I’m all about finding the meaning in our mistakes, the lessons in our failures. And though the majority of us aren’t football players ourselves, we can stand to learn a few lessons from our team. So, looking beyond the losses and the wins, here’s what I came up with.
1. The field goals are just as important as the touchdowns.
Why? In the 11/15 game against Northwestern, the two missed field goals would’ve amounted to a victory without overtime – two measly little points!
Translation into “real life”: No act of kindness is too small.
In the game of life, we don’t earn points, per se, but we can still score! This scoring, though, doesn’t often come in a form as grandiose as a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates (while that would be nice!). Appreciate the tap on the shoulder from a friend who sees your stress, a smile from the guy in your math class, or the text from your parents making sure you’re okay. And in turn, don’t shy away from doing the little things either; you’re still “scoring” points for optimism and kindness.
2. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail, Notre Dame will prevail!
Why? From the Stanford game, complete with icy rain showers, to the Northwestern game, with pockets of snowfall, our home football team had to play despite miserable weather. Both games were neck-in-neck, long-fought battles where we could not just coast by if we wanted a victory. That’s determination, people.
Translation into “real life”: Stick it out through exam week, or through a tricky class, or even through a difficult major.
Find the fight within yourself! It may take some special jams, copious amounts of caffeine, and every tutoring session you can sign up for, but remember you are here because this school believes in you. Yeah, so there aren’t any specific cheers celebrating your victories…but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Be your own student section! Oh, and maybe do some pushups for extra effect because having a toned bod is most definitely helpful for doing well on tests, isn’t it?
3. Whether we like it or not, the ref makes the final call.
Why? Countless times Notre Dame has appeared to make a touchdown or get a first down, while in reality the referee will declare it illegitimate or call for a redo. No doubt, it fires up all the fans in the stands, but the players still have to deal things as they are counted, setbacks and all.
Translation into “real life”: You can’t control everything that happens, but you can change how you deal with it.
One of my favorite prayers, short and sweet, is the Serenity Prayer:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
It’s an excellent reminder that, yes, authority may have the final say in some matters, but there’s no use fretting about those things, because we can’t change them. Rather, to invest energy and bravery in changing what we can (i.e. the future, our attitude, etc.) is a much more worthy cause.
4. Take plenty of time outs, if that’s what you need to do well.
Why? Football clocks run slow, and ours is no exception. Sure, we call a lot of time outs to huddle and regroup, but it’s led to some well-executed plays!
Translation into “real life”: Take breaks during a busy day/week/life.
College is stressful, for sure. But no one said it can’t be a stop-and-go, take some breaks kind of stressful. Nothing is stopping you from a 15-minute run to clear your head or a power nap (no, not even the fact that the floor is tiled and cold is stopping you!). Refresh, recharge, and reboot: that’s the motto. Or #yolo, whatever you prefer.
5. Switch to Under Armor
Enough said.
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