In preparing for a speech to a bunch of VCs & entrepreneurs today and found an excerpt from Vince Lombardi speech "A Game of Inches". As we consider new ventures, team building and the extra effort it takes to make
a new vision a reality, here are some thoughts and inspiration from legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, who was motivating his players – his TEAM – in his usually live or die fashion, by encouraging them to make every inch of effort count toward their goal.
“Life’s a game of inches, and so’s football. In either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small: I mean, a half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it; one step too slow or too fast, you don’t quite catch it… The inches we need are all around us. They’re in every break of the game, every man we see. On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us apart for that inch. We claw for that inch. Because we know, when we add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the f***ing difference between winning and losing… between living and dying.
In any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch… That’s what living is – the six inches in front of your face.”
Comments