There's Always Something Around The Corner...

Last night, my brother and I were watching the Spurs vs. Thunder game (Thunder won, going to the finals-I got OKC winning it all!) and the subject of bad games came up. The Spurs were having what many would consider a good game if you just looked at the stats but the stats don't tell the whole story; they don't tell how the Spurs had an 18 point lead turn into an 8 point loss by the end of the game.

You see the Spurs, like so many teams this year in the NBA, were able to jump out out to a big lead and then couldn't hold on to win. It's disappointing, yeah, but not unexpected-not even for the Spurs who did this to the Clippers earlier in the playoffs overcoming a 24 point deficit to win the game. This has been the story in the NBA for the regular season and playoffs and yet, teams still fall prey to the same pattern and result. You get out to a big lead, feel like the game is won, and watch as the opponent whittles the lead away until, somehow, they're on top and you're looking up.

This isn't exclusive to sports as it happens to all of us in life. You ever have one of those days/weeks where you can seemingly do no wrong? You're just kicking tail and taking names with nothing in your way, right? We've all had those days/weeks. I myself had one of those weeks a few weeks ago where I nailed everything brought in front of me and I just couldn't be stopped.

Those days/weeks are intoxicating, aren't they? You want more. You want the same the next day, the next week...you want to see how far you can take it. Problem is, as human beings, we get too cocky too quick when it comes to stuff like this. The week after my amazing week was a disappointment...and then the following two weeks after that I feel completely off the wagon, got run over by the wagon, and then got disposed of by the roadkill crew.

Not. Pretty.

The point is that, whenever we have those types of days/weeks, we should always be preparing for what's around the corner because something always is. Always. You can sit there and think you're invincible from whatever comes your way but the truth is, you're not. I certainly wasn't. It doesn't take much to send us human beings spiraling out of control into horrible choices.

Really, all it takes is doubt-that's the thing that, nine times out of ten, is always around that corner. Doubt. It comes in many forms, many names...but we have an amazing ability to be superbly confident in ourselves one second and than utterly crippled by doubt the next. It's quite an interesting dichotomy.

We should always prepare ourselves for the onslaught of what's around the corner. Something always is. The best way to prepare yourself for that is to 1) know that your good fortune can't last forever and 2) to be insulated from what's around the corner through support from those around you-friends, family, ect. Having support of the people around you is something that everyone should have but a lot of people don't (which bugs the crap out of me but that's another post for another day).

Remember, above all, that the way you kicked tail that day/week can be replicated again-just keep the faith, keep chugging along, and be able to keep your ego in check (which I have an issue with).

Also, remember that there's always something around the corner...if you remember that, you're already ahead of the game. :)