Keep Your Eye On The Ball

Did you ever play a game with a ball you could not afford to drop or lose?

 I recall a frustrating tennis lesson when my coach kept throwing balls at me to see how fast I could react as he kept yelling, “Keep your eye on the ball!” “Which ball?” I shouted in frustration as I missed almost every one.

I learned a life lesson that day. Running all over the court chasing every ball is not the way to win a game.  What I had to learn is to focus on the balls I must not miss or lose.

Another brilliant coach said it very well.  In his famous thirty second speech, Bryan Dyson, former CEO of Coca Cola, said:

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air.  They are Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you are keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls-Family, Health, Friends and Spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for it.”

 Tips

So what can you do?

  • Practice time blocking.
  • You are given only 24 hours a day and 168 hours a week. Determine how much of these hours you commit to dedicate to each of the balls you cannot drop or lose;Family, Health, Friends, and Spirit. Fill the rest of the time with the rubber ball
  • This may be counterculture. It may be easier said than done. So find a friend or someone to encourage you, coach you, and hold you accountable to what you know is good.
  • Don’t do it for yourself; do it for the good of your family and friends as well.
  • Do it for youremployer. Yes, you will be more productive in your work if you draw on the resources of a healthy personal life.
  • Share your commitment with your boss and work associates. You might find that you will gain their support as they come to your side to win in this game we call LIFE.
Wise words

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1