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Physician Relations Department
Life in Southern Illinois
Cathy Blythe, MBA, FACHE
System Manager, Planning and Physician Recruitment
618.457.5200 ext. 67963 | cathy.blythe@sih.net
Cathy has been with Southern Illinois Healthcare since 1999, and joined the Physician Relations team in 2013. Dedicated to the recruitment of high quality, skilled clinicians, Cathy has oversight for all physician recruitment activities at SIH. In addition, she oversees the development and deployment of the SIH Strategic Plan. Cathy obtained a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and MBA with a focus in Healthcare Management from Southern Illinois University. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and member of the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters.
As a native of southern Illinois, Cathy receives great satisfaction contributing to the growth and enhancement of healthcare services for the area. Recruiting and retaining exceptional medical staff enables SIH to meet their mission of improving the health and well-being of all of the people in the communities served. Cathy is proud to be part of an organization with a focus on ensuring that healthcare needs are met while providing the highest quality of care to all patients.
Tara Gaugh, BS, FASPR
Physician Relations & Recruitment Specialist
618.457.5200 ext 67012 | tara.gaugh@sih.net
Tara has worked in healthcare since 2002, and is thrilled to be part of the Southern Illinois Healthcare's Physician Relations team. She is passionate about matchmaking the right physician for each opportunity, and finding the best fit for the community.
Tara obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Maryville University, in St. Louis. In 2016, she became a Fellow of Association of Staff Physician Recruiters.
Michelle Castoldi, AAT, FASPR
618.457.5200 ext.67136 | michelle.castoldi@sih.net
Michelle is a native of southern Illinois – born at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, raised in Carterville and residing in Marion. She attended both John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. A 20+ year veteran of the healthcare industry, Michelle joined Southern Illinois Healthcare in 2010. She takes pride in bringing the best possible physicians to the people of southern Illinois. She enjoys learning about multiple world cultures through the physician immigration process. In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family and taking in the beautiful sights of southern Illinois.
Kristin Pankey, MS
618.457.5200 ext.67014 | kristin.pankey@sih.net
Kristin has worked in and around the healthcare field throughout much of her career, her first position being with Southern Illinois Healthcare back in 2008. While finishing up her MS in Applied Experimental Psychology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, she worked in SIH's Facilities department as a Data Analyst. She also worked for many years as a consultant, assisting healthcare organizations in the areas of employee and physician engagement. Outside of healthcare, Kristin has also worked in several other fields and at several Fortune 500 companies across the country, enabling her to bring a multitude of experience to the physician recruitment role at SIH.
As a native of southern Illinois, Kristin feels that by bringing the highest quality physicians and medical staff to the area, the entire community benefits in receiving the best healthcare possible. She is thankful to have the opportunity to build strong relationships with those physicians and providers who decide to become part of the SIH family. Kristin is proud to be part of an organization that is forward thinking, financially strong, and constantly contributing to the growth of the community in which she calls home.
Alexis Depre, RN, BSN, MBA, DASPR
Physician Relations Manager
618.457.5200 ext. 67015 | alexis.depre@sih.net
Alexis has been with the Physician Relations Team for Southern Illinois Healthcare since 2007. She has over 20 years of progressive healthcare experience and management, including a graduate degree in Business with Healthcare Administration focus. Access and market share continues to grow with the help of the Physician Relations recruitment and retention efforts. Alexis strives for hospital-physician and physician-physician collaboration and is solution oriented. She is responsible for all provider outreach, physician partnership survey, physician and APP mentoring programs, and retention activities. Hospital System oriented, Alexis' efforts have resulted in positive physician relations and retention at Southern Illinois Healthcare.
Alexis sits on several hospital committees including the Steering Committee for the SIH Foundation. Alexis is committed to teamwork approach; creating healthcare access for the region and connecting the work of Southern Illinois Healthcare with the region. Alexis is a subject matter expert in physician recruitment and has authored or contributed to several publications. Alexis is a member of ISPR, ASPR and several recruitment networks.
Pam Hill
618.457.5200 ext. 67133 | pamela.hill@sih.net
Pam has been with SIH since 2009. She joined the Physician Relations team in 2018. She is experienced in providing full secretarial and department management support to her colleagues in a fast-paced work environment. She is a very proactive person and has a flexible approach to handle many different priorities, and ability to work independently and take ownership of all aspects of a task that then allows her teammates to focus on their recruitment priorities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.


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Home FEATURED KEBS Bosses Oppose Plans to Roll Out Voluntary Based Quality Enforcement
KEBS Bosses Oppose Plans to Roll Out Voluntary Based Quality Enforcement
BT Correspondent
The National Standards Council (NSC) Secretary Lt. Col. (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini (left) shares a word with the Council chairperson Eng Bernard Ngore (centre) and the Taskforce on Standards and Quality Infrastructure Reforms in Kenya Chairperson Wachira Maina (right) at the Kenya Bureau of Standards Head offices. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has recommended the retention of the current enforcement based national quality management structures for the next fifteen years to facilitate capacity building of voluntary options.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has recommended the retention of the current enforcement based national quality management structures for the next fifteen years to facilitate capacity building of voluntary options.
Through the National Standards Council (NSC), which is also the KEBS Board of Directors, the national standards body in its submission to the Taskforce on Standards and Quality Infrastructure Reforms in Kenya recommended the maintaining of existing structures; based on international benchmarks in the continent and beyond.
Appointed by the then Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya late last year and Chaired by Constitutional and Governance Expert Wachira Maina, the National Task Force is expected to review and evaluate the weaknesses and shortcomings of the entire Standards and Quality Infrastructure.
Such review will include, institutional architecture and arrangement to meet the country's goals of managing and mitigating risks to quality, health, safety, environment, fair trade practices, and consumer protection, among others.
Speaking when he made the KEBS submission to the Taskforce, NSC Chairperson Eng Bernard Ngore and Secretary Lt. Col. (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini said Kenya is at the stage of development where we still need some government support for National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) organisations.
As currently structured and thanks to access to national operating resources, KEBS, he explained has been spearheading product certification efforts which enables products to access markets. As at the end of the second quarter of 2019/20, a total of 13,754 products 2,884 MSME and 10,870 from larger firms had valid permits.
KEBS has incubated medium-small and micro-enterprise to improve the quality of their products. In the FY 2019/20 to-date, 786 MSMEs were incubated.
At such a fledgling stage, the local market the NSC said may not be ripe enough to afford fully commercialised services which would be counterproductive to the national development goals.
"It is, therefore, the recommendation of the NSC that the structure of the National Quality Infrastructure adopted by Kenya including Standardization, Conformity Assessment and some Technical regulation be maintained for the next fifteen years," Eng Ngore said in NSC's submission adding that, "Within this time, a National Quality Policy will have been developed and fully implemented and the industry would have gained sufficient quality culture to support voluntary Standards, Metrology and Conformity Assessment Systems."
Over the years KEBS, Eng Ngore said has managed to institute measures to improve organisational capacity and capability to meet client needs while securing national interests.
From its humble beginnings, KEBS he explained had sustained growth in from the development of Kenya's first KS 07-01 standard in 1976 to the development of 10,126 Kenyan Standards.
By the end of May 2020, KEBS he further disclosed had managed to harmonise 716 East Africa Standards and currently enjoys the counter endorsement of 1,136 international Standards.
"These standards facilitate trade across the world. KEBS implements a product certification scheme which involves product registration, development of schemes of supervision and control, product testing and certification," he said.
KEBS is one of the bodies in the multi-agency team constituted under the Office of the President to fight illicit trade in the Country.
As currently structured, KEBS has been instrumental in supporting the Multi-Agency Team activities through Standardization, Metrology and Conformity Assessment. Also, KEBS supported the development of the National Action Plan and Implementation Framework to Combat Illicit Trade, which is currently being implemented.
See Also>>>>> KEBS Relaxes Rules to Stimulate Small Entrepreneurs
KEBS
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
National Standards Council
Voluntary Based Quality Enforcement
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Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer
by Frances Schoonmaker
Under the Naga Tail
by Mae Bunseng Taing, James Taing
The Long Road Box Set
by Alicia Hope
by Khaled Talib
The Key to Circus-Mom Highway
by Allyson Rice
by Kendall Roberts
The Price of Rebellion
by Michael Bland
Little Miss Fortune
by Sans Emmert
The Orphan
by James Lloyd
Where Is My Home?
by Joan Romney Groves
Virgil's Story
by Virgil D Mochel
Tom and Lovey
by G R Jerry
The Alewives
by Elizabeth R. Andersen
Diamond on the High Seas
by Karen Gilleland
The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Golden Feather
by Angel Giacomo
The Dog Who Had A Party
by I-J Letters
Happy Jack Sad Jack
by Mark M. Bello
Golfing with Lewis and Clark
by Lex McMillan
Vanished?
A Swedish Crime Novel
by Christer Tholin
Contact Author - Christer Tholin
The author grew up in the North of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein. Today, he lives together with his family in Stockholm, Sweden, where he works as management consultant.
Already for ages he has been a great fan of crime stories and therefore, had the desire to write his own crime story with the characters acting in Sweden. This crime-fiction is now available under the title "Vanished?".
The crime novel starts at a slower pace - like Martin's holidays, but the tension goes up more and more. It comes to a number of surprising turns giving new impulses to the story. Apart from that, the lovely country Sweden is described with the view of a foreigner.
Visit my webpage:
www.christertholin.one
Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite
In the back of his book Vanished?, author Christer Tholin states that he always wanted to write a Swedish drama, and he's done just that. We meet Martin, the main character, as he travels to Sweden on holiday shortly after his divorce. He needs time alone to think. He meets Liv, a Swedish lady he's very attracted to, but after inviting him for coffee, she is nowhere to be seen when he arrives. He returns to her house the next day, but there is no sign of her. He's attacked, tied up by an unknown intruder, and later, when he reports this to the police, they take no interest. Not content with leaving his questions unanswered, Martin goes in search of Liv in Stockholm, and then hires private detectives to help find her. Without giving any spoilers away, we meet three new characters, including Elin from the agency, who in fact for me becomes the star of the book. I enjoyed her sense of humour, her innovative ways of discovering information in unlikely places, and how she persuades her partner to help solve the case.
I chose Vanished? by Christer Tholin to review because I enjoy stories set in Sweden and its neighbouring countries, and often watch them on television. This book did not disappoint, although it could be described as a cosy mystery. While there was a crime to solve, the hero, Martin, is sensible and does not act out of character. He is a lawyer based in Berlin and does not morph into a Rambo character, but correctly and realistically leaves the case to the people he's hired to solve it. The characterisation is excellent, I grew to like all of them and could identify with them. This is a down to earth story, both believable and entertaining, and I read it in one sitting. It flows from beginning to end, has been translated into correct English, and I think is worth every one of the five stars.


lâu đài - Episode 5.24 - Watershed - Promotional các bức ảnh. . Wallpaper and background images in the lâu đài & Beckett club tagged: castle caskett richard castle kate beckett nathan fillion stana katic castle & beckett.
This lâu đài & Beckett photo might contain lung lay and swing.
Caskett tình yêu ♥ Always!


Jamaican rice and peas recipe – Sunday dinner wouldn't be the same without some Jamaican rice an peas (kidney beans) made with coconut milk and seasoning.
Jamaican rice and peas are an absolute staple within most households. Infact not just Jamaicans but the entire English Caribbean region indulges in this staple dish. Rice and peas aka peas and rice or moros y cristianos are essentially beans, though in the Caribbean especially among the English speaking islands, you'll find different variants of beans referred to as 'peas'.
Don't ask me why Island people refer to beans as peas it's simply a cultural custom norm which people abide by without questioning. Interestingly enough, the dish itself derives from a Ghanaian cuisine called Waakye, where beans and rice are boiled together, omitting the condiments.
Each Caribbean island has their own prized adaptation of rice and peas, don't be alarmed if the recipe varies according to each island or even household. I've travelled to various Caribbean islands and to be honest with you, the recipe tastes identical to how my grandmother and mother made/taught me how to do it.
I think Cuba was probably a stark contrast since they seasoned their rice with cumin, bell peppers, oregano and simmered the rice in water rather than water and coconut milk. Aside from that, it tasted flavoursome, though I did have to ask the lady who was serving me to leave out the pork, another addition to the dish.
Traditionally you'll find most people from Caribbean backgrounds eating rice and peas on a Sunday, for dinner usually when church was officially over. There's no limitations to eating this on a Sunday only, you can eat this any day of the week, however Sunday is the cultural norm.
Living in the diaspora has seen a change in eating habits with people from Caribbean lineage (mainly 2nd -3rd generations) eating more western foods and shunning their traditional food.
Growing up for us, there was no arguing or debate for that matter, you'd eat what was prepared and be grateful. We ALWAYS used dried kidney beans instead of canned beans because it was cost effective and we weren't in a rush to cook. In all, it took almost 2 days to cook the dish since we'd soak the peas overnight – stage 1 and follow up with boiling and simmering the pot the next day.
This recipe uses the old method of cooking rice and peas – using dried beans. I rarely use canned beans unless I'm extremely busy, I'd much rather follow in my grandmother and mothers foot steps by using their method of slow cooking, it's more intimate albeit longer. I think because the women were seen as the nurturers they had more time to dedicate to cooking which explains why dried beans were probably a preference.
Can I use canned beans instead of dried kidney beans?
Yes, you can of course used canned beans, with that being said, the water levels will change, as I used quite a bit of water to compensate the absorption levels of the peas and brown rice. The beans will need to soak overnight to soften and exude a dark hue – rinse the peas several times prior to soaking.
Overall, this may seem challenging for a novice BUT it's really not that difficult once you master the ratio of water or dried goods. It took me awhile to do so myself namely because the women in my family used white rice which you know is processed and has no place on my blog.
The brown rice gives a mild nutty taste, nothing that overpowers/ dulls the taste it's very complimentary and of course brown rice is full of fibre.
It's ability to expand and act as a internal sweeper, cleaning up the waste and expelling it from the body is remarkable, for some the slow breaking down mechanism can cause digestive problems/sensitivities….therefore sprouted grains are also a good digestive friendly choice to substitute with.
Is it possible to make Jamaican rice and peas without coconut milk?
Yes, you can omit the use of coconut milk if you want BUT….this wouldn't be in line with the traditional way of making it. Coconut milk is an essential ingredient for authenticity. Some people use a block of coconut cream instead but if coconut in general is a problem then you may make it with water alone. There's is no substitute for coconut milk that will yield the same results.
Why did my rice and peas look so pale?
I see so many recipes that misrepresent Caribbean/Jamaica rice and peas with a pale or washed out look. The reason for this is because SO many people throw away the water that is used to soak the "peas". When leaving your kidney beans to soak overnight DO NOT THROW THAT WATER AWAY.
That water is like liquid gold to your recipe, you need it for colour. Once tossed out this step is irreversible until you decide to soak more peas.
Why did my rice and peas turn out soft and/or mushy?
You used too much water or added too much water to the pot.
You can remedy soft rice by leaving the pot to cook away on the stove uncovered so the excess moisture evaporates or transfer the rice into a ovenproof dish and baking off the additional water. If you do find yourself having to add more water ALWAYS add a little at a time.
What can I serve rice and peas with?
Bring the peas in water with the garlic, onion and scallion to the boil and reduce to medium.
Cover the saucepan with the lid and simmer for 1hr – 1hr 15 minutes – check the water levels throughout this time as it will have reduced by half, anything lower than that add a cup of hot water.
Check the readiness of the peas by using a slotted spoon to remove a few and mashing them. If they mash with ease, they are ready for the next step.
Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes before adding the rice, thyme, scotch bonnet, pink salt, ginger and pimento and stir.
Allow to slowly simmer for 40-45 minutes, low-medium heat check frequently to ensure the rice doesn't burn and absorption levels.
After 45 minutes the rice should be soft, fluffy (not sticky).
I'm a strong advocate for dry beans instead of canned also. I was remarking on another blog (uncommon Caribbean) just the other day about some of this topic – that it's interesting that each country in the tropics has their own twist on rice & peas; I'm partial to pelau, but will try making this Jamaican version one day.
I hope you do give this a try one day, I'm sure you will like it and yes dried legumes are far more cost effective in the long haul. I cannot wait to try out paleu rice, watch this space!
Sadly the town i live in is dated where food is concerned so getting the peas is hard so I've had to resort to the tinned ☹ but I'm wondering how i cook the rice using these thanks.
Don't panic it's still doable, but the instructions I gave for this recipe are specifically for dried peas. However, when using canned peas, you need to change things up a little. First of all you'll need about 3 cups of water in total. The first step would be to bring the water combined with the coconut milk to the boil, so we add the coconut milk in the first steps instead. then add your peas (with the liquid from the can) scallion, garlic, onion, scotch bonnet, ginger, pink salt etc.. and then you finally stir your rice.
So you only adaption to the recipe is adding the coconut milk in with the first step and scaling back the amount of liquid being used because the peas are already cooked.
I hope that makes sense, if you need anymore help I'm more than happy to assist.
Thanks for the recipe it sounds amazing and i LOVE rice and pea!
Hi Amy, There's no such thing as a silly question. I'm here to help and offer you any clarity. You need to retain the water that you soak the peas in overnight. Do not discard the water as this this required to give rice (once cooked) that red hue that you see in rice and peas. What you need to do is rinse the peas several times prior to finally soaking overnight. Rinsing before soaking will thoroghly remove any particles and/or debris. I hope that makes sense and feel free to message me again if you have anymore questions.
O my God. I am so excited. Hi my name is Yolanda. I have a 96 yr old client who asked if I would incorporate Jamaican dishes once a week. I had such a great time with her today looking up different recipes. This is one of her request. Alson Curry Goat and Ceviche dish. Do you have any recipes for those as well?
Hi there, I'm glad to be of assistance to you and your client. I am currently working on a Caribbean cookbook where I will be including those recipes. In the meantime please feel free to browse my recipes and don't be afraid to ask for help.
Hi Fre'na. I'm glad that you like Jamaican food. I do have a recipe for oxtail and cabbage, however I am currently working on a cookbook where those recipes will be included in my upcoming book.
I'm very excited to try ur recipe of rice & peas. My husband loves loves Jamaican food and unfortunately I don't cook it, aside from coconut rice & beans, which he enjoys every much. I will follow recipe to the T & let u know how it goes. Thanks p.s. when is ur cook book coming out & what is the title ?
Hi Traci. Oh awesome, please let me know if you need any assistance with the recipe. I'm currently working on the manuscript for my book which I'm hoping to release summer 2017. I haven't confirmed the name of the book as of yet but please make sure to follow me via social media to stay up to date with recipes, new releases.
As promised, I made the rice and peas recipe for my New Year's dinner (along with the stewed chicken).
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. The dried kidney beans are soooo much more tastier aren't they?
Hi Emma, Yes sure! I'm more than happy to help. It sounds are if you've used too much water as the rice should be firm and subtly soft. Are you following my recipe or are you simply just experiencing problems with making rice and peas in general?
So when I made this dish I followed the recipe but still ended up with a mushy result like when I have tried rice and peas in the past. I think the problem was the pea liquid did not reduce by anywhere close to half like in the recipe. I'm wondering what I may be doing wrong that I am not getting that fluffy delicious looking rice like in your picture lol?
Hi Russell. Sorry to learn that the texture wasn't as per picture. I have made this recipe many times with you problems. I would suggest next time scaling back on the cups of water in the initial stages, so eliminate 2 cups to begin with while the peas are boiling. When you it comes to adding the rice, coconut milk etc… let the everything cook and if it seems dry then add 1/4 cup until it's fluffy.
What are pimento balls? Are they pimento cheese balls?
Pimento berries is another term for allspice. It's a spice with a flavour and aroma consisting of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper combined into one.It's not a key ingredient but it does add a hint of warm flavour.
Hi Charla, thanks for sharing this recipe ☺ will definitely try this out. In north India we also serve red kidney beans with rice (rajma chawal) – a staple. But adding coconut milk is a wonderful new twist to this staple! Looking forward to making this.
Thanks Arpita. I hope you enjoy the recipe and let me know if you need any further assistance.
Been trying to make authentic tasting rice n pea at home for ages – but always end up with a tasty, but always sticky and gloopy rice. This is the first rice I made which has stayed fluffy and light and delicious so thank you!
Aww I'm so glad you liked the recipe AJ. Thank you so much for the feedback!!
Hi Shakia. I don't recall what brand of brown rice I use as I store what I have in a large container which lasts for months. In terms of coconut milk I'm a huge fan of biona full fat coconut milk.
Hello i want to make this using canned beans but i am a little confused. Do i use 1 whole xan of beans or just 3/4 cup, also I'm confused on the amount of coconut milk to use. Is it 1 cup canned coconut milk or 1 full can?
Hi Akilah. Use one whole can since you are using cooked beans. Don't throw away the water from the beans as you need it to darken the rice. One cup of coconut milk is suffice. I have just updated the recipe card to clarity what I mean. My apologies!!
Hello, how may portions does this serve ?
Hi Amanda. serves roughly 6 people. Enjoy!


Employees walk past an Essar Group logo outside their headquarters in Mumbai.
Singapore: Essar Steel India Ltd sought a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo on an online trading platform this week, three industry sources said on Thursday.
The company, a unit of Indian commodity conglomerate Essar Group, was seeking a cargo on a delivered ex-ship (DES) basis for delivery into Dahej over Dec. 28 to 29, the sources said.
Essar Steel typically buys natural gas from Gail India in the domestic market and buys LNG sometimes in the spot market, a second source added.
Essar did not immediately reply to a Reuters email query on the matter.
Essar Steel's mill in the western state of Gujarat is currently operating at 6.5 million tonnes a year due to constraints in iron ore supply and shortages of natural gas used to run its furnace.
The company's creditors a day later approved a joint offer by ArcelorMittal SA and Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp for Essar Steel.


In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an orog is a crossbreed between a male orc and a female ogre.
The orog first appeared in second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and appeared under the "orc" entry in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The orog of the Birthright setting appeared in the Birthright Campaign Setting (1995).
The orog appeared as a player character race in third edition for the Forgotten Realms setting in Races of Faerûn (2003).
Orogs usually live among orcs; they are stronger, more intelligent, and more highly disciplined than typical orcs. They seem to have been inspired by the Uruk Hai from the Lord of the Rings.
Variants on the orog include the neo-orog and the ogrillion. The neo-orog is a specific orc-ogre crossbreed created by the Red Wizards of Thay to be used as elite soldiers. The ogrillion is the brutish, armor-skinned offspring of a female orc and a male ogre.
In the Forgotten Realms setting, Orogs were an orc tribe who became cut off from their mountain home after a great attack into the civilised world, they eventually found a way into the Underdark and hid from their Elven and human enemies. They remained in the Underdark for thousands of years, fighting deniziens of that terrible realm all the time. Eventually they became superior in strength and personality to normal mountain Orcs.
Both orogs and ogrillions appear in BioWare's Baldur's Gate PC games.


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ANDY MORT
A Home for Gentle Rebels: Find the Courage to Embrace Your Creative Sensitivity and Change the World From the Inside Out
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Why Your Life is Like a Game of Cricket
Life can be a lot like watching test match cricket. It happens. Time passes. Events occur. And only when we stop and take time to look at the scorecard do we realise the impact of the incremental incidents that have built up before our eyes. We often don't notice the change occurring in our lives, and we can be under the impression that at times our lives are stagnant, dull and not leading anywhere. But this is untrue, and like in a game of test match cricket it only takes one moment to grab the momentum and get moving again. (Don't worry, you don't have to understand cricket to understand the point of this post!)
Due to time zone differences, the recent cricket test series between New Zealand and England has been played overnight in the UK. The three-match series (each a match of five days) ended in a 0-0 draw. That's 15 days of play (nearly one hundred hours), and in the end the result was 0-0.
This is why I love cricket.
The result tells you very little about the event.
1. It all adds up
Interestingly, in listening/watching a test match you don't necessarily notice the culmination of runs or impact of wickets. It takes place ball by ball, run by run, and through long periods of a game, very slowly.
But checking the score each morning it was evident that a lot can happen in one day of play. For example, one morning I discovered England had been bowled out and New Zealand had already overtaken the England innings total for the loss of just two.
We often don't notice the sum of our endeavours. Things build, things change, and we sail along with life, not noticing the incremental and subtle ways things progress over time. This is why it is good to write down goals, dreams, and even to document the negative issues and struggles you are experiencing. Because, like a scorecard, you can return to it a month, two months, six months, or a year later and you will be able to see how far you've come in that time.
If you want to quit your job and do something you really love, just start doing the thing you really love. Do it in the evenings and at the weekends. If you want to write a book, record an album, learn how to cook, get fit, speak French etc. the key is just to start and then carry on. You probably wont notice, but when you look back in three months time you will have made changes and progress that you never thought possible.
2. It's all about momentum
In a cricket match the team who can make the most of their periods of momentum, and satisfactorily weather the storm when the momentum sways to the other side, will do well. In a five day match it is inevitable that both sides will get periods of momentum, whether that's a few quick wickets or an expansive and exciting phase with the bat, it is important to make the most of these boosts.
As well as showing up in a consistent and steady manner it is vital for us to respond when we feel that the momentum has swung our way. At times we just have to concentrate hard, defend and wait for a half opportunity to present itself. This is normal. Progress and learning requires a series of momentum and plateaus.
It's important to know which opportunities to take and which to leave – sometimes it's easy to act irrationally because we haven't scored a run in a while. This is a time where we can make big mistakes that can cost us a lot. But if we are patient, dig in and then take our opportunities wisely the momentum will gradually shift back to us and we can take control and use it to spring forward again.
3. You are never 'winning'…or 'losing'
Cricket is a unique sport in that it is often impossible or at least inappropriate to be able to answer the question 'who is winning?' No one is ever winning. A team can be doing well, or on top, or closing in on victory, but even at that point they're not 'winning'.
The end result is a byproduct of what happens in the match and tells you nothing about the match itself.
Similarly our achievements, qualifications, posessions etc are all byproducts of our experience but can tell people very little about the circumstances and stories of our lives.
4. The balance between pro-activity with re-activity
A batsman can create their own momentum by being pro-active and making things happen. But they must know when to sit back and defend. The captain must be pro-active, knowing where to place fielders and how to bowl to certain batsmen, but they must also respond to patterns and circumstances within the game itself.
If we're all one and none of the other we get stuck. Circumstances and situations out of our control require a reactive response. We can choose to react with wisdom and thinking, or we can react rashly and without thinking. On the flipside, pro-activity is the human manufacturing of circumstances and situations, acting in order to acheive a desired outcome. They are both necessary.
5. Focussing on the objective
On the final day of the final match of the series England started at 90 runs for 4 wickets. They needed too many runs to win, so it was all about surviving for six and half hours, or 540 balls. I think pretty much everyone had written them off. They only had 6 wickets remaining, and half of those batsmen were bowlers. But they did it. They finished the day 315-9 and salvaged the draw.
It was no use starting that day with a focus on surviving that length of time. It's a suffocating, distracting and frankly overwhelming big picture. The batsmen needed small targets, and it would have been all about time. Bat until the drinks break. Bat until lunch. Get to drinks again, then tea, ten minutes, another 6 balls, until eventually it was the final ball and they greeted the draw as if they had won. And for all intents and purposes they had. It was a mammoth task.
Sometimes all we have to do is hang in there. Set ourselves little targets and the big picture objectives will take care of themselves. Notice that in the process of surviving and meeting the micro-targets of the day England put 225 runs on the scoreboard. They were progressing, simply because they were playing. The same is true of what we do. As long as we show up and apply ourselves we will put runs on the board without even noticing.
So over to you.
Do you have a method for periodically checking your 'scorecard'? Can you think of anything that you've done in recent time that you wouldn't have thought possible before you started? Please leave your answers and any thoughts in the comment section.
#033: Locate the Gap Between Past and Future [Podcast]
#034: Nurturing Our Confidence to Fail [Podcast]
How Would You Encourage, Reassure, or Inspire Your Younger Self?
Watch the TEDx Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjqQRoUAufI
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