Older? I Prefer Better

When I was 16-22, I was a great rugby player. No kidding, it was my sport, and I absolutely loved it. The day my high school coach, who used to play for the US national team, came up to my Dad and said I was "very violent" and wished that he played more like me was one of the top 5 proudest moments of my life.

Yikes. I just started playing again, and I learned one thing very quickly. I am not 20 anymore, and a lot of other people on the team actually are.

However, I was able to hold my own. Yes, I was tired and extremely sore afterwards. I have to admit that I was also extremely nervous going to my first practice in 15 years. The nice thing about rugby is that it is a social sport, and it is very common for people to continue to play well into their middle age years. They are known as the old, crazy guys.

Here is what I am learning.

1. You play differently when you are older. You play smarter, look for opportunities and keep your head up.

2. Hits hurt more now, so avoid them. Go for the smart play that maximizes results without a lot of trial and error that eventually just wears you out. But, when it comes time to pop someone, do it real, real hard so they remember it.

3. Energy is finite. You have a limited amount, so there is no sense going all out, 100% of the time. It is also counterproductive, but you can make up for that when you are younger.

4. It is the little things and fundamentals that count. It levels the playing field with those going on raw ability.

5. I am better at this than I was 15 years ago. Not as fast or as tough, but better...

Wait, am I talking about about playing rugby or doing business development as an older professional? I forget---but it seems like they have some similar lessons...