gold medals Canadians won at these games gave a swagger to a nation that has, for a long time, sat in the background, going about their business, trying not to get in the way.

It was fascinating, because even with the wins, there wasn't a hint of arrogance, just a genuine "we did really well" attitude, and an awareness that they do belong on the world stage - an even fuller self-confidence that they can do things their way and be successful... very successful.

The question for me is what does Canada do with it? Is it just euphoria that lasts for a few days/weeks, then goes back to normal or is it something that causes a genuine change in attitudes? If so, what does that look like? It'll be interesting to watch...