“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, everyone can start now and make a brand new ending.” – Carl Bard
July 1st
Every July 1st, the second half of the year begins. Besides looking back at the first half and wondering how fast it went, we can look ahead to the latter half purposefully and thoughtfully. The purpose? To finish the year well with our character intact even if we don’t accomplish all our goals. The thought? To learn that becoming a better person this year is the most important focal point.
It’s time to hit the F5 (refresh) button in our minds, clear the clutter, lean out the fat, and ready ourselves for the second half. As coach and speaker Lou Holtz stated, “How you respond to the challenge of the second half will determine what you become after the game.”
The first half may have come with setbacks, mistakes, unknowns, and a few regrets but no one ever accomplished anything worthwhile without overcoming such challenges.
Here is why the second half matters despite the experiences of the first:
1.There is still time to get it done
There is a saying that goes, “If you are not dead, you are not done.” I like it because it let’s me know that during halftime, I need not hang my head in defeat, but I can look up with hope and anticipation that I can do better. In fact, it would seem better to experience the setbacks and challenges in the first half. By learning from them, you are poised for a superb second half.
Many of us look back with regret mourning over the time we have lost. Instead of looking in the rear view, I encourage you to look through the windshield and see how much time you have left. We cannot go back and recover past time, but we can redeem it by making better use of the time we have now. Tell yourself, “I will redeem the time I have by using it to grow my life to the person I am meant to be.”
2. You might be down, but you are not out
After a dismal first half by my favorite NFL team, the New England Patriots found themselves down 24-0 at half time to the Denver Broncos in the 2013 Superbowl. It looked like no Tom Brady heroics could make up for their first half atrocities. After halftime, a different team emerged. With a pep in their step and renewed resolve, my team chipped away at Denver’ lead. At the end of the game, the Patriots were victorious. I had to pick my jaw off the floor.
Sometimes, it can appear you are dead in the water. Surrounded by mounting problems and challenges. Buried under the weight of mistakes and regrets after a dismal first half. The latest breaking news report served to only feed the hopelessness. And in that moment the only choice you think you have is to throw in the towel and declare, “I am not good enough. I am too far behind. What is the use?” Such declarations come from our inner critic. And its voice can be loud, unrelenting, and condemning. What has your inner critic told you lately? Often that voice in our head serves to rationalize our greatest fears. The voice says, “Well, if that is how the first half went, how can the second one be any different?” What our inner critic never takes into account is that change is possible. And this is where we win the fight with those voices. We believe that change is possible and then proceed to act on that belief rather than giving in to the voices.
What you believe determines how you behave and ultimately who you become.
Yes, it will take consistent effort and energy to catch up and win, but it beats the alternative of folding and quitting when there is still time on the clock. Emerge renewed for the second half of the year. Tell yourself, “It’s not too late to get back in and press on to my destiny. No matter how far back I appear to be.”
3. Distance = Speed × Time
How far you go is a factor of how quickly you decide that you still can have a great year, multiplied by the amount of time you are willing to commit towards seeing the change become a reality. In short, your response is critical to your reach.
The first factor is speed. How quickly are you willing to forgive yourself for the first half mistakes while also being grateful for what went well? Even in a losing first half, a coach can find something that went well to build upon for the second one. Also, letting go of grudges from the first half is necessary to saving your strength for the second half.
This will bode well for the second factor which is time. Energy and time coagulate to create focus, which author Daniel Goleman calls the “most valuable asset of the mind.” The sooner your energy is made available for the half of the year you have not yet lived, the sooner your successful journey into it can begin.
Final thought: Life is about choice. And sometimes choice can be explained using mathematical signs. We can choose one of the following when seeing the second half of the year in light of the first:
- First half = Second half (things will never change).
or
- Second half > First half (the second half will be better or greater).
Our choice will determine our outlook and attitude come July 1st. Which one will you choose?
Keep on keeping on
Discover Your Treasure 