The Relentless Pursuit of Victory - Stand for America?
Gregg Zegarelli Esq.
Managing Shareholder at Technology & Entrepreneurial Ventures Law Group, PC
Okay, I admit it. I was cheering for the LA Rams in Superbowl LIII. Emotions aside, there was a good reason: I am from Pittsburgh, and I wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers to maintain Superbowl Ring Superiority. Before last night, the Steelers enjoyed being the only team with six Superbowl Rings. Now, the Steelers are tied with the Patriots. So be it. It is done.
But, I have something else to admit: I love the Patriots, including Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and entire team. It's really not about the concrete human beings, per se. It's something much more.
What I love about the Patriots is their relentless pursuit of victory. Sure, I know a lot of people who don't like Tom Brady. Perhaps because he has looks, money, celebrity and seems to be a nice guy. And, I know a lot of people who don't like Bill Belichick. Perhaps because he exemplifies the cruel brutality of clear strategy implementation, if not creative thinking regarding the applicable rules of context.
But, here's why we need to love the Patriots: They remind us that we have to bring a better game.
They move the bar higher. Oh, yes, I know you're going to say that's not true, such as they they cheat or some other reason that the Patriots don't move the bar higher, but lower. But, I'll still say they move the bar higher, even with creative warfare like signal lip readers (if it's not expressly against the rules, then it's okay, like the Crimes Code, right?).
Here is what is being whispered, even if it is repressed:
Athletic competition is a form of warfare. The conquered did not like Attila the Hun, either, but, if you don't want to be conquered by Attila, you need to step up your game. It does not matter if Attila cheats in the rules of war. If you're conquered by Attila, his soldiers enjoy the spoils of war, perhaps being your spouse.
The simple truth is that, in matters of competition and adversity, we have to be excellent enough to win in light of all systemic flaws; we have to be so dominant in a game that the competitor simply loses, by our own competitive superiority.
On one hand, the defeated can sit around commiserating and watching the conquerors enjoy the spoils of war, pining and whining about injustice and what they thought was (or used to be) his or hers is now being savored and devoured by the victors.
Or, on the other hand, the defeated can simply get better, work harder, study longer, prepare better and implement the strategy more effectively. That is, to step up the game.
Don't we hear Bilicheck to his team: "Do your jobs."
Don't we hear Brady to his team: "Study harder."
Don't we had the entire team: "Don't give up and beat ourselves, make them beat us."
Don't we know that the Patriots are like the Terminator, they simply are not dead until they are dead, really and completely dead. They just keep coming and coming. Even a three possession lead in the last few minutes is not enough to feel safe. They are relentless.
It's actually a beautiful thing to behold.
If we don't see why the Patriots inspire us to step up our game, well, then, we're simply losers, enslaved, and sitting in the last refuge of a victim: hope.
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What does any of this have to do with America? Everything. We've gotten into a bad habit of expecting the World to play a certain way. Trying to mold the World around ourselves. It is noble to improve the World, but it is wise to improve Self. Yes, strange or ironic, but those crafty and competent Patriots actually exemplify traditional American principles.
If you think that [you succeed by disabling others], you are mistaken; that is not a way of escape which is either possible or honorable. The easiest and the noblest way is not to be disabling others, but to be improving yourselves. ~Socrates
A lot of people didn't like Socrates either, but he made us step up our game. And, a lot of people did not like America in the old days, for the right reasons.
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Gregg Zegarelli?is Managing Shareholder of?Technology & Entrepreneurial Ventures Law Group, PC.?Gregg is nationally rated as "superb" and has more than 25 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes, including startups,?INC. 500, and publicly traded companies.?He is Adjunct Professor in the Duquesne University Master of Leadership graduate degree program, currently teaching,?Developing Leadership Character Through Adversity.?He is author of?One: The Unified Gospel of Jesus,?and?The Business of Aesop? article series, and co-author with his father,?Arnold Zegarelli, of?The Essential Aesop: For Business, Managers, Writers and Professional Speakers.?Gregg is a frequent lecturer, speaker and faculty for a variety of educational and other institutions.?Copyright ? 2019 Gregg Zegarelli. Gregg can be contacted through?LinkedIn.
Stand for America? is a series of publications written by Gregg Zegarelli intersecting philosophy and traditional American values published by Technology & Entrepreneurial Ventures Law Group. Printed or reprinted with permission.
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5 年Superb insight..thanks I needed this!