ARE YOU APPRECIATING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY?

It’s not as well-known as a lot of other quotes, but one of my favorite quotes in the world was spoken by Mike Singletary, Hall of Fame linebacker who became a coach after his playing days ended. The quote is, “Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” His enjoyment of the game, coupled with his intensity as a player, undoubtedly contributed to his greatness.

But the quote is applicable well beyond football. The quote is easily applicable to those of us who have been blessed to grow older in a healthy, cognitively intact way, with friends and interests and coping strategies – because it’s as impossible to avoid going through life without challenges just as it’s impossible for football players to complete an entire career without injuries. But how many of us actually take a step back from time to time and truly appreciate the opportunity to participate in life, especially if we can do so for a very long time.

If you really enjoy and fully participate in “the opportunity to play,” it guides your approach to the way you do things. Enjoying the opportunity to participate encourages you to be active and do the things that you have control of to keep your body and mind as sharp as possible. You don’t avoid opportunities to be with family and friends because you’re tired or it’s cold out. You maintain intellectual curiosity and a healthy body. Football greats like Mike Singletary may have some genetic advantages over others of us, but the things that make them champions are the special behaviors they choose because of their enjoyment of the opportunity to play. Let’s expect no less of ourselves. At every age, let’s maximize our potential by taking advantage of the opportunity to participate (and yes, to play), so that we can WIN IN OVERTIME.

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