Play the Long Game

I’m like anyone else, and sometimes I get caught up in the here and now. What do my next minutes, hours, and days look like? And if something doesn’t go according to plan, everything seemingly feels like a failure.

Notice the word “Seemingly!”. In reality, everything we do contributes to our future, and although it might not be directly and immediately visible, it most definitely plays a large role!

I was reminded of this recently in a clip I saw on LinkedIn of Willie Morris, a serial social entrepreneur, who shares about the relationship he has with his actions.

"It is understanding that you can do something. You might not be good at it today, but in the long term, you will. If you are a 6'8 guy who is super athletic, it might not pay off to be shooting free-throws today, but if you want to end up playing in the NBA or playing in college, start by shooting free-throws and working on your form will pay off in the future. Even that discipline of going to the gym when no one else is there and doing it will pay off even if you don't go to the NBA, it will pay off in every aspect in your life. It is just understanding that there is a long-term value in what you are doing that is relevant to tomorrow, and you will develop that now. It is one of those things that is hard to understand when you are younger. I did not have that awareness when I was younger. I was just really stubborn and did things".

So, play the long game. Willie focuses on this by having an awareness and appreciation that the work you put in today will never be futile. It’s about having faith in the process, because that’s where the real value lies.