William Blake once said, “Execution is the chariot of genius.” I thought about his statement this past weekend.
An Ordinary Play
On Sunday September 17th, the Dallas Cowboys were leading the New York Jets 7-0 with 54 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Pinned back on their own 2-yard line, quarterback Dak Prescott then delivered a 32-yard pass to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
The average person would give credit for the play to Prescott or Lamb. This is understandable. Prescott made a quick decision and delivered an accurate pass into a tight window for the completion. Lamb ran a great route and then picked up quality yards after the catch.
But what made this play successful was probably something few people noticed.
An Extraordinary Play
A picture of the play is shown above. Lamb, #88, actually fumbled at the end of his run. The ball was recovered by center Tyler Biadasz, #63, 32 yards from the line of scrimmage.
Biadasz’s play was extraordinary! The offensive lineman showed tremendous hustle (and speed) by following by play all the way down the field and recovering the fumble.
His actions kept the drive alive and teach us five things that are rarely talked about but are often the difference between success and failure:
The Difference Between Success And Failure Is Often Executing The Fundamentals
Following the play down the field is a fundamental assignment for offensive linemen to which Biadasz executed to perfection. You never know when a timely block or fumble recovery will be needed.
For a deeper dive on the importance of fundamentals, read 10 Ways To Tell If You Or Someone Else Is Truly An Expert At Something.
The Difference Between Success And Failure Is Often Effort
One of the qualities I discuss in my book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practice of Apex Leaders is hard work. Hard work works. Biadasz reminds us that success often smells like sweat. He put in tremendous effort to keep the drive alive.
The Difference Between Success And Failure Is Often Constant Practice
Nick Saban teaches his players that you do not constantly practice fundamentals to get them right. You constantly practice fundamentals so you can’t get them wrong.
How did Biadasz know to follow the play down the field? It is likely habitual behavior resulting from great coaching and constantly practicing the fundamentals.
The Difference Between Success And Failure Is Often Found In Your Decision-Making
Biadasz displayed excellent decision-making and thinking skills. He knew what to do in the moment and was rewarded for his efforts.
The Difference Between Success And Failure Often Goes Unnoticed
The play mentioned above happened so fast that few noticed Biadasz’s contribution. No one talked about it during the Sunday night or Monday talk shows. I did not hear Biadasz’s name mentioned on any podcasts.
The “little things” often go unnoticed by most people but they are critical to having individual or corporate success.
I will give one person credit. After a commercial break, CBS analyst Tony Romo spotlighted his play during the game itself.
Conclusion
Focus on the fundamentals, effort, constant practice, making good decisions, and doing things which often go unnoticed. These five things are often the difference between success and failure.
My latest eBook is available for download. The Top 65 Leadership Quotes Of 2022 Part 1 is a resource every leader should have. Great quotes bring clarity and put into words who we intuitively feel as leaders. They give us wisdom and insights which advance the mission and vision of our organizations. This eBook includes thoughts and insights from leaders like Warren Buffett, Nick Saban, James Clear, Dawn Staley, Jurgen Klopp, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Ted Lasso. This resource will take you about 10 minutes to read but a lifetime to apply. You will want to stop and ponder the implications of each quote. Click HERE or on the image provided for immediate download!