Commitment and Decision Change Everything

Hawks,
You played a fantastic game Saturday morning! It was a lot of fun, standing on the bench, watching you all work together, dig deep and execute like we all know you can.

Many of your parents also commented to us coaches that you all worked really hard during that game. Great stuff! Let’s keep it going.

I’ve updated our record on the right side of the blog.

We have one game to go in the regular season round robin. The Falcons are a tough team. We’ll use our systems and some adjustments to our line-up to give us every advantage. Make sure you get there in lots of time, because we’ll have lots to talk about to prepare.

And now on to commitment and decision, which are two very important words.

Here’s a quote for you. Read it several times. Understand it. (This is a repeat for Braden.)

“Until one is committed, there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising to one's favor all manner of unforeseen accidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You may not fully understand what Goethe is saying, so I’ll try to explain more here. But also, ask questions on the blog. If you don’t get it, then I can guarantee you many of your fellow players will be equally confused.

Goethe is saying that once a person (for example, a ball hockey player) is absolutely committed, then “Providence” helps that person achieve his/her goal.

What is “Providence”? It depends on who you ask. It could be God, Allah, Buddha, or some other higher power. It could be nature or the universe. It could simply be what some people call “fate”.

Think about this. If you’re heading into the corner to battle for the ball, and your goal is to win that battle and emerge with the ball, what do you think about as you do so?

Do you ask yourself a VERY powerful question, like, “How do I WIN this battle?”

Or, do you ask yourself questions that lead to hesitancy, like, “Will I win this battle or lose this time?”
Or, even worse, “What should I do to make it look like I’m really trying so the coaches don’t lecture me?”
Or, worse again, “What should I do to make sure I don’t embarrass myself?”

I hope you can see the difference. When you’re fully committed, as Goethe refers to in the quote, your entire focus is on that one, powerful question, “How do I WIN this battle?” Even when the opponent seems to get the upper hand on you, and maybe starts to run away with the ball, you keep focused on that one question, “How do I WIN this battle?” (Because we all know the battle isn’t over until a Hawk has one it!)

When you get a break away, is your focus on “How do I score on this goalie in this situation?”
Or, are you focused on hoping you do what will please your coaches, or your parents, or just trying to not embarrass yourself?

Hawks, I urge you all, to fully commit!

You can also think of it this way. Just before you take the floor, do you hope our team will win, or do you DECIDE that our team will win?

Make a DECISION! Commit!

And as Goethe says, “Providence moves too!”

Go Hawks!