Sometimes when an NFL team has been watching game film, studying the strategies and tactics of their opponent, they feel confident they can conquer the field. However, once the game starts, the opponent, who has also been watching game film, could decide on a different strategy.
When this happens, it causes the team to step out of their comfort zone, both physically and in their current knowledge level. If they want to rule and reign on the field, they must re-adjust. This often happens at half-time if they’re getting their butts kicked.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately since I’ve had my own major game plan change. I started Winning Proof in July of 2008 so I’m approaching my 3rd anniversary. Anyone who has started a business knows most don’t go from 0 to 100 mph in 6 months…or even two years. It takes time for a business to mature and develop and grow a niche. It’s often necessary to supplement with another job until your business is fully supporting you financially.
Well, in California, getting any type of job is easier said than done. After being downsized again, I could not secure a single job to supplement my business efforts in spite of continued effort. My unemployment and all its extensions had run out and it was indeed a scary time. I had many discouraging days and toward the end of 2011, I was living on financial fumes and prayers.
Enter – Game Plan Change
The short playbook version is – I needed a drastic game plan change if I was going to survive. I had visited North Carolina on a vacation a couple of years prior and had fallen in love with the state. Well, it was time to jump start my environment and life situation. In light of that fact, I sold all my furniture and had a garage sale to fund my move and I relocated cross country to North Carolina at the end of March. All I had left was 72 boxes full of my kitchen contents, clothes, and some household items which traveled via van lines. I drove my 1996 Honda Civic with 245,000+ miles across country to a new, unknown land. I had a temporary place to stay with an acquaintance. Shortly after my arrival, my car was in hospice because that long trek proved too much for the ol’ girl.
I’ve been here for a little over 2 ½ months now and some amazing things have happened in that short time. I have a p/t night job, a day job that I love, a 2010 Toyota Corolla, a place of my own, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting a handful of my local sports industry Linkedin connections. My business is alive and well and once again gaining momentum. I attribute all these changes to a boatload of my praying friends in California and a mega dose of motivation and resourcefulness.
The point of telling you my story is to prompt you to look at your current game plan and really analyze if it’s working for you. Don’t be afraid of giving yourself a half-time pep talk and deciding if a game plan change is in order. Step out of your comfort zone and take a chance.
Is it scary? Absolutely! Fear of the unknown is one of the strongest fears you’ll ever experience. I was in a new state, new town, not knowing where stores and hospitals were; not knowing the freeway system…not knowing a soul except for the person I shared the space with.
Is stepping out on faith into a brand new adventure worth it? The answer again is…absolutely! Is a game plan change always in order? Nope. Sometimes we are called to stay and tough it out but only wisdom and maturity can determine when to stay and when it’s time to move ahead.
If you’re considering a game plan change; pray, consult with trusted friends and clergy, and do your research. Blind faith will lead you down a slippery path and into brick walls – do your due diligence to make sure your plan is realistic and will provide better opportunities for you. A healthy dose of genuine faith will keep your eye fixed on the goal line.
So, if your opponents (financial distress, personal stalemate, lack of business opportunity, etc.) are whipping your butt, consider a game plan change. Not only will you gain valuable life-lesson yardage, you just might experience a victory!
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