Sports and Entrepreneurship Blog Article

Sometimes One Goal is All it Takes

Soccer isn’t as popular in the United States as it is overseas.

There are a lot of reasons—most of us didn’t grow up with the sport, we don’t have an elite league in this country yet (MLS is trying!), and on and on. But a big complaint I hear from my friends (when I tell them how much I’ve come to love the game) is that there aren’t enough goals. It’s not exciting enough.  

 Well, what if one goal is all you need? 

It’s true that a soccer game might have only one goal scored. If you only watch American football for the celebratory end-zone dances, soccer might not be your thing. But there’s a lot more to playing a match, a lot for fans to watch, a lot that has to happen right if you’re going to score that goal. 

You need the right formation, you need ball control, you need a good goalie and a good defense, you need a striker that can put the ball in the net, you need determination, you need strategy….It’s not just scoring. But all that other stuff matters (or doesn’t matter), works (or doesn’t work) because it leads to a goal. 

And when it’s all said in done, maybe you only need one.  

Look at your business.  Look at your work. Can you strip it all down to just one goal? What happens if you do? Does identifying one goal simplify your next steps? Does it make your work less exciting? 

If anything, it might be freeing. It might allow you to focus on what matters most. 

As I wrote this article, I watched a Premier League match on NBC Sports between West Ham and Arsenal. 

West Ham won the game. 1-0. 

 

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