For Love of the Game

Let’s take a break from these trying times and revel in a great story…

I learned something new about hockey today.

Growing up in Boston during the 70’s meant playing a lot of street hockey. Nets were set up right in the streets (see the first Wayne’s World for a reference point). The first one there after school got their choice of being Bobby Orr or Phil Esposito for the day. Despite the lack of high definition television, we watched a lot of hockey and even made it in to the Gah-den for a game or two. But in all the time I’ve been a hockey fan (and there truly is NOTHING like playoff hockey), I never knew this interesting fact:

The home team must supply a back up goalie, just in case. I never knew that.

This is nuts: In the event either team loses both their goalie and their back up goalie to injury, this guy comes OUT OF THE STANDS to be the net minder. The odds of it happening are incredibly small, of course....

...except...

It happened!

At a game in Toronto last month, the Carolina Hurricanes lost both goalies and 42 year old David Ayres came bounding out of his seat to suit up for the opposing team.

Is that great or what??? But wait, it gets better: He got the win! In fact, after giving up two easy goals, he shut out the Maple Leafs in the 3rd quarter. This guy became an instant folk hero. My guess is, he’s paid for his last Molson throughout Ontario.

What came shining through the Wall Street Journal article I read was his pure love of hockey. Suddenly, he got to be a kid again. Apparently, the speech Carolina’s coach gave afterward has gone viral. That’ll be the next thing I watch tonight.

How does this relate to print sales? The “love” part. How lucky is Mr. Ayres for doing something he loves? Can you say the same thing? If not, put this blog down, quit, and go find something that you do. Have fun at work. Bring joy to your clients and co-workers every day. Not every transaction will be fulfilling, but life is too short for cheap wine, cheating at baseball, dealing with grumpy customers, working for someone you don’t respect, and not doing what you do for love of the game.

************

“Bill Farquharson’s coaching has paid for itself many times over” said a weekly coaching client. Go to BillFarquharson.com and click on the “Training” link in the header for more information or to contact me and discuss your sales challenges.