Road trip time, Reader.

There is a stretch of highway near me that always feels longer than it should.

I have driven it a hundred times. I know the exits, the stores, the little bend in the road where traffic always slows down. And yet every time there is a moment where I stop driving the road and start thinking only about being done with the road.

At that point I am not really paying attention anymore. I am just waiting to arrive.

And it got me thinking...

You hear a similar phrase late in a lot of seasons.

“We’re just trying to get through the end of the season.”

I understand why people say it. Seasons get long. Bodies get tired. The record may not be what anyone hoped for. Sometimes everyone is just worn down.

But that phrase always sticks with me.

Because when people start saying it, something usually changes.

The season is not over yet, but mentally they have already left it.

Practices feel flatter. Body language changes. People go through the motions. Instead of competing inside the season, everyone starts waiting for the season to end.

And that is where something important can get lost.

Hard seasons still have lessons in them.

There are still habits being built. Still standards being held, or not held. Still teammates watching how people respond when things are not going the way they hoped.

Some seasons teach you the most when they are not the fun ones.

Because there is a difference between finishing a season and abandoning it before it is over.

The standings might not change. Roles might not suddenly shift. The ending might not become the story everyone wanted.

But there is still a question sitting there.

Who are you going to be all the way through this?

Athletes answer that question.

Coaches answer it too.

And parents, whether they realize it or not, help shape the answer.

The other day I was on that same stretch of highway again. Same road, same exits, same feeling creeping in that I was ready to be done with it.

Then I looked over and noticed a field I must have passed a hundred times. The late afternoon light was hitting it just right. For about five seconds it looked like something out of a movie.

I almost missed it because I was too busy trying to be done with the drive.

That feels like the end of a lot of seasons.

Everyone is staring at the finish line.

And because of that, they miss what is still there.

There are still a few miles left.

For more resources such as blogs, vlogs, and upcoming webinars, visit DanMickle.com.

Also, visit MentalCast.com for the latest episode of The MentalCast podcast.

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