This time of year, college and NFL football games saturate the TV listings on the weekend. Every one of those games has a halftime—a mid-game break for the team to go to the locker room. Business leader, Bob Buford, labeled the midpoint time of life when we evaluate who we have become, our impact, our significance, our legacy as “Halftime” and wrote a book in 1994 by that name that has sold over a half million copies. I read that book before I turned 50 and it has shaped my life and decisions.
Having played and coached sports, I’ve learned that an effective halftime break in the locker room has four elements to it:
- What we did right in the first half
- What we did wrong
- What we need to change
- What we are going to do to change it
Most importantly, my friend Lloyd Reeb writes, “halftime provides an opportunity for the team to gain a new focus for the second half and the confidence and passion to go out again and give it all they have” (Success to Significance p. 24).
Often these “halftime” questions arise during a job change, a personal crisis, a health scare or when facing retirement. For me, it was none of the above but I intentionally set aside time to reflect on these questions after I read Bob Buford’s book a couple years before I turned 50.
Halftime is for people of both genders, people of all careers, all faiths, and all economic levels in our generation and culture. The generation that is now in their 50’s are the healthiest, wealthiest and best-educated generation ever to reach midlife. The great news is, some of the most productive years are yet ahead. Many who have envisioned changing the world, actually have that potential!
Throughout this week, we will look at some mid-lifers who have transformed our world. And depending on what happens in your locker-room experience, future generations will remember you as a world-changer!
QUESTION: What did you do right in the first half? Share it with others in the comment area below.
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