7 Secrets for Success in Every Season

Playoff season is upon us and let me tell you, marrying into a family of Cubs fans totally changed my perspective on baseball. This is the most exciting October I can remember in a long while.

It might really be THE year!

After so many disappointing seasons they are finally giving their fans something to cheer about in post-season play.

They have been showing up. They have been playing their hearts out. They have even had some promising seasons. But year after year, come October, they’ve been watching from their living rooms instead of the stadium.

Can I just tell you how much I can relate to their struggle?

There have been times when I’ve worked hard and enjoyed seasons that seemed to have potential. But still I fell short. I watched others enjoy the success I hoped for while my goals remained just out of reach. I’ve waited and wondered if I’d ever see victory for the dreams I believe He placed in my heart.

Sometimes becoming a #MASTERPIECE feels like a long string of losing seasons. Click To Tweet

Maybe you’ve been stuck there, too.

Sometimes becoming a MASTERPIECE feels like a long string of losing seasons. But I’ve noticed 7 secrets that seem to have contributed to the Cubs’ historic success. Secrets we can all apply.

1. Teamwork Works. Rizzo and Bryant aren’t capable of carrying the Cubs to the World Series on their own. And they know it. They need the players who specialize in other positions to be at the top of their game, too. Surrounding ourselves with people who have a common goal in mind is critical to our success. We are just better together. (1 Corinthians 12:17-20)
2. Off-season trades matter. The Cubs made some of the best trades in the league during their off season. Some analysts believe this has been key to their success this year. We may not be trading players, but we certainly pick assignments according to our priorities. We have to learn to let go of things that don’t support God’s purpose in our lives, so we can pick up the ones that provide maximum pay-off. Don’t feel guilty for making deep cuts that ultimately improve your game. (Colossians 1:9-10)
3. Staying healthy helps. The Cubs have enjoyed a season virtually free of serious injuries. This means their first string players have been on the field for the majority of play. And that gives them a huge advantage. We, too, need to do whatever it takes to stay healthy enough to accomplish the demands of the position God has called us to play. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
4. Pre-season practice pays off in post-season play. A successful season begins long before fans crowd the stadiums and major networks televise games. The keys to peak performance often lie in secret preparation. There have been thousands of swings taken in batting practice, hours in the gym and watching films, countless training sessions to prepare for that split second crack of the bat that brings the fans to their feet. We must practice perpetually to perfect our performance. What we do in the dark to prepare is evident under the bright lights. (Philippians 3:12-14)Practice perpetually to perfect performance. #Cubs Click To Tweet
5. Loyal fans champion you. No matter how bleak the standings looked, my husband and his brothers never traded their Cubbie blue for Cardinal red. They kept cheering despite a century of unhappy endings. They were faithful fans through the ups and the downs. There may be others who have jumped on the band-wagon this year, but I can guarantee victory is sweeter for those who’ve been hanging on for the whole wild ride. We need people in our lives who will stick with us through thick and thin, too. We need to surround ourselves with people who won’t give up, even when we’re down in the count. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
6. Just Keep Playing…no matter what. The Cubs haven’t disbanded over not winning the most prestigious game in baseball in 108 years. Nope. They kept showing up and playing the game no matter what their record was. Regardless of where you think you are in the standings, don’t just give up. Even when what we’re doing seems hopeless, stick with it. Even when you’ve been disappointed for more years than you can count, keep it up. As long as God hasn’t taken you out of the game, you’re still in it to win. (Matthew 24:13)
7. Trust the timing. I can’t tell you how many years Cubs fans have been sure, “this is THE year.” And I still can’t tell you if 2016 is it or not. But I can tell you, God knows. And He sees just how long you’ve been waiting for your MASTERPIECE season, too. Hang in there. Trust that His timing is perfect. (Hebrews 6:10)

So, no matter whether you feel like you’ve been benched, you’re waiting for your turn at bat, or you’re way out in left field, we can all apply these truths from God’s Word for success in every season.

Feel like you’ve been benched? Waiting for your turn at bat? Way out in left field? Apply these… Click To Tweet

Don’t miss the other great posts in this series:

Finding Strength to Finish Strong

What To Do When You’ve Been Benched

The 3 People Your Team Needs

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For more encouragement please join the discussions on these fabulous blog link ups - Suzanne Eller, Thought Provoking Thursday, Susan B. Mead, Faith Filled Friday, Grace and Truth, Faith and Fellowship Friday, Grace and Truth Friday, Good Morning Monday, Soul Survival, Monday Musings, Rah Rah Link Up, Tell His Story, Woman to Woman Wednesday, Women With Intention Wednesday, Sitting Among Friends, Word of God Speak, Testimony Tuesday.