As a former college athlete and a big fan of college sports – specifically, lacrosse and football – I like to use sports metaphors in conversations. For example, the word timeout is taken from sports. Or, if something is easy, it is a “slam dunk,” or a fantastic success is a “home run.” Let me introduce you to another sports metaphor - the concept of “life’s halftime.” Let me explain.

From my personal and professional experience, I've come to recognize that there is a stage of life, typically in the mid-40s when people review their life’s journey to assess their progress and reflect if they are doing what they should be doing or if adjustments are needed. This may be an unconscious recognition that they have reached the halftime of their life.

Whether lacrosse, football, or some other sport, teams compete and learn the first half of the game what works and what doesn't. At halftime, each team goes into the locker room to adjust for the second half of the game.

This is how the game’s halftime relates to life. During the first 30 or 40 years of life, we learn, adjust, and make choices to chart our life’s path. When we have aged to our forties, we've accumulated substantial life experience through education, work, family, experiences, and lessons learned. We live the first phase of life earning an education and “playing” life’s game. With our life experiences, education, and lessons learned, we may adjust during our “life’s halftime” to redirect our future on life’s journey. We may adjust our four gifts — time, talent, treasure, and trust — to grow, adapt, and chart the second half of life to achieve “success,” win the game of life, and achieve a legacy of lasting and meaningful significance.

Comparable to the adjustments at halftime of a lacrosse or football game, you may want to assess your life’s halftime to make the necessary adjustments for life’s second half. If you assess that you are "winning" and life is good, that is great! Are any halftime adjustments needed? Look at your options and possibilities so that you may “win the game” during life’s second half. Through the intentional generosity of our four gifts, we can adjust to our goals, hopes, and dreams to win the game of life. We win through our gifts of time, talents, treasure, and trust, and it is through our giving that we receive.

Let's do some good!

Greg