In a game of soccer the other day, there were two moments that stood out.
First, I was playing last defender/goalkeeper and someone chipped the ball over me. I gave up and just turned around to watch it go in. Funnily, it hit one of the small foldable goal posts, spun about the edge of the goal, and eventually went in.
If I’d chosen to turn back and run after the ball, I would have been able to stop it.
Second, one of the players on our team went chasing after a defender on a seeming lost cause. The defender made a mistake, he got the ball, and scored.
All of this was part of a fun Saturday game. There are no consequences to scoring, winning, or losing.
But, in both cases, it was fascinating to see the power of persistence and that bit of extra effort.
They don’t seem to pay off for the longest time.
Until they do. Big time.
