the time is now!

Happy Monday one and all!
 
I’m not sure about you but I feel as though this somewhat post pandemic situation has me rejuvenated and in a mindset that says ITS GO TIME! If you are in a conflicting mindset and stuck in a funk then I hope this read is for you.
 
Procrastination is the enemy and can be defined as follows – the action of delaying or postponing something. Procrastination might find you spending long nights studying in the library for that test, forgetting items for your work day or recreational activities, winding up late to work and events and may also cause you great stress. On top of that, all of these outcomes may have greater consequences such as poor grades in school, unrest in the workplace, warranted grief from your boss and an overall mental feeling of low self esteem or self worth. DON’T DO IT TO YOURSELF! The quicker you realize that nobody is going to feel sorry for you, the quicker you quit playing the victim. In most cases, it is YOU who holds the key to your success both now and in the future. Sure, life happens and there are somethings that we cannot control but excuses will just not fly. By the way, don’t think that I am home and dry. I don’t just write this to nudge others but to reaffirm to myself that I too can do better!

The opposite of procrastination is anticipation or being pro active. In other words and in this case, to do something beforehand. I am fortunate in the sense that I hate being late and have a tendency to arrive in a timely manner. As a kid, my father would ensure that I arrived at sporting activities early, this continued into school and throughout my collegiate years. Graeme Dell, our head coach for Team GBR would tell us “on time is 10 minutes early.” I agreed and adopted this saying and use it for my older youth and college players. It’s simple, if you are on time, you do not miss information, you do not create a tense environment and you are not looking over your shoulder. The knock on effect of this equates to better performance, team chemistry and a feel good factor for yourself and others, typically resulting in success.
 
Another habit that was installed into me from a young age was the packing of my school or sports bag THE NIGHT BEFORE it was needed. This was a great combatant for PPP = PPP. “Piss Poor Planning Promotes Piss Poor Performance.” I’m not sure if this was a direct quote from my dad or if he got it from someone else but is spot on. Another catchy saying for this is “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” (A quick google check states that The 7 P’s is in fact a British Army adage). In addition to the packing of bags, I would often polish my boots before games. When I got to Plymouth as a trainee professional, we would be assigned a first team player. We would have to clean their boots after training and games, polish and shine them as part of our responsibility. I was assigned David Norris (Pictured on Ford Lake, Michigan in the 'FINAL THOUGHTS' section below). ‘Chuck’ took care of me at Christmas with a little bonus and many of the pro’s did likewise for the other youth lads. This was the standard and this was the structure we needed as young lads. It was a tough environment, brutal at times but memories to look back on nonetheless. It was a great feeling to see the boots sparkling after a good shine and it definitely was a small accomplishment each day that gave that feel good factor and feeling of pride. Side note - that was back in the early 2000’s. 10-12 years later I was able to invite and fly Chuck over to Michigan to help run one of my youth camps.

The way I see it, we all have 6 months left of 2020. I have seen many meme's of 2020 being a wash out or something along the lines of "If I was a time traveler, then please don't let me land in 2020..." Life is what YOU make it. Face the truth, you are not going to get any handouts, luck for some is simply being in the right place at the right time. YOU have the power to make things happen if you first believe that you can. This post pandemic time and factory reset is an opportunity for us all to push harder for our goals. For some, this message will create an air of excitement and for those slightly further along, business as usual with certain expectations and standards to uphold. We are all at different stages but the key to this is starting somewhere, and starting TODAY! Put yourself in uncomfortable situations, meet new people through netwroking, attend seminars and learn your trade!

---

Helping others in our summit up! community

​​If you want to be featured in our helping others section, email summitup2020@gmail.com. It does not matter where in the world you are, Summit Up! will highlight you, your business or someone you know of in our weekly blog.

---

final thoughts

This weekend I attended a graduation party for one of our club soccer players. The lad will be moving on to play college soccer. It is such an exciting time. Although the 2020 graduates were not afforded the opportunity to finish out their senior years under normal circumstances, they shouldn't dwell. The future is bright after such a great achievement. I know this particular player is moving into an environment that will not allow mediocre and so am excited to see just how far he will go. After celebrations are over, the world will be waiting for him, ready to make him stumble, just like at any moment, anyone of us could. Preparedness is key. What are you doing today to ensure that you are prepared for tomorrow and the week ahead?

​In closing, I encourage you all to cram one years of work and/or accomplishments into the remaining 6 months of 2020. Grab the bull by the horns and make it happen!​

Thanks for reading, I hope this gets you thinking. Until next week, Summit Up! you've got this.

​Facebook: Summit Up

Instagram: summit_up2020

Twitter: @summitup3
​
Website: www.summituplive.com

---

quote for the week

"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."
Nelson Mandela