Play Full Out

Byte to Byte with Steve Johnsen

Work is a game. Life is a game. And the harder you play the game, the more fun it is.

Hi, this is Steve Johnsen, and I want to talk to you about playing full out in your life and in your business. A few years ago (at least one or two), when I was in really good shape, my brother and I would play pickup basketball with our youth group. We never cared about the score. My brother and I made sure that all the players got to handle the ball, regardless of skill level. We never argued over the points, and we cheered when the opposing team made a good play. But we always played to win, because that meant playing FULL OUT, and that was when the game was fun.

Why is it that so many people enjoy watching the Olympics? What is it about these performances that is so emotional? Because something in us responds when we see people playing the game as if their lives depended on it. It's a beautiful thing to see people leave everything on the field, playing their hearts out, playing FULL OUT. The thrill of victory...the agony of defeat...but beautiful to watch either way.

It's the same reason why so many people wait until the end of the season to watch the playoff games. Teams with a lot of heart, playing FULL OUT, giving everything they have. For some reason, human beings were designed to live their lives that way, and when we see it happening, we cry, we laugh, and we cheer.

We also know that those who are playing on that level have invested a lot of work, a lot of training, to get there. They don't become world-class overnight. We appreciate the years of dedication and hard work that have gone into achieving their dream, because deep down, secretly, we long to live the same way ourselves.

It’s not the activity that makes something inherently fun. Doing scientific research, or developing software, or perfecting your sales skills can be just as gratifying as skiing or basketball, as long as we give it our full effort and our complete attention and leave everything on the field.

Why not start today? Can you be world-class in your business? Wouldn't it be fun to try?