As the football season winds down, it occurs to me that few of us will write the ending we want to our careers. In many cases, it's because we stay too long and accumulate baggage in one place. This season has taken a toll on legendary coach Joe Paterno and closer to home, Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles. In Paterno's case, he appears to have covered up the sordid behavior of a friend and former assistant. As we all know, the dominoes came down hard and quickly. With Andy Reid, it has been more of a long, tortuous end. His Eagles were supposed to play in the Super Bowl. With the pathetic performance on Thursday, they will play out the season and watch the playoffs from home. When the season ends on January 1st, the players will surely know that they've played for Andy Reid for the last time in Philadelphia.
Does it have to end this way? Do we have a choice in how we go out? I say yes. The end of a career should be a celebration of a job well done; of honors earned; of milestones reached; and of impact made. The key is to keep working hard, don't rest on your laurels and stay fresh. By all appearances, the two coaches have failed to stay fresh and have rested on their reputation. I have seen many men and women retire after spectacular careers and have gone on to even greater challenges. For some, the challenge is staying in the job long enough to get a pension. The latter is a recipe for disaster.
Are you crossing off the days until you retire? Are you wishing it was over? Be careful what you do wish for-it may just happen and not on your terms.
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