I was quite late to discovering Radio 4’s Desert Island Disks. There are a considerable amount of episodes that cover a plethora of interesting individuals. Some memorable discussions include Malcolm Gladwell, Sir Ken Robinson, Murray Walker and Bill Frankland MBE (a British immunologist whose achievements include the popularisation of the pollen count and he continued to work after turning 100 years old in 2012 – utterly intriguing).
For the 75th Anniversary they decided to interview David Beckham.
David said he learnt hard work from his father who would regularly leave home very early for work and return home late. At around the age of six they would regularly go to a local park which had football posts without a net. What I found so simple but fascinating is that his Dad got him to aim at the post.
Yes I’m sure lots of football fans will sight occasions when footballers have hit the post in crucial games. However, let us put that to one side for a moment.
Most Parents would get their children to try and score a goal. When you think of the size of the goal area and compare it to the post, the post is a fraction of the area and requires a completely different level of skill. A different mind-set of precision and persistence.
Whatever your views on David I think one of the traits that enabled him to become a worldwide known sports person with 115 caps is his work ethic and staying longer on the training field to practice his shots.
So I am just curious, are we aiming for the easier Goal and wanting to feel good in the short term by taking the easier shot? Or are we being mentored to focus our skills to make precision shots that initially appear to be missing the point, but when it comes to the right time, the precision accuracy you have developed will produce world impacting results?