Winning at Half-time

“In the game of life, nothing is less important than the score at halftime”

Andy Andrews

Welcome to the second half of 2024! It feels like the year started just a few weeks ago, yet here we are, closer to the end than the beginning. Growing up as a sports fan, I knew halftime was never a time to celebrate prematurely but rather to assess and (re)strategize. As they say, you can’t declare victory until the game is truly over—until the whistle blows or, in American terms, until the fat lady sings.

I’ve lived this truth vividly with the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles. In the 1994 World Cup, we led 1-0 against former champions Italy, poised for victory until Italy scored in the 89th minute, leading to a heartbreaking defeat. Conversely, it was joy unspeakable for me, when we rallied from a 3-1 deficit at halftime to beat defending world champions, Brazil, in the 1996 Olympics.

Perhaps my love for sports stems from its reflection of real life.  Winning games, championships require total commitment – collaboration, grit, preparation, and unwavering focus, among other things. Personally, many of my life’s high moments have come in the second half of the year, particularly in the last quarter, which often sets the stage for the upcoming year. What I achieve in 2024, was often determined in Q4 of 2023. The second half matters greatly. If the first half was challenging or disappointing, that’s okay; it’s an opportunity to start afresh. If it was great, congratulations! Now is the time to build on it – don’t lose focus.  Either way, don’t fixate on the current score; you’re playing for the entire game, not just the half, and the game isn’t over yet.

Here are practical steps you can apply to ensure you win the game of 2024:

1. Regroup: Take a moment to pause and reflect. What worked in the first half? What didn’t? What do you truly want to achieve this year, and why? Ask yourself these tough questions and be open to adjusting your goals. As Mia Hamm, Hall of Fame female soccer player, said, “Half-time is a break for the body, but a battle for the mind.”
2. Restrategize: Identify key priorities based on your reflections. Focus on incremental progress rather than feeling overwhelmed by the big picture. Like in football, if you are 4-0 down, thinking of how to score four goals won’t help; it will overwhelm you into in-action.  Break things down into little bits.  Focus on the immediate next step. That’s how you come back from behind or achieve audacious goals – one step at a time.
3. Focus: You have had enough time to experiment with what works and what doesn’t. Identify the root causes of your distractions and proactively eliminate temptations – preserve your willpower for greater battles.  Now, it is time to double down on your priorities, even if it means saying “no” more often and upsetting people. It’s okay. Focus! At the end, your results will speak.  

I hope your second half of the year exceeds your expectations, but remember, the decision is yours to make.

Yours in possibilities,

TKO

P.S – If you want to be intentional with your 2nd half, join me this Sunday at 6pm for a webinar hosted by the UNLEASH Hub. I’ll guide you through my free vision planner and answer any questions you have. Click here to sign up.  See you on Sunday!