The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history was coming back from a 10 point deficit. With 18 minutes left in Super Bowl LI, the patriots trailed the Falcons by 25 points. For most teams, this game would be all but over. Well, the Patriots ended up tying the game, sending it to overtime, and winning the game. In the 3^rd quarter and up by 25 points, the Falcons were given a 99.5% chance of winning the game. Was it impossible to comeback and win that game? No. Was it incredibly unlikely? Absolutely. There is a lesson we can learn from this amazing comeback in our own lives.

We have all had times in our lives when our obstacles seem insurmountable. They can come in many different situations, like finances, family, health, education, or career. There are always times in life that will get you down, whether due to your own mistakes or to circumstances out of your control. That is when an important decision has to be made—do you push twice as hard to fight for your goal or do you decide it is too unlikely to accomplish and give up? If you want to reach your goals badly enough, no matter how difficult the resistance, there are ways to increase your chances of success.

Focus & Plan

When life gets tough, it can become stressful. Maybe you have to improve your performance at your job, or you have to improve your grades in school, maybe you find yourself running low on money. It can be tempting to become self-defeated, which makes the problem even more difficult to overcome. It is important to focus and plan your next steps. What steps can you take to start the process of getting yourself out of your bad situation? Every situation is different, so give some thought to your specific position and think of even small ways to make improvements. For example, rearrange your schedule to improve productivity at work, allocate more time to study, or cut back on unnecessary expenditures. The Patriots had to focus on scoring one touchdown before they could focus on the next three they would need in order to come back and win the game.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

In difficult times, you have to take advantage or even create your own breaks and opportunities. Look for openings to capitalize on and improve your situation. For example, is there a part-time job available to improve your finances, or can you make extra money from a hobby of yours? Is there a classmate that can help tutor you in school? Is your boss open to suggestions on improving the productivity of the workplace? Take advantage of situations like these, you already need all the help you can get. When all seemed lost, the Patriots forced turnovers and made big plays when they absolutely had to.

If you want something, you have to work hard for it. When you find yourself down in life, you have to work even harder. I will be honest, even when you make some changes to improve your situation, it may still be unlikely that you will succeed. The Patriots could have made all the correct moves near the end of the game and still easily lost. But remember this Super Bowl Patriots team when you find yourself on hard times in life. Even if you feel like you have a 99.5% chance of losing, you might just be able to win in the end.

CHES, ACE Health Coach, AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Consultant