You may not believe this, but I am surrounded by 85 Santa Clauses…85. The kids and I, the other day went around the house, this is our home, Dawns and my home. We have three little ones, we went around this house and we counted 85 Santa Clauses. As you might guess, this is one of our favorite times of the year. Much like you.
What I want to talk about is how to approach the holidays. It’s my favorite time of the year, maybe because of a different reason than it’s most people’s favorite time of the year. This is what I always do. Our culture during the holidays, typically checks out. Typically use it as an excuse to not be present in their lives, and it used to be when I was a kid, like say Christmas holiday would be two weeks, and that would be it. So it would start two weeks, a week before Christmas and it would last one week after Christmas. That was the holiday. That’s where we all had the excuse to do what ever we wanted and celebrate and open presents and all that stuff.
What I’m noticing in our culture now, is that the holidays start about two weeks before Thanksgiving, and then they end about February 1st. So all of those two and a half months, everybody is using it as an excuse to be checked out of their life and you’ve heard the statistics about people gaining weight. Like, I think the average American gains 9 or 11 pounds during the holidays. C’mon, that’s just because you’re sitting down, being a pedestrian, being a spectator, and you’re watching and eating and not being present.
So, here’s how I look at the holidays, and this is how I want you to look at this particular holiday coming up.
I think, to be a leader. My belief is, you’ve got to go counter to the culture. You’ve got to go counter to where society is headed. So, with the advertising world and the political world and Hollywood everyone’s trying to keep you indoors and sitting in front of something watching something like sporting events and stuff like that and eating and not really visiting with each other. What I do is, I go counter.
So, if you’re going to lead you’re going to have to go counter also. So what would be counter to where our culture is going as far as the next month and a half, two months? If they’re checking out, this is how I look at it. I’m checking IN. I’m getting more present in my life. I’m gonna use this window of opportunity to get an edge on the rest of the world that is checked out. So while they sit on the sidelines stuffing their faces and watching, being pedestrian, I’m going to be a player. I’m going to play, I’m going to participate, I’m going to double my efforts. Understand?
So why, do people gain all of that weight during the holidays? What about if we lose weight during the holidays. I love to take a window like the holidays and work during it. Work your message, work your voice, get your body in perfect condition while the rest of the world does not.
That way when it gets to be April, or it gets to be February when the rest of the world goes, ‘Oh, is Christmas over?’ you and I will be running full speed. Look at the holidays like that for yourself. If you’re going to lead, you must go counter to the culture. The culture is going this way. You and me, going that way. So what could you do? Let’s think of some strategic things to do.
I always take these windows to get in great shape. The rest of the world is going to get out of shape during these holidays, and they’ve got the perfect excuse for it. They want the excuse, they love to have the excuse. I say no, let’s go counter, let’s go the opposite. Let’s get in perfect condition. That way, when that calendar turns and it’s February 1st, everyone else is going, ‘I’ve got to make a New Year’s resolution, I’ve gotta loose weight.’ You and me are already in shape, right? We are already firing on all cylinders. Do that.
While everyone else around the table during the holidays is stuffing their faces you be the one to lead your dinner. You give the toast. You lead. You give the grace. You lead your family. Always be leading, while everyone else is in the follow mode.
My kids and I and Dawn, we love the holidays. We celebrate them as much as anybody, but I want to be in perfect condition to celebrate those holidays. I want to use this time, to get that edge.
When I played in the NFL, we played on holidays. We played on Thanksgiving we played on Christmas day we practiced all the way through. When I was in New York doing the play, performance, you are working on Christmas day. You are working on New Year’s Day. You are working on Thanksgiving. I like to be a player rather than an audience member. I’d rather be a player than be a pedestrian. So I want you to choose now, how to treat your holiday.
There’s only two ways to treat it. Player over here the one that everyone is watching, or pedestrian, audience member sitting down spectating, watching the players. Choose to be a player this holiday season and February 1st, you’ll be firing on all cylinders and they’ll have to catch up to you. That’s your edge. So happy holidays to you. Use them correctly, be a player.
