I sat there in disbelief, although I’m unsure why because I’ve seen this scenario many times. Sickened is a good word for how I felt.

My beloved Miami Dolphins, who were up 17-0 midway through the third quarter, were amidst a total meltdown. They would end up losing yesterday by double-digits.

Embarrassed and humiliated for the second week in a row.

There is much to learn, even if you don’t care about football.

First is the old saying, “It doesn’t matter how you start; it’s how you finish.” The Fins looked great for half of the game but collapsed at the end.

You can start strong, but you need to finish strong to win. Many entrepreneurs are great at starting things. The beginning of a new venture is usually the most exciting part, right? But what you do when you “get into the weeds makes the difference between success and failure.”

How you handle adversity is what makes the difference. The Dolphins were missing three key starters and were doing well despite it. But, when another one of their players went down, they lost their composure. 

Things happen in our businesses that we can’t control, but we can always control how we respond to them.

There was a point in the game when the Dolphin’s opponent, the Bengals, had just kicked a field goal to put their first points on the board. The Fins had the ball back, and it was third and one. Instead of taking the conservative route and running the ball for a first down, they attempted a long pass, which fell incomplete, thus giving the ball back to the Bengals. That was the beginning of the end.

Every decision matters and the result might not be immediately realized. Think carefully, and don’t act impulsively. 

Finally, there is always another day. The boys will be on the field next Sunday and hopefully redeem themselves. For the love of God, I hope so.

Let’s make it an amazing week!

Dave “Fins Up” Dee