Miracle
I recently watched the movie
Miracle about the 1980 US Hockey Team which won the gold medal. I am always drawn to stories in which the underdog succeeds. The fact this movie was a true story made it even better. That win over the Soviets has to qualify for the all time upset win ever. Herb Brooks applied the formula of a good plan + hard work + single mindedness = success.
Herb was a good teacher. Once he assembled his team, he often asked a player three questions. "What is your name? Where are you from? Who do you play for?" From the first tryout to game play, the players would answer the third question with their college. There was a rivalry between Minnesota and the East Coast. I think it was after the US team tied the Norwegian team Herb Brooks kept the players on the ice after the game. He was angry, because he had observed them looking at girls in the stands and generally not taking the game seriously.
He made them skate from one end of the rink to the other in a common drill. The team stayed out there for a long time. In between sprints, Herb would say things to them. He reminded them of how important it was to give your all. The players were about to drop and most had thrown up from exertion. Finally, one of the players shouted out his name and the city from which he hailed. Herb Brooks asked him the third question, "Who do you play for?" Back came the response, "I play for the United States of America." The player "got it" and the team "got it." The coach could have stopped them on the first day and said something like this, "Boys, when I ask you who you play for, you are to say the USA. We need to put these rivalries behind us and be as one." Herb knew that lesson could not be conveyed in that way. The players would have to learn it on their own or it would not matter.
Miracle is a feel good movie. It is a welcome addition to what is out there. It is easy to see how it happened. The Soviets were over confident, but the US Team prepared. They paid the price in hard work and they were not in awe. You just never know what will happen.
When it comes to accomplishing your miracles this movie sets down a solid approach. First, have a goal. In my case it is to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Second, have a good plan. I am eating cottage cheese and peaches aren't I? Perhaps more importantly, I am paying for a coach and I will do what he tells me. Third, hard work. This is where a lot of goals crash and burn. It is one thing to have a goal and make a plan, but to do the day to day work of it separates the men form the boys. If you went to college you probably remember urges to quit maybe half way through. You have probably done the work for some goals and quit on others. That brings us to the next point. Single mindedness is necessary to accomplish the impossible. Fortunately, most of the things we want to do are not impossible, but it is nice to know you can do it if you apply single mindedness. I do not think I will have to quit my job to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I will have to forego some things. I will have to sacrifice.
It is comforting to know I can do just about anything I want to if I apply this formula. Others have proven its truth time and again. Movies like Miracle inspire and invite us to believe and to do. If we dare, we too will accomplish miracles.
Until the next time
John Strain