Resiliency in the Final Inning

This has been a very exciting time for Chicago. It has been a long time since the team on the north side of the city has been in a World Series (71 years) and even longer since they won (108 years). But 2016 is the year that changed it all. That’s right, the Cubs won the World Series and boy was it thrilling. Down 3 games to 1, the Cubs came back to win in the 7th game and, even better, in the 10th inning. What more can a baseball fan want?

Well, now that I have caught up on my sleep, I have been giving this World Series year a lot of thought. One of the most amazing things about this feat was the amount of resiliency that the team and fans demonstrated. 

From the fans’ perspective, a lot of folks took this very seriously and understandably felt that we were about to experience another year of futility. The team faced this lore about a curse (see the “Billy Goat curse breaker Theo Epstein ate goat in the Wrigley Field bleachers”) which, even though this was a great Cubs team, still haunted fans.

The American Psychological Association defines resilience as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of . . . It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences.” Doesn’t that define the City; the team and the fans?

Being resilient is vitally important in surviving and thriving.

It allows us to:

• Develop ways in which to protect ourselves from experiences that could be overwhelming
• Adjust by overcoming adversity, cope with change and reframe how we see things that may not look so good
• Rebound from tough situations; to get up when we are down and recover our footing
• Bounce back and develop plans for moving ahead after things haven’t gone well

So when the going gets tough, remember some of these strategies to implement to increase your resiliency.

1.      View a challenge as a growth opportunity; take decisive action

2.      Set realistic goals for yourself

3.      Emphasize the positive as it is very easy to focus on the negative

4.      Challenge your internal critic and give yourself a break

5.      Find a cheerleader; someone whom you can count on to provide you with support

6.      Don’t forget to take care of yourself; physically and psychologically

7.      Allow yourself to ask for help

Sometimes luck plays a big role in your success, but luck alone won’t help you succeed. Back to the Cubs. In the 8th inning when the Cubs had a 2-run lead, Rajai Davis of the Indians hit a 2-run homer that tied the score. The game then went into extra innings. Clearly the momentum had shifted toward the Indians after the Cubs had it for much of the game. But then… there was a rain delay… and both teams headed to the dugout. At that point, Cub’s player, Jason Heyward, got the team together to refocus. When the rain delay ended, the Cubs came out with renewed spirit and momentum. They scored and went on to win! 

Although you may not be involved in a nail-biting World Series like this, life will surely throw you ups and downs. When you are faced with a challenge, call upon your inner strength and resiliency to find your personal win.