While Super Bowl 55 definitely didn’t work out the way I had hoped, there is still much to learn from it when it comes to making your life more simple and leading with intentionality. 

Here are some leadership takeaways that yesterdays Super Bowl taught me:

1 • Choose music to determine your mood rather than reflect it. 

Think about how music was used during the commercials and even the moments before the game. From the Vince Lombardi speech to the Toyota commercial, the music created a moment.  Hit mute and it doesn’t mean near as much.

Instead of using music in your life to reflect your mood, use it to change it.  Wake your kids up to something positive. Play some classical or smooth jazz before bed.

Get ahead of your moods rather than react to them. 

2 • Take care of your body and it takes care of you.

Brady has been very outspoken about his diet and his TB12 products and it has paid off. He’s a starting quarterback in the Super Bowl at the age of 43. That’s when I stopped playing pickup basketball.

Sleep, eat, exercise. 

If you don’t have your health, your other gifts have limited impact.

3 • Listen to the experts.

Romo called this match up after the Chiefs beat the Bucs about 8 weeks ago.  The Bucs had just lost their 3rd in a row at that time. 

No way they make the Super Bowl, they may not make the playoffs, right? Wrong. Previous players see things others don’t.

Listen to people who have DONE what you are trying to do. Not theorize on it. 

4 • Test then tweak.

Every time the offense left the field, they made adjustments.  Every time the defense left the field they made adjustments.  Every time they came back out, they made different decisions. 

They try… then they tweak. 

There is no such thing as perfection without failing. 

5 • Give honor where honor is due.

We celebrate athletes, but we honor the front line workers. From the team captains to the audience, what a gift. The NFL could always do better, but they got this right.

Look for ways to honor the unsung heroes in your life.

And just for good measure, how about the Bruce Springsteen/Jeep commercial towards the end? Almost teared up.

… Oh that’s right, I was already crying due to the game!

Your Pastor,
Rusty George