Focus Plus Discipline Equals Excellence

Focus Plus Discipline Equals Excellence

This basketball season, I have the privilege and challenge of serving as one of the coaches for my son’s CYOB (Catholic Youth Organization Basketball) team.  I never played the game because I mistakenly listened to my siblings and neighbors as they convinced me that athletics were not for me.  “You, you need to stick to the books.  This game and sports are not for you.”  I cannot state the depth of my regret for uncritically accepting that declaration decades ago in our backyard.  Actually, I could outrun every kid in the neighborhood and possessed definite athletic potential.  Because I internalized that comment, I never strove to develop it though I was blessed with many subsequent opportunities.  My son, in contrast, stated at his kindergarten graduation that he would be a basketball player.  The ensuing years between his proclamation and sophomore year in high school witnessed his detailed study of history, players, teams, coaches, and strategies of basketball.  For an adolescent, my son is very knowledgeable about the game.  Additionally, he continuously develops as a player with weekly training sessions, team practices and attendance at multiple summer camps.  Not surprisingly, anything I say about playing basketball whether offense or defense he receives with considerable suspicion.

Regrettably, we lost the first two games of the season.  As a novice coach, I attribute those losses to our failure to play relentless and focused discipline.  If you prevent your opponents from shooting, they will not score.  A zone defense in which players loosely guard their opponents eventually breaks down and allows a ball handler with reasonable skills to shoot and score.  A man-to-man defense works better because it consumes time, prevents shooting and possibly creates turnovers.  This defensive strategy requires substantial physical stamina, mental focus and cerebral discipline.  Basketball players universally lament the necessity of running “suicides” and other “tongue-dropping” drills.  Yet, running builds stamina which enables a player to remain mentally focused though physically tired.  Stamina empowers players to retain cerebral discipline in recalling game plans of stopping opponents from shooting and scoring.  This combination of physical stamina, mental focus and cerebral discipline yields victory.

As my son and I debriefed the second loss, I realized I could apply everything I said to him relating to basketball to pastoral ministry.  In that arena, I face the challenge of remaining focused upon the mission and purpose of ministry.  Most pastors tolerate disparagement and disgruntlement of twenty percent of their congregations at any time.  The composition of that twenty percent of naysayers shifts depending upon the season.  Still, the cacophony of the twenty percent of negative people often drowns out the positive and affirmative voices of the remaining eighty percent.  Being human and susceptible to personalizing unwarranted criticism, pastors often allow negativity of dissatisfied congregants to consume eighty percent of their mental energy and focus.  This human tendency ignores the positive energy and support of the majority of the congregation.  As I acknowledge this incongruity, I equally recognize the need to apply the advice I gave to my son.

I, too, need physical stamina, mental focus and cerebral defense as I forge full speed ahead damning the verbal and relational torpedoes that endeavor to impede my progress.  Fleeting thoughts of revenge easily distract me.  Brief pity parties occur far too often.  Comparing my ministry with colleagues poses another lethal threat to my peace of mind.  Were I to entertain perpetually these thoughts, then I remain “restless, irritable and discontent.”  As a consequence of proverbially “stewing in my own juices,” I mistakenly allow my impatience and resentment to spill into other relationships.  Nevertheless, focus and discipline combine to yield excellence in ministry.

“Discipline is remembering what you want.”  A framed calligraphy printing bearing that inscription hangs on the wall in The Pastor’s Study.  Daily, it reminds me of the necessity of mental adherence to my dreams and goals.  Excellence is attainable if I am able to deflect negative emotional obstacles and stare toward the goal with unrelenting determination.  In games when a basketball team’s opponents possess height, shooting and ball handling advantages, they can win if they impede their opponents’ progress.  To that end, I eliminate the negativity of disgruntled persons by being unyielding in my pursuit of purpose.