Did you see the Super Bowl?!?
I watched not expecting much since my NY Giants were already out of it. And more often than not the Super Bowl is really the Super Bore and the commercials are more interesting. Honestly I didn’t even know who was in it last week! Glad I watched though as that was one of the most exciting Super Bowls I’ve seen. That’s two years in a row that the Super Bowl has been a great game.
As I was watching I realized there were a lot of lessons we can take from the game.
Here are six that come to mind:
Just Because The Experts Say So Doesn’t Mean It Is So
I saw some of the interviews before the game. If you listened, an overwhelming majority said it was the Steelers game to lose. It was practically a given if you took all the experts’ opinions. But with a few minutes left it looked they were all going to be proven wrong.
What you should take from this: Don’t blindly follow what so-called “experts” say. Some are genuinely talented but you have to do your own research and follow your own opinions. I’m reminded of Warren Buffett who was criticized by many financial experts for now investing in tech stocks at the end of the 90′s. By not following what the masses were saying he saved himself a lot of hurt with the tech bubble bursting!
Sometimes Experts Know What They Are Talking About
In the end, the majority who predicted the Steelers win were right.
What you should take from this: When the experts talk you should listen. But you have to know which experts align with your ideals and who are considered experts for the right reasons. Though some continued to say housing was a great investment there were plenty of experts out there who said it was trouble. Those are the kinds of experts you want to keep an eye out for!
You Can Overcome Setbacks
How many setback stories did we have going on last night? Ben Roethlisberger who QB’d the Steelers in their XL Championship would next year get into a life-threatening motorcycle accident and come back to win Super Bowl XLIII. Kurt Warner was bagging groceries as he chased his dream; Played arena footbal; then rose to win Super Bowl XXXIV; faced injuries, demotions; came back to QB the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII with a QB rating of 112.3 (real good). With minutes left Warner threads a hole to receiver Fitzgerald putting the Cards ahead for the first time; looking like they will win the Super Bowl. With less time the Steelers come back with a miracle catch to win!
What you should take from this: Never give up! You just don’t know what lies around the corner and the only true way of knowing you will fail is to quit. Yes, it’s cliche, but it’s also true. Don’t let any one financial setback stop you from achieving your goals. If something doesn’t work our or you’re forced back to square one, square your shoulders, grit your teeth, and get working again!
You’re Only As Good As Your Last Play/ You Can’t Rest On Your Laurels
Did you see that 100-yard interception/run?!? Only a die-hard Cards fan wasn’t rooting for Harrison to make it to the end zone! But the Steelers couldn’t rest on that. How about the catch Fitzgerald made in the end zone? But that wasn’t the game either. At no point in the game could either team rest thinking the game was won!
What you should take from this: When you land that plumb job or rake in that great investment it’s ok to be happy and celebrate. But life isn’t over. You gotta prove yourself over and over. No one is going to be impressed that you got the month-end report out before schedule 6 months ago.
Diversify
Going back to what the experts were saying before the game…Listening to them, the reason the Steelers were going to win was because they had one of the best defenses in the league. Their defense certainly had a lot to do with their win but it wasn’t everything. It ended up being a great throw and catch that won it for them. The Steelers couldn’t depend only on their defense. They had to be a diversified team.
What you should take from this: Diversify, diversify, diversify! Find ways to create alternate streams of income. Make sure your investments are diversified.
Pay Attention To Penalties
Know what really hurts the Cardinals? 11 of 18 penalties called were against the Cardinals for a total of 106 yards given up. Cut back on the penalties and its a different game!
What you should take from this: Don’t let penalties pick away at your finances! Know you credit card’s penalties as well as your checking and savings accounts’. In fact for any loan or money account make sure you read the fine print and understand all of the penalties you can incur. Penalties can make your returns dwindle!
Other less important lessons I learned: You can’t expect to write an article, watch a 2-year old, and watch the Super Bowl at the same time (the article was sacrificed). Eating almost an entire bag of Goldfish followed by ice cream later won’t make you feel so hot afterward. As much as you try, a 2-year old will only remain excited about the Super Bowl for so long (not very long actually).
I loved the game and I think history will look back on it as one of the most exciting!
Great lessons. I think the “expert” point is a great one. Sometimes all you’re listening to is an echo chamber. I like that you’re a Giants fan. My husband, who is from New York, spent the entire game complaining about how crappy the Cards are and insisting that if “stupid” Plaxico Burress hadn’t shot himself in the leg, the Giants would have been in with no problem.
@ Miranda – Ha! Talk about bad career moves! Lesson to self: Don’t shoot yourself in the leg when a big part of your job is running!!