Gotta Gain My Second

In today’s article I wanted to tell a story I haven’t told in a while. A few days back I was training a new team member on the Ultimate Customer Experience, and we got into talking about process improvement. We were both discussing how small incremental changes done consistently over time can have a huge impact on an organization. During this conversation, I was reminded of this story from my early football years. I used to use this story in many of my speaking engagements to explain the difference between good and great, so I figured I would share it today with everyone.

Many years ago when I was in high school, I played football for my high school team, the Southwest Miami High School Eagles. My primary position was Middle Linebacker, though I was known to play ironman football when needed. I was considered pretty good and had somewhat of a reputation around town. I will never forget when my coach came to me a few weeks before we were scheduled to play the South Miami High School Cobras. He was concerned about a defensive player that was known for eating quarterbacks. My coach asked me to play Left Guard for this game to try and slow this guy down, and give our quarterback a chance. I will admit I already had heard about this player and his almost superhuman strength and speed.

So over the next few weeks, I prepared by doing extra offensive drills, stepping things up in the weight room, and watching endless hours of film with my coach to make sure I was prepared and ready to knock this guy down a peg or two and continue our winning streak that year.

So after weeks of preparation, it was game time. We were the visiting team, so we arrived early to warm-up and start running drills. As we were warming up, I saw the guy I had been preparing for walk out of their locker room and start heading towards the field. I can remember thinking to myself, that is the guy all the drama has been about? He wasn’t that large in stature, and while you can tell he spent a lot of time in the weight room, he wasn’t what I expected. After warm-ups and before the start of the game, we had the ceremonial handshake portion where we all meet in the middle of the field before the start of the game. I went straight to him looked him straight in the eyes and said, “How are you doing? I heard you’re the second-best defensive player in Florida.” Without missing a beat and with a blank stare he said, “Funny, I heard the same thing about you.” After about what seemed like 5 seconds of hostile silence, he smiles and we started laughing. We chatted for about another 5 mins before we had to head to our sides of the field.

The Eagles won the coin toss, so we got the ball first. I was going to get to see what this guy was all about right out of the gate. As I trotted out onto the field, I would be lying if I didn’t say I was a little nervous, but I psyched myself up as usual and went into beast mode. We went into the huddle, and our coach had called a passing play on our first play. I know not very smart all things considered. Walking up to the line I started really getting fired up and was ready to hit someone. I hear the quarterback yell out; “Red 180, Red 180, set!” I don’t really remember hearing the hut part. Before I knew what happened, I was face down on the turf, feeling like I got hit by a train. I pulled myself up to my knees, shook my head and said to myself, “This is going to be a long day!”

 It was a long day. I never worked so hard in my life trying to keep this grizzly bear with pads away from our quarterback. My attempts failed when our star running back was leveled and had his shoulder dislocated by the monster.

After the game was over and we were beat badly, I went over to congratulate the man who showed me that I was not ready for the pros as I had lead myself to believe. As I complimented him on his gameplay he very humbly said thank you and went on to tell me what a great job I did. After scoffing off the compliment I said to him, I need to know what is your workout routine? How in the heck did you get so strong and fast? He went on to tell me, he gets up every morning at 4 AM and runs (notice he said runs, not jogs) almost five miles to school. The coach lets him workout in the weight room before class, so he spends about three hours working out before class, then showers and heads to class. Then, of course, he has weight training & football practice after school, which afterward he runs back home.

Completely astonished, I could only bring up the word “WOW!” He responded to that with, “I gotta gain my second!” Puzzled, I asked him what he meant. He went on to tell me that he grew up in a very poor household and spent time watching superior athletes. He started playing football at the age of three and knew he wanted to go pro. Not only go pro, but be the best ever. He went on to tell me that he noticed at a very early age while watching the Olympics, that the difference between the one who wins the gold and the one who comes in last is usually only about a second or two. He said, “Can you imagine training your whole life for a single opportunity, and then to lose by only one second? Not only lose, but not even win a medal?”  So he explained to me that is why he has to train so hard. He has to gain his second. If he wants a better life for himself and his family, if he wants to go pro, if he wants to be the best, then he needs to work harder than anyone else. If he wants to gain that second he has to put everything he has into getting that second. It is very rare that you would ever meet a teenager with that level of focus.

It has been many years since that day, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday. Not knowing it at the time, his words would set me on a path of always trying to gain a second. Whether you call it sharpening your ax, or gaining your second, the truth is, if you want to be the best, you have to work harder than anyone else at achieving your goals. I wake up every morning and ask myself, “what can I do today to make myself a better husband, a better father, a better leader?” I may not call it gaining my second, but there is no doubt that the superhuman Cobra I once faced help put me on the path I currently travel, an almost sick obsession with being the best at everything I do.

I have told this story several times in the past, and I am always asked; “So who is the superhuman guy?” his name was Derrick Thomas, the best defensive end to ever play in the NFL. I only wish I could have let him know before he died what an impact his words had on my life. Good luck and go gain your second!