Participation Trophies & The Scorecard of Your Life
First, third or fifth? Where do you see yourself in the game of life? When you reflect back, will you look back with pride, or with a sense of ‘what-if’ and missed opportunity?
We can’t wait for the weekend to be at the grounds watching our favourite team play live, or with our eyes glued to the TV. Our heroes on the field, the speed, the stamina, the sweat, the energy and the enthusiasm of the thrill of the winning goal… and we share in every victory, as if it is our own victory.
In the coming week we gloat with pride on our team’s win at work with our colleagues, often ribbing one another when their team lost and our team won. It’s a sense of comradery, of competition, of herd inclusion, and ‘success’ in life. A real sense of belonging, of connection, of common purpose, a focus, and a goal – when you are standing on the sidelines cheering on your team to win.
Week after week we stay in the stands or remain glued to the TV cheering, commentating, connecting… but we never once leave our seat. In a quiet moment of reflection, you may pause to wonder… have you been sitting on the sidelines every weekend cheering on others without ever cheering on yourself?
When was the last time you kicked a winning goal?
For many, they haven’t. They have just stood on the sidelines cheering on others, celebrating their success, and living their lives on repeat.
“When was the last time you had an honest conversation about your financial future? So many sports buffs we talk to can parrot the results leader board from the weekend, and even the entire season… but when it comes to financial goals, savings strategies, or even how much their interest rate is, we get blank stares.”
You might be realising that this article is about football and the social programming of repetition, distraction, all designed to keep you in your own lane. Yet, this article has nothing to do with football. It’s about you: Your life, your goals and YOU choosing to live your best life. And whilst it’s important to share in others’ successes as a part of being the social animals we are, we must learn to feather our own nest first.
It’s great that you have memorised your team’s score and that you have loved playing the game for your team (on the sidelines). Now let’s play another game. A game that focuses on you – your happiness, your joy, your financial future and the capacity to live your life at the fullest.
Let’s flip the script to your financial future. It can be just as exciting sitting on the edge of your seat – but this time – not on the sidelines, in the driver’s seat.
Learning how your money flows, discovering new strategies, new pathways for empowering yourself – and instead of watching your team win, you get to watch YOU win with the same passion, enthusiasm and excitement you had for your team. As your savings accounts grow, as your stress decreases and you begin to thrive, you can recognise what’s more important than watching others succeed is watching YOU succeed.
When you have your finances sorted out and have discovered a love of budgeting and self-success, by all means go back and watch your football that you love. But this time support your team as a spectator knowing that you are crushing it in your personal life. This way you’re not missing the main event… you’re no longer missing out on YOU.
No longer do you need to parrot the leader board of your favourite team as your only core focus in the staff room. Instead, you can memorise your financial goals, your savings targets, map out your holiday plans and thrive in your life with a real weekend commitment for you and your family.
Because what you do today matters and life is short.
The more time you spend sitting on the sidelines watching others’ success while you do nothing hurts. You get to decide whether your life deserves a gold medal or a participation trophy. Thank’s for playing.
Don’t waste your life sitting on the sidelines waiting to kick the winning goal. Take action, love yourself enough to matter, kick the winning goal and thrive.
