Excellence Requires Halftime Adjustments

The wisest educators take advantage of the halftime break in the school year to rest and recreate, but they also reflect and recalibrate to raise their game personally and professionally.

That begins by evaluating what adjustments could be made in ...
   ... attitude?
   ... preparation?
   ... relationships?
   ... habits?
   ... knowledge?

School life has its ups and downs, with so many distractions that wear us down and can cause us to lose focus on our goals. It is our fervent belief and commitment to excellence that keeps us going!

Let's look at some halftime adjustments to consider...

 

There can be no life without change, 
and to be afraid of what is different 
or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.
— Theodore Roosevelt

Halftime is when the band gets to show off their talents, the spectators stretch and grab some food, and parents make sure their younger kids are still around somewhere. It's also when the coaches are able to learn from what just happened and then try to figure out how to help the team win.

Adapting the game plan is a crucial skill for coaching. Regardless of the score, every coach knows that improvement is always available. That requires helping players see and become what's possible together.

• What worked?
• What didn't work?
• What adjustments could/should be made to do even better?

Similarly, educators have the opportunity to make adjustments at breaks in the calendar in order to learn and improve. There can be no excellence in schools if we're afraid of life and miss these crucial chances to grow.

The key to a successful second half 
is not a change of jobs; it is a change 
of heart, a change in the way you 
view the world and order your life.
— Bob P. Buford

Making adjustments at halftime is a life-enhancing decision. Consider a mother of four in our family who has been courageously battling breast cancer for a couple of years now. She has been forced to change her lifestyle, habits, and plans, while suffering through excruciating pain and discomfort.  

And she has done so with boldness and determination. She chose to make adjustments based on these unexpected factors. We’ve learned from her commitment to live each day of the second half of her life with purpose and dignity. 

Learning and adapting is how we win. No better pathway to success is available. What we become along the journey to achieving our goals is perhaps even more important than accomplishing the desired outcomes.

Our internal drive to grow leads us to honest assessment of ourselves and our effectiveness. Self-intelligence is one of our greatest assets. 

We are at our best when we expertly adapt to unexpected circumstances and changing conditions, sustaining our focus while also exercising the flexibility and humility that elude those who are headstrong and refuse to consider valuable feedback. 

Educators aren't made by the diploma—
they emerge from a desire deep down inside.

So, Look up.
Remember there is a purpose for everything in this world and for your life.

Be alert.
Guard against complacency by seeking and using opportunities to grow.

Listen.
Actively engaged listeners are always valued wherever they may be found.

Discern.
Recognize what is good, right, and holy, finding peace in present moments.

Learn.
Gain beneficial insights through the study of exceptional people and writings.

Stay committed to your aspirational goals while also using breaks in the schedule to adapt your plans and habits to truly gain the bigger prize.

Love'em and Lead'em!

Checkout Love'em and Lead'em for encouragment and inspiration in your calling as an educator