Crucial Chat: Sometimes You Take a Ball to the Face

Mike Sedam brings another short crucial chat with lessons about the importance of roles in our decision-making and behavior.

This week as my son's second indoor soccer game. He's eight and hasn't really played before.

During the game, he had to play goalie. The first time ever. He had only seen goalies play on television and on video games.

As social storytellers we all use prototypes to figure out the behaviors of the roles we play. He did the same thing. He tried his hardest to exhibit the behaviors of the "goalie" prototype he had built in his head. As a result, he did fairly well for never having played the position before.

Later in the game he also took a ball right to the face. It was traveling fast enough that it took him off his feet. He popped right back up and wanted to keep playing. Normally, a hit like that would have stunned him and put tears in his eyes. This time was different because his role as "soccer player" was so important to him that he stayed in that role. He was also amongst his team, and we all know that being with others makes us stronger.

Finally, I learned that sometimes we take a soccer ball to the face. The important thing is we get back up and keep playing our game.

Please visit www.crucialtalks.com