Before the unexpected happensd

It was a disappointing result for the U.S. in last night’s World Cup match, but one of the biggest lessons came before the opening whistle.

Heading into Monday evening’s match, the U.S. team was preparing to play without its top goal scorer, Folarin Balogun, after he received a red card in the previous game. Then, about 36 hours before kickoff, FIFA reversed the suspension and an important variable suddenly changed. 

The coaches undoubtedly made adjustments. They had to — twice. But they didn’t have to start from scratch. Weeks of preparation, practice, and planning had built a foundation strong enough to absorb an unexpected change.

Practice didn’t stop. Planning didn’t stop. The objective didn’t change.

Life rarely gives us perfect certainty before asking us to perform. A teacher gives a pop quiz. A coach changes the lineup. An interview gets rescheduled. The unexpected happens.

The goal of strengthening executive function skills isn’t to control every outcome. It’s to build routines and systems that help us adapt when the unexpected happens.