It would take a fool to jump into the water in an area filled with Great White sharks if that person had a singular paper cut. I sure wouldn’t do it, would you?
If your answer is no, then please answer the next question for me.
Why are you talking to all of your competition about what your plans are? Why are you talking to anyone about what your plan is to move forward?
Your “friends”, especially those who are in the same position as you, who may be a little better than you, are not your “friends” when it comes to competition.
Lets say you’re a second line center who put up a point per game this season. Solid numbers and a scout would be interested. Lets also say you got some inside information that a team was looking for a center, left hand shot that could come in next year and compete for ice time. Sounds great right?
Until you talk about it and it gets back to, or you tell it directly to your team mate who was the first line center who put up more points than you who is also a left hand shot. All of a sudden you see him at the same camp, and then you lose the spot to him.
Blood in the water.
Information is the most valuable thing any player can have at this time of year. STOP SHARING INFORMATION. Just stop talking!
Tryout season is nothing but swimming with Great Whites, so why are you going to cut yourself before you jump in the water?
If you do not understand this concept, then by all means keep talking and see yourself right back where you are later next season. Your friends are not your friends, especially if they pay the same position. Oh yes, I know, your friends would never do that. Sorry, but that’s bullshit.
It’s a team game, after you make the team, not before. And if someone see’s an opportunity to take your spot, they are going to take it. End of story.
When you acquire information, or opportunity based up on information, just be silent. Make your moves and make things happen. Why set up potential interference for yourself?
Every year, there is always one player on each team who makes a move upward that not one of his other team mates expected. That player is almost always the one person who did not tell everyone what his plans were. That player did not create more competition for himself among his “friends”.
Put yourself in the thought process of the player who gets this information you shared. If he knows, or believes he is just a little better than you, do you honestly think he is not going to use this information? Would you use the information? Damn right you would.
As an Adviser, I use information to my clients benefit every day. Information is currency, and the more currency you have, the better position I can put my clients in. Would I share that information with another Adviser? Not a chance.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, the advancement process is not just about how good you are. It is about timing. Preparedness. And the use of carefully obtained information in order to put yourself in a position to increase the likelihood of advancing to the next level.
If you eliminate any one of timing, preparedness and use of information, your odds on advancing become very remote. If you eliminate any one of those things, you may as well go swimming with Great Whites after giving yourself a paper cut.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
