The Game Clock Doesn’t Care About the Score

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year and the transition into summer. It’s one of the natural pause points in the wheel of the year. As the earth slows down in its rotation, it invites us to do the same.

Summer Solstice is the natural point to pause for a mid-year review; to reflect, recalibrate, and recharge.

If the cycles of the seasons don’t speak to you, you can think of Summer Solstice as half-time in a basketball game (or your sport of choice).

It’s a moment to retreat to the locker room, break down what’s been happening on the court, reconnect with your intention, and create a strategy to adjust as necessary in the second half.

If the first half of the year hasn’t been going according to your plan, you may welcome this invitation as exactly what you need to help you “get back on track.” Or you might resist it, thinking you have nothing good to celebrate.

On the other hand, if things are going well, you might be inclined to dismiss this invitation. You want to seize your momentum to “make hay while the sun shines.”

You might think you don’t need to stop and recalibrate. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Right?

Not so fast.

The game clock doesn’t care whether you’ve been riding a good wave for months, whether you just started picking up momentum, or whether you’ve been in a slump.

Even if you think you haven’t don’t anything, don’t sell yourself short. Not all impact can be measured.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum, half-time offers the gift of being able to step back from the action and look at how you’ve been playing.

If everything is going well, then it’s a good time to take inventory of what you’re doing right so you can replicate it.

And if life is not quite going according to plan, it’s a good time to check in and assess whether you’re working with the right plan.

As we grow, our values change and our goals change. You’re allowed to change your direction and destination at any time — even if you’re “on track” with your goals. There’s no sense in staying the course if you know the destination doesn’t fit what you want.

Ultimately, in life any score is an illusion. There’s no winner or loser, because you’re playing your own game. Focus on the quality of how you’re playing.