First and 10!

It never ceases to amaze me what crowd excitement can come from something as seemingly easy as a "first down" in football.  Well, anyone who has played the sport knows that there is nothing necessarily easy about squaring off with a good defensive line to get the sufficient yardage.  Bottom line: FIRST DOWNS MATTER.  And, they matter for more than one reason.  It, most importantly, keeps the drive alive, impacts the clock and can create momentum for future plays, to name a few.  The idea is that when a first down is achieved, scoring is made just that more possible.  Even though completed long range passes inject fuel for the players and fans, it's the rushing yards and the short and medium range passes that take the team down the field.  In fact, according to an exhaustive study of NFL play data, what happens on first and 10 in an NFL game is a powerful indicator of who will win.

This principle of first and 10 can translate into business and church life.  When you work towards these shorter range victories as an organization, momentum and celebration can become culture.

1.  Define your "first and 10s" weekly.  Lay out the measurables; know what your scorecard looks like at the beginning of every week.

2.  Devise a strategy with your team.  Get those critical players together, draw out the plays and articulate who plays what.

3.  Determine to press through the obstacles.  See your organization on the other side of the opposition.  The game plan cannot be executed successfully if you aren't willing to overcome the tension that comes with forward motion.

John Lindell, lead pastor at James River in Missouri, recently said at a leadership roundtable: "I tell my team that there are no 'throw away' Sundays at James River."  When that mentality is maintained, first downs become reality.  Move the chains!

What can you do to inch closer to your goal this week?