What is this?  It’s a little too early for “One Shining Moment”, isn’t it?  We are only down to the Final Four!

Well, this post actually has nothing to do with March Madness or basketball.  This is about the one (or two or twenty) shining moment we all get in our own lives.

From Idea to Action

One day last Fall, I was standing with another father on the sideline of a soccer field watching my daughter compete.  I casually mentioned I had a loose connection to Roger Staubach and that I would love to interview him for my blog.

The other dad was a Naval Academy graduate and a huge fan of Staubach.

“You have to do it”, he implored.  “He would be PERFECT!”

I didn’t take it too seriously at first but his enthusiasm was contagious.  Why not go for it?

I crafted a plan, laid out an agenda and e-mailed Roger Staubach out of the blue with my idea.  I didn’t expect to hear back.

Within 15 minutes, Roger answered the e-mail, acknowledged my blog,  and thought it would be a great idea to meet if I were ever in Dallas.   Wow!

A few months later, as fate would have it, I was scheduled to be in Dallas on business. I once again reached out to Roger to see if he would be in town. He was scheduled to be in his office the same day I was in town.  It was meant to be!

I spent several hours with Roger and it was truly a life-changing experience.  (His full story appears here: Roger Staubach: A Balanced Life)

Looking back, that one simple meeting led to so many great things in my life, both personally and professionally.

But what if I had never gone for it?  What if I had never received encouragement?  What if a crazy idea just stayed in my head forever?

We all have opportunities to capture our one shining moment.  They don’t always have to be grand and life-changing.  But they are all around us.  We just need to take action.  We just need to go for it!

Seize the Opportunity

In our work lives, these moments are everywhere.   A brilliant idea that could be the foundation for a brand new company.  An opportunity to present that could bring in a whole new revenue stream.  A small window which requires action to secure a client.  A chance to speak up in meeting or conference to share our unique views.

Nothing requires us to act.   We can live our entire lives without seizing these opportunities.  And our lives might turn out okay.  But deep down, we know we have more to offer.  It feels so much better to maximize our potential.   It feels so much better to experience the sheer thrill of going for dreams.  And it’s never too late to take action.

We Can’t Always Play It Safe

The same is true in our personal lives.  Opportunities for greatness are all around us.  A window to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us.  A chance to explore a new hobby or take advantage of a specialized class.  A moment to muster the courage to ask someone on a date or share our admiration.

It’s not easy.  Nerves and lack of confidence are formidable adversaries.  But we might as well go down swinging!  Every time we hesitate it becomes harder and harder to act the next time.  Eventually playing it safe becomes a habit.  And we settle into a comfortable paralysis.  Does that sound like the recipe for a resilient life?

If We Take Action, We Can’t Lose

But what happens if we go for it and humiliate ourselves?   What happens if face our one shining moment and shoot an air ball?  If we go for it enough, it’s probably going to happen!

But that failure is so much better than inaction.  That defeat is so much better than keeping the conversation in our head.  That humiliation will only lead to growth.

Because when we take action on our dreams, big or small, we cannot lose.  Action is contagious.   Action breeds confidence.  Action is certainly not a guarantee of success, but at least it gives us a fighting chance!

And isn’t that all we need to be successful?

Go For It!

We can’t swallow our ideas.  We can’t be passive with our dreams. We can’t spend our lives on the sidelines.  We have so much potential.  We just need to take action!

Everyone has an opportunity for their one shining moment.  Just ask Roger Staubach.  Sometimes, we just have to go for it!

Until next week, keep smiling!