Win the 3rd Quarter
WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE?
I don’t know if you felt it, but as I woke up today and a brisk cool breeze tickled my nostrils, I knew it was the end of summer
And it makes sense.
This weekend is Labour Day and for most people that means a few things:
School is back in session Tuesday
Summer vacations are wrapping up
Work will be picking up
And it’s time to get back into a routine
September also marks the final month of the third quarter (Q3) of our 2023… woah nelly!
Wow… consider that for a second. January 2023 we set ALL THE GOALS.
March/ Q1 ended with progress, April through June (Q2) was challenging but we continued positive trends.
But Q3, July to now? You might be thinking “What did I even do this summer?”
(Starts down the rabbit hole of stressing out)
Holy shit I fell off track, my gym goals, food goals, all the goals. Damn and September always friggin flys by. It’s going to be Thanksgiving in like 5 weeks, and soon enough it will be holiday season and Christmas and then we start all over again😩
Crazy to think about eh? 🍁
You probably want me to stop right?
Good, I want you to STOP too, and THINK. Consider one thing before I stress you out too much.
🏈 Here is today’s AHA MOMENT courtesy of a splendid sports analogy.
NFL Week 1 starts next week, the NBA season will soon follow and both sports have a big thing in common with our year, they have 4 quarters.
Each quarter matters, but the 3rd quarter, the one we are currently in, often matters the most.
Usually, good teams come out swinging in the first quarter, build on their lead in the second, then get complacent in the 3rd and give up their lead. However, good teams don’t tend to worry, because they are good enough to rally in the 4th and find a way to win.
Most of the time.
As you may recall, the halftime score of last year’s Super Bowl was 24-14 for the Eagles. If you remember that, you also remember who ended up winning that game.
In the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl, the Chiefs made halftime adjustments and came out with forceful intensity. They scored a touchdown on their first drive after the half, scored 24 total second-half points, and won Super Bowl LVII, 38-35!
Is it a coincidence that the 3rd quarter subtly changed the game for both teams? Nope.
Here is one more example.
From 2015-2019 what NBA team do you think had the best 3rd quarter scoring margin in the league?
Well, that would be the team that won 3 championships and went to 5 straight finals, the Golden State Warriors. Oh and not coincidentally they were also 9.5 points better than their opponents in 3rd quarters, in the 2022 playoffs. This was when they, yeup you guessed it, won another championship.
So it’s September next week… are you winning at the moment?
(winning = on track towards your goals, health or otherwise).
Or did you give up the lead you had on your goals? Are you now trailing after getting too loosey-goosey or would you give yourself a very close tie?
Whatever position you feel like you are in, you have about 4 minutes (1 month) left in this quarter. Are you going to use it or lose it?
Are you a good team that will wait until October (Q4) to get back on track? Or are you a GREAT team that knows when it’s time to step on the gas?
Not sure? Let me help…
Summer is over, be great, and don’t wait to rally- put your foot on the peddle.
This team huddle was brought to you by your personal Andy Reid/ Steve Kerr,
Coach Connor
🏀Fun Exercise
Let’s assume you live to 82, exactly the same number of games an NBA team plays in a season. How many bad/ unhealthy quarters have led you to bad/ unhealthy YEARS so far in life?
How many 3rd quarters/ summers do you fall off track or lose track of goals? Is summer a write-off for you? It shouldn’t be. Make note that next year you will strive for better balance.
Furthermore, does the summer, winter, or any particular time of year get you off track more? Reflect on this, maybe call a timeout this weekend, and figure out a new strategy for yourself going forward. Better yet, call me! 😎
Do you want to be good or GREAT for the games/years you have left in life? How many more can you afford to lose?
