I was only in elementary school when I watched the United States Olympic Hockey team win their gold medal in the 1980 Winter Games at Lake Placid. It still only seems like yesterday, my how the time flies.

 Last week the remaining team members celebrated the 35^th anniversary of what was widely regarded as the “Miracle on Ice” and one of the greatest upsets in sports history. In one incredible weekend three and a half decades ago, this young hockey team beat the Soviet Union, believed to be one of the best teams of all time, and then beat Finland to capture the gold medal. It’s a story that has lived on and been replayed almost as many times as Al Micheals legendary commentary “Do you believe in Miracles…YES!”

 What’s interesting to me, as I have learned, is that while this team clearly achieved to it’s highest potential, it also had a lot of talent. Many forget that 12 of those 20 young men went on to have successful careers in the National Hockey League playing in over 6000 games, and almost all of them have had success in their lives off the ice after their playing days ended.

 This was not a rag-tag group of kids that got lucky or were touched by divine intervention back in 1980. Quite the opposite, this was a group of talented young men that worked extremely hard to achieve the pinnacle of their chosen field.

 Let’s also not forget that their amazing coach “Herb Brooks” a masterful Leader, with a clear vision, innovative strategy, and a well thought out detailed plan of action to execute this strategy. Brooks assembled this team intentionally, on purpose and by design, giving them the proper training and tools to play out his vision for success.

 While I will agree that the USA’s 1980 gold medal in Hockey was a thrilling moment of my childhood, I’ve learned that it certainly wasn’t an accident and I’m inclined to believe it really wasn’t the Miracle that I’ve been taught it was all of these years.

 This amazing moment was the culminating event of years in planning, decades of hard work and practice, having clear measurable goals, working and re-working a strategy based on the talent of your team, and a belief in what you are striving to accomplish. Then and only then can you go out and win or achieve at the highest levels.

I’ve heard it said many times that ‘Luck” is the result of skill and preparation meeting with an opportunity. Why is it that the harder I work the luckier I get?A Miracle, by definition is – a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences-I’m sure you would agree this is not much of a business of life strategy

So if I’m asked whether I believe in Miracles, the answer of course will be “yes!” But when asked about the way I run my business or my life, I prefer to create my own Miracles, the same way the USA Hockey team did way back on the weekend in February 1980.

Ask Yourself This Week:

What is my vision, strategy, and plan to execute for my business and my life?

Am I waiting for a Miracle, or creating my own? If so how?

What training and tools have I given my team an myself to achieve at the highest levels?

Where am I not giving myself and others credit for the talent we possess and the Miracles we create everyday?

How are you preparing for the next Miracle in your business or your life?

Thoughts for the week:

Be realistic: Plan for a miracle. -Osho

One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful..we let what was once a miracle become common to us. We get so accustomed to his goodness it becomes a routine. –Joel Osteen

Don’t give up before the miracle happens. –Fannie Flagg 

I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do – if that’s to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles. –Jim Rohn

Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you give to your fears.–Richard Wilkins

Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them you find more than you ever dreamed you’d see. -Lemony Snicket

Looking forward to our next conversation