An NFL game lasts 60 actual minutes televised over the course of about 3 hours. Did you ever think about the amount of time that the ball is actually in play during the game? Surprisingly, the average length of time that the ball is actually in play during the course of a single football game is 12 minutes, or only 7% of the time. The other 93% of the time, we are witnessing commercials, time-outs, huddles, unruly fans and so on – in other words, the busyness of football, not the business of football! The business of football is to move the ball and score touchdowns.
In the game of your life, how long is your ball in play? Everyone is familiar with the 80/20 rule; 20% of what you do (business) produces 80% of the results. I would venture to guess that the rule should be re-named the “93/7 Rule”; 7% of what you do produces 93% of your results. You are probably spending about 93% of your time on busyness.
Let’s relate this back to the game of football. The final 2 minutes of the game is known as “the 2 minute warning.” This particular time of a competitive game can offer us an unmatched level of excitement. It is not uncommon to have more points scored during the final 2 minutes than in the previous 58 minutes and it shouldn’t surprise you that during the final 2 minutes of the game, the ball is in play for a much higher percentage of the time. What would happen if you chose to live your life like a 2 minute warning? Imagine you were losing the game of life with no time-outs and you have to figure out how to get the ball across the goal line to win. You have 120 seconds to do it. What would you do? What play would you call? Would you choose to run the ball yourself and rely on your own instincts or hand the ball off to someone else more qualified? Perhaps you would air it out and hope that your best receiver could get behind the defense and make the game winning catch. Would you play to win?
Imagine how many 2 minute warnings you have wasted during the course of your life; 120 seconds here, 120 seconds there…tick, tock, tick, tock. What if in this moment, you decided to start paying attention to the seconds of your life instead of allowing them to tick away unnoticed?
Here are 3 ways to start living life like a 2-minute warning:
1. Practice Active Language
Replace the word “have” with the word “create”! Stop telling people to have a nice day and start telling them to create a great day! This is not simply a difference of semantics, it is a game-changer. The word “have” is a passive word which carries no power. It signifies that your day is going to happen to you. It implies that you have limited control over the outcome. The word “create”, on the other hand, is an active word which carries a very powerful message. It reminds both the person speaking the word as well as the person hearing the word that we create our own reality. We are responsible for how this day will turn out. We are responsible for creating the 2 minute warnings that make up our lives. We have created thousands of them in the past and hopefully, we will be granted the opportunity to create thousands of them in the future. The easiest way to make sure that we end up on the winning end of our future 2 minute warnings is to make each second count. Stop allowing seconds to happen to you and start literally “creating” the time of your life!
2. Live in the NOW
The only thing that matters is what you do right now. Yes, the best time to start eating healthy and to begin an ongoing exercise program was 20 years ago. The second best time is right now. Remember, the past does not equal the future unless you live there.
3. Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude
Be grateful for you have while you pursue all that you wish to create! The easiest way to make the next 2 minutes of your life spectacular is to recognize the following: Some years ago, the race of a lifetime took place. 40 million sperm went racing for a single egg. You know who won the race? You did! The sheer fact that you made it here means you were born the winner! Imagine for a moment entering a marathon with 40 million other people and winning. It sounds almost impossible, right? If you break the word impossible down, you get “I’m Possible”. When was the last time you gave thanks for your ticket to play the game called life? Cultivate an attitude of gratitude for your admission ticket on a daily basis and I promise you will never take your next 2 minute warning for granted ever again!
Living life like a 2 minute warning is a call to action. Pay attention to my recommendations and make each and every 1 of them count. The ball is in your hands and the clock is ticking. Remember, eventually, the clock strikes zero for us all! Live the dream, everyday!
Contributor: Dr. Gregg Baron
The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. None of the information presented is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
