#LOCKDOWN NOTES
For those who follow football, particularly the English Premier League, the name Peter Drury would be a familiar one. He has been called the Shakespeare of modern football commentary because of the brilliance he brings to the art. I could argue that some have fallen in love with the game because of how he beautifully weaves statistics, poetry and eloquence with the otherwise ordinary narration of the events of a football game. What craftsmanship!
Recently he made a video about what has been going on around him during the lockdown period and he panned the camera to show the notes he had prepared for the next game he was to be involved in, which hasn't held because of the pandemic. I couldn't help but notice the several scribbles on the sheets of paper in preparation for a game's commentary! Then I thought, people do not know what level of planning and details go into giving a star performance or producing an excellent work. We would applaud him, give him all the accolades and say he is the best but we rarely understand or appreciate the discipline and work ethics that he leans on.
Talents and gifts are good but if you are going to stand out and be the best, you've got to seek excellence always. You've got to be disciplined, hardworking and focused. You would expend resources, energy and time. Don't expect greatness and success to fall into your lap when you haven't paid your dues.
The difference between a shooting star and a shining star is the culture and ethics of the star. Some people just look forward to a flash of success, one that is here this second and gone the next moment. But what would keep you on top always is your commitment to the values and principles that govern success and greatness. Peter doesn't just show up in the commentary box on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to start running commentary. He would have spent the day before, preparing, gathering data and facts about different aspects of the game. That is the fragrance of excellence. What are you preparing for today? Think about excellence, think about shooting your best shot, think about committing more to get the most of success. Mediocrity is never an advantage or a badge of honour to wear and excellence is not exclusive or for a select few. You only need to have the right mindset - a mindset that gives its best each time, one that believes in continuous improvement. Choose to do things differently. Choose to get things right the first time you do them. Choose to improve on your last success. Choose to never settle for mediocrity.
You could check out the video by Peter Drury on Jim Beglins twitter handle @jimbeglin
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay