As the former head football coach of the Oakland Raiders, a multiple Super Bowl champion, and infamous NFL sports commentator when John Madden speaks people listen. He's since retired but John's wisdom still permeates. After years of working with all kinds of personalities on the field and off Mr. Madden was fond of saying "There are three kinds of people in the world: those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those who ask 'What happened?'" So what can we learn from an NFL commentator? In business, there are many things that contribute to who we are yet like football nothing is as important as a game plan, experience, decisiveness, and the ability to put forth the effort to make things happen.
Game Plan
It's been said, "If you don't know where you're going any path might get you there." Folks who make things happen have a purpose and a plan. Their plan gets modified based on their environment and new information just as good coaches make in-game adjustments. Set your direction toward your goals and like the GPS in an automobile adjust it as needed to achieve your desired results.
Experience Counts
Like most people education likely played a role in forming your professional personality. Like myself and many of my colleagues attending an outstanding university did more than refine my academic skillset but gave me the experience of learning discipline, teamwork, and attention to detail. A decent education and the life experience that goes along with it is an enduring asset providing a strong foundation for lifelong success and the know-how to get things done.
Decisiveness
Life is about making decisions and decisiveness is one trait that certainly gets things done. Sometimes we think the decisions we make are life-shattering and that we always have to have the right answer: no exceptions. The truth is there are few situations in life that are critical. If you make a bad decision you always have the opportunity to make another one down the road. Decisions are like tree branches: if you grab the wrong one simply reach for another and keep weaving your way toward the top. While you may not be right at least you will have moved forward.
Perfection Is Not The End Goal Effort Is
Someone pretty smart once said to me "I would rather have an 80 percent decision today than a 100 percent decision that I never make because I'm always seeking perfection." Everything isn't always going to work as planned. However, if you make enough positive decisions and put forth the effort, odds are you'll do fine. Unfortunately, there are fewer people willing to work hard than there are who are happy to sit on the sidelines. There's no question: success builds self-confidence. But like John Madden reminds us, if you strive to be the type of person who gets things done you have to work for it. Chances are with a game plan, experience, a decisive nature, and effort you'll find that success is hard to avoid.