The 24 Hour Rule

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Coach Nick Saban's "Process" has been immensely effective at Alabama. (Of course, as a die-hard Bama fan, I admit I'm a bit biased here.) He's implemented several rules that seem pretty hard core and maybe a bit over-the-top but that are ultimately designed to create an atmosphere of discipline, strength and excellence.

One rule in particular that I've been thinking about is the "24 hour rule". Coach Saban allows his players and coaches to take 24 hours after a game to revel in victory (or, on those rare occasions, to mope over a loss). After that, it's time to refocus on the next game or the next season.

Maybe implementing my own 24 hour rule wouldn't be such a bad thing, particularly when it comes to losses. The next time a loss or great disappointment comes my way, perhaps I should allow myself 24 hours for a pity party before moving on and refocusing on what's to come.

That's not to say that I should just forget about the loss or disappointment after a day; just as Coach Saban has used losses to motivate his players to win the next game, setbacks in my own life can be great learning experiences and lead to future successes. But I know there's a difference in just wallowing in self-pity after a setback and actually learning from and growing from it.