#ELB #139: Thrill Of The Victory, Thrill Of The Competition.

Happy New Year & Welcome 2021. I wish you great blessings, happiness, and health to you in 2021!

It’s a magnificent fall day in Milford, PA. I’m spending some time with my son and his friends who were having a make-up birthday party for my son who’s birthday was in the spring. My son who is 12 is hanging with his boys and they’re having a great time.

We did a variety of activities including a big-time stop at Dunkin’ Donuts. We ended the day at the Milford Park where the boys played hoops and had some fun in their own hometown. I was really surprised at what I saw. I remember playing ball with my buddies as a kid. The thrill for me was in the competition against the team we were playing and in the will to win. I can remember heavy-duty games with hard elbows and hard fouls and extreme competition. All in good fun and spirit, yet looking to beat my opponent in that moment.

I can remember my feet burning on the blacktop, and my throat burning for cold water. Yet the competition continued. It wasn’t about how many views we got online or how many likes on social media. It was about winning the game and the thrill of competition. I fed off that. My heart would beat harder and faster for that, which drives me even today.

What wound up happening with these young men was them filming each other looking for laughs and things that would #GoViral on YouTube. They never actually played a game against one another.

I did not intervene nor give any fatherly advice. I just watched from afar surprised by today’s generation. Is this good? Is this bad? We don’t know. It is certainly different. At the end of the day, they really enjoyed each other’s company, had fun, laughed, etc. which is the most important part. I still don’t know how I feel about the desire to have viral videos instead of playing the game.

Popularity does not equal success. In the end, it still comes down to competition and grit. People will compete for jobs. People will compete for spouses, and compete for higher salaries.The competitions over a lifetime are endless. I think these lessons we learn early on in our lives about competitions, whether through athletics or academics or whatever the setting, are good tests, and good experiences. While I believe in free play and all the benefits that come with it, I have always believed and prospered in the competitive environment, survival of the fittest mindset.

Let’s not shy away from competition in our lives or for our children. When the opportunity presents itself, give everything you have. There’s adrenaline, there’s focus, and the desire to be the best you can be.

Keep rolling everyone. #SurviveThrive