How To Become A Champion

Last night my son and the rest of his Blue Sox team were honored by the Sussex County PAL/PBA and the Sussex County Sheriff for winning their baseball championship earlier this year.

Surrounded by law enforcement officers from several towns, the team was presented with championship rings and a short video was shown representing their season. The team was pretty much oblivious to the event until such time as their rings were presented to them at which point in time they couldn't get over their "bling."

Why were they oblivious? Because they were having too much fun goofing around with one another all night. They are a group of young men who truly enjoy one another's company and have for more than a year now. After every game, win or lose, they would spend an additional hour playing together a form of dodgeball using a tennis ball, laughing so loud that you couldn't tell sometimes if someone was hurt or having a good time. Parents didn't mind because they equally enjoyed spending time with one another after each game talking to one another. The same held true last night, too, with the parents having as good a time as the kids.

Teams don't have to have great team chemistry to win championships, but it certainly doesn't hurt. This team does and always will. They also have some other characteristics that separate them from their competition. They love to practice. They work hard. They hate to lose. They don't mind pressure. They take every game a game at a time and don't think about the next game. And they truly love the game.

I have been fortunate to either play on, coach, or administer several championship teams and these characteristics always seem to be present. Each team was willing to work hard, got along, hated to lose, loved to practice and play, never seemed to crumble under pressure, and took it one game at a time.

Business success shares these same characteristics. If you are willing to work hard, show up every day, enjoy spending time with your teammates (associates), enjoy your work, can handle pressure, and take it one challenge at a time, you are likely to be successful more often than not.