"On The Clock"

In 2015, I was introduced to a tradition that's known to a select group of people who have been fortunate to work on a Super Bowl Host Committee. It's the tradition bestowed to the team responsible for the next year's game of being "on the clock" the day immediately after a new champion has been crowned.

The thought and the reality of knowing your days to do your job are numbered can be intimidating to some. In most scenarios, you have less than or close to 365 days to finish and launch the strategies your leaders have outlined and if you're especially talented, execute a few more surprise and delight activities for the local community.

My experience working for two host committees left a profound impact on my life. Not only did I get to fulfill my ten year dream of bridging community and sports, but on my final run, I had the opportunity to bring impact to my hometown. But even more than fulfilling a personal goal and fueling my passion, working on those events instilled in me the importance of making the most of the time we have not only to complete the job, but also with the people we're spending countless hours with every day. It's something I've been reflecting on lately when I realized that once again a countdown clock was activated.

?"We do what we can, while we can."

This has been my refrain and resolve for the last few months as our company has publicly made and prepared for big changes. I could embrace this philosophy because I'd done it before. The gift of working against a finite deadline is that you learn to prioritize, compartmentalize, scream, commiserate, fail, and keep doing your best until the buzzer sounds and all the numbers have turned to zeros.

Now, working against high-pressure deadlines feels like second nature (a feeling confirmed by my therapist a few years ago) and even when uncertainty awaits on the other side of the day, I find comfort in knowing the scorekeeper has several pen marks next to my name as a key contributor. For every position I've had the chance to play, I'm grateful. My passion for making this world better has only benefited from the roles and scenarios I've encountered to make me a better teammate and leader. Every day, I leave it all on the floor/court/field/pitch.

?Tomorrow is not promised

?Three years ago, I realized how deeply one could feel the loss of someone that na?veté would have you believe there's many more days to have conversations with about life and work. The new and unexpected void ran deep and sometimes the only bright spots I had to cling to on my darkest days was that after months of "Hollywooding" (i.e. we should do lunch…) we finally had a long-overdue conversation that we both wanted to have. The topic, while trivial to some, was a reflection of just how many levels we were connected- we had a bond and while we supported each other in our career ambitions, we also saw and respected the person that we vulnerably showed to each other.

When I attended my new hire orientation for this job, I made a promise to myself that I would "show up." How I fulfill this promise has evolved in the three-nearly four --years I've worked here full-time, but the most important way that hasn't changed is my care for my colleagues. As the days pass and our fates are made more clear, I cherish every laugh, tear, scream, prayer, mistake, and success that made us all better and more than colleagues.

?When I leave this world, my hope is that during my celebration of life (FYI there are detailed instructions so please read carefully and act accordingly if you plan to attend) that no one will mention the work I've done. My desire is that whomever attends will know exactly what I learned in 2008 when I began to follow my heart - that I'm more than a paycheck, a job title, job description or the company that employs me. And for all my dear and much appreciated readers, I hope you also know that as well. Your presence and essence is what makes the difference for so many. Whatever "tomorrow" brings I hope you will always be the person that people want in the bunker with them --especially when the clock is ticking down (whether you know it or not).?