Here is some big news for you: Life is not fair!

I got thinking about this the other day when I was at game 6 in the Toronto Raptors series against the Milwaukee Bucks. I attended that game with an American friend who knows the sport very well, played at the college level in the U.S., and has followed College and NBA basketball for years. Our conversation turned to the officiating of the games in the playoffs and how it certainly seemed as though the calls were pretty consistently going against the Raptors throughout both series.

My friend was certain that the NBA officials are under instructions to favour the American teams. Make it tough on Toronto to get through. After all, the NBA is about big money entertainment dollars, and if Toronto goes deep, the league is concerned about lost revenues.

Whether or not you believe that theory, it is not the point of my story.

The point is that all of us are subject to bad calls, bad breaks, bad luck, health and wellness challenges, failures, and a myriad of trials and tribulations in our lives.

Life is not fair!

Here is the kicker. We can still prevail, even when we get the bad calls. Just like the Raptors found a way to win against the 76ers and the Bucks, even though the odds were against them, and they were being treated unfairly.

Easier said than done? How do I do that in my life, you might ask?

Well, I like to watch leaders. For example, what does Kawhi Leonard do when the refs make a bad call or a non-call. His facial expression does not change. His focus does not waver. Kawhi does not whine and complain. Negativity does not impact his strength. And most importantly, the whole team sees him staying calm and focused. Everybody draws inspiration from him. They all settle down and keep to the job at hand.

When life gives you a bad call; when the odds seem stacked against you; when you get judged unfairly; stay calm and stay the course. You will get through it. You can’t change the things you can’t change so don’t waste your energy.

Like the old cliché says,

When life hands you lemons make lemonade 🙂

Doug Dougherty
CEO