Wednesday, January 26, 2005

A Great Expectations coaching Lesson from the New England Patriots

I was watching the New England Patriots vs the Pittsburg Steelers ( I love them!) American football game last weekend and heard something very interesting. And what I heard is so important to your success thatI want to share it with you.

Let me give you some background info and then we'll move forward. The New England Patriots have been one of the most successful American football teams in the last ten years having won two Super Bowls. This game was important because the winner gets to the Super Bowl in two weeks time.

Here's what happened. The score at halftime was 24-3 . New England was winning and dominating the game. How easy would it have been for the players to start thinking about the Super Bowl? How easy would it have been for the players to come out 'flat' in the 2nd half, to stop playing hard, thinking they'd already won? This happens so many times to teams in this situation.

When the 2nd half was about to start, the announcer commented on what the New England coach had said to his players at halftime. When I heard this, I wrote it down....no, I don't know where he got his information from. Here's what the 2-time Super Bowl Champion coach said to his players during halftime when they were winning 24-3. Write this down. He said, "Concentrate on the next play." Let me say that again, "Concentrate on the next play."

"Maitiu, how does that relate to me?" Here's how! So many people out there that are trying to improve their lives, are focusing on targets so far ahead of them and never accomplishing them. They're focusing on 20 "plays" later.

So what happens is this: Fear comes in. Challenges come in and most people quit.

Here's what I do: I focus on my next action step. I make my targets smaller.
I go faster by going 'slower'. I gather momentum. I "concentrate on the next play".

Do you see any reason why you shouldn't 'buy in' to this philosophy? The Patriots are playing next weekend for their 3rd Super Bowl in less than a decade. Their coach who gave them this advice is arguably one of the top 5 coaches of all time.

***Concentrate on your next play.*** Focus on it. Accomplish it.

This advice works, if you work it.

Read about my stunning new sales training programme for experienced sales people here:
http://www.greatexpectationscoaching.com/unlock1.html

Health & Blessings.

Maitiu
http://www.greatexpectationscoaching.com

Acknowledgement to Mike Litman -http://www.powerofconcentration.net/a.html