On the TUNNEYSIDE of SPORTS October 7, 2013 #457 Up next…“The Shutdown!”
After further review…As this is being written, our country – the good ‘ol U.S. of A. — is experiencing a government shutdown. No, this TUNNEYSIDE is not jumping into that egregious political mess. Better we establish a mind-set that helps us look forward to brighter days. But how? Perhaps we focus on what each of us can do to maintain a positive outlook. Since these writings center on sports, let’s invest our interests there. Participating in what our favorite NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA or college T*E*A*M may be doing can help keep us balanced. That’s important during a national crisis.
“Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change” is a theme I often use in presentations to corporate America as well in my leadership training sessions. Many are fearful of change, yet we need to treat change as a friend with the attitude that only through change will growth occur. Note that not all change is growth, but change is vital for growth.
Change was the subject recently when talking with a couple of my grandkids (we have sixteen!). They asked me what sports I played when I was a kid. I responded: football, basketball, and baseball—since I also thought those were the names of the seasons of the year. Then they asked what fast foods I ate. I said, “We didn’t have fast foods when I was growing up; all the food was slow!” They jumped up saying, “C’mon, Papa! Seriously, where did you eat?”
I said it was a place called “home”. And mom cooked every day! When Dad got home, we all sat down together at the dinner table, hands washed and hair combed. If I didn’t like what Mom put on the plate, I was allowed to sit there until I did like it. I didn’t have the heart to tell them about how I had to have permission to leave the table.
I completed the picture by telling them “You see, in those days some parents never owned their own house, never set foot on a golf course, never traveled out of the USA, and never had a credit card or cell phones. My parents never took me to games – I rode my bike. There was no phone is my room, since we only had one—in the hallway! Yes, “The times they are a-changin’” (thanks Bob Dylan)
Will you not be fearful of change, but treat change as a friend?
To contact Jim go to www.jimtunney.com or email him at jim@jimtunney.com.
