The One Thing to Stop Years of Regret

He who hesitates is lost.

I sat on the end of the bench watching the other team's point guard zigzag from the top of the key, into the lane and either make a layup or dish the ball for an easy assist.

Over and over, it seemed.

He was killing us.

It was the state championship game, and we were losing.

I knew how to stop him. I played against him the previous year in junior varsity ball and knew his game.

Our starting point guard obviously did not.

My knees were bouncing. My butt was sore from the hard bench. I kept looking down to the coach to see if he'd put me in. Then my eyes would dart back up to the clock.

Time was running out.

"I should get up and go tell the coach I can stop the guy," I kept thinking.

But I hesitated and stayed on the bench. I almost got up a couple times, but for some reason I was too afraid to make the move and approach the coach. I stayed and watched our team continue to let that guy carve up our defense.

I finally got into the game with a minute left. It was too late. We took second at the 1996 Wyoming State Championship Basketball Tournament.

Still today, in my quiet moments, this memory comes back to haunt me. As inconsequential to life as that basketball game was, these thoughts reoccur:

"Why didn't I get up and tell the coach to put me in? I could have been the hero of the state championship game! The worst that would have happened is the coach would have said no!"

Now as I look back on that story, it's a great lesson for the rest of my life.

He who hesitates, is lost.

Because of that simple hesitation, I rethink it and punish myself. I wished I would have just tried.

But we don't have to wait for a state championship game to take action. There are daily opportunities. Each day could be your last. Each moment or thought could later be a regret -- if we hesitate!

If you think it, if there's even a slight opportunity (in business, work, fitness, health, friendships, relationships) don't wait.

This is the advice I give myself now: Take that action today, because there is no other day. Because he who hesitates, loses.

And then, the trick is, to live with your action or your hesitation.

#LifeLesson #Regret #Hesitation