Changing Plans for Something Bigger
I had my blog for the week all written, it was all good to go. Yesterday afternoon I was watching the Tour de France (the last year it’s on terrestrial television, which is a travesty) and I realised that the Euros didn’t kick off at 7pm, as I had thought, but were actually on then! Some channel hopping ensued, until Wout van Aert won the stage and Tadej Pogacar the whole race, and I could focus on the football.
My Footballing Past (and Pride!)
I don’t always support England – I’m half Welsh and half Scottish – but I have been supporting the Lionesses in the Euros (apart from when they came up against Wales). I used to play football, a LONG time ago, whilst at university – I was club captain of the Women’s Football Club, I have my university colours for football and we won the Sports Club of the Year that year as well, an achievement nearly, ahem, 30 years later I’m still incredibly proud of.
Why the Lionesses Inspire So Many
So why did I ditch my words all about summer and focus on what happened last night instead? The resilience, the belief of the whole team; the never give up attitude, Lucy Bronze admitting after the final she’d played the entire tournament with a broken leg, it just summed up what you have to do, to sacrifice to reach your goals.
Don’t forget, England lost their first game; they went to penalties twice and they still won the tournament. Seeing the joy of not only the players but the entire backroom staff also showed that there were so many people involved in their win – physios, nutritionists, sports psychologists, coaches, someone who ensured that Michelle Agyemang had a piano delivered to the team hotel so she could play when she wasn’t training, the list goes on. There was no stone left unturned, but also, ultimately, the victory wasn’t down to one person, but a whole team. They showed what was possible if you worked hard, believed in yourself, had a little luck and never gave up.
Your Goals Matter Too
In order for you to achieve your goals, so many things need to align – you have to really want them, be surrounded by people who believe in you and support you unconditionally, be determined and focused and also put the hard work in, because things are never just handed out. And if you do all that, then the rewards are yours.
Now, we’re not all going to win the Euros (I was nowhere near the national football team when I was 21, I’m even further away now!!!), but we can take lessons from the Lionesses in going after our goals, whether they’re learning a new skill or hobby, changing a job or sometimes just getting through each day. There won’t always be medals, a shiny trophy, or a parade in London, but there is the quiet satisfaction that we’ve done our best and that we’ve done something that matters to us.
What Are You Chasing Right Now?
What goal are you going after? What’s your big dream? If you’d like some help in achieving it, reach out, I’d love to help you.