Sometimes following the game plan just isn't enough to reach your goals and dreams. Maybe a switch in the gameplan will lead to a bigger success. Perhaps you need to go on the offensive, to push the limits of your effectiveness and achieve your goals. Sometimes you find yourself on the defensive, not knowing exactly what might happen next. Are you mentally prepared for any outcome? I have come up with some plays to give you that quick burst of motivation when you need it the most. Whatever your situation, there's a play to help you through it. Football is comparable to life's trials and tribulations. In my book, Suits On...Game On... I offer some examples. Here are some excerpts: POWER PLAY Power Play: In order to use this play, you need ambition, confidence, and muscle. This is when you run straight-on with a powerful line. Give'em all you've got. Ambition is the desire for personal advancement in your business or in your life. Confidence means understanding both your power and your limitations. Muscle means pushing forward with everything you've got! To complete a power play, you need to rely on the skills and tools that got you into the game in the first place. Now, how hard are you willing to work to seal the deal? Are you ready to sweat? Power play involve the ability to overpower your opponent for the yardage needed. Hired as a junior account executive for New Century Mortgage, I was expected to learn the game fast. Just like playing in the NFL, I only had a limited time to learn the system and a make a good first impression. I was given six months to build up my database and learn the fundamentals of closing the deal. Without any prior knowledge of the mortgage banking industry, I had to fall back on what I had learned in the NFL, and I had to trust that those skills would see me through to success. I transformed the office into a football field. I looked at my boss as the head coach, and I placed everyone else in their positions according to their roles in the company. I closely studied the top reps to better understand their tendencies. I wanted to see what they where doing differently that set them apart form the other reps in the office. The most important thing that I noticed was that they had more AMBITION and more determination than the other reps in the company. They were also very CONFIDENT in their business style, but they were not ****Y or arrogant. They understood all the ins and outs of the business. They exuded confidence, and people were drawn to them for it. I also noticed they had a lot of MUSCLE around the office when it came to getting things done. Because of the way they handled their clients, their colleagues, and themselves, these reps consistently and successfully orchestrated a POWER PLAY.

Chris Hayes is a father of three and author. His eight years in NFL, including his Super Bowl XXXI victory with Green Bay, have molded his belief and system for achieving at all levels and in various scenarios. Hayes, now 36, lives in Southern California with his family. Please visit 3030hayes.com for more information.