The High Cost of Perfection

As the 2009 College Football season comes to an end, the biggest story is not the Alabama vs. Texas National Championship Game, or the end of Coach Bobby Bowden’s career. The top story is Urban Meyer and the University of Florida. Coach Meyer resigned one day, stating health and family reasons, only to change his mind the next day and decide to take a leave of absence, a Sabbatical if you will. As of today (January 2nd) he says he plans on being the football coach for the University of Florida in the Fall.

Most commentators pointed to stress as being the reason for Meyer’s up and down mood swings. Every college wants their team to win every game. Meyer’s teams were among the best college football had ever seen. They won 23 games in a row, and it was after their first loss that Meyer later had an apparent heart attack. He says he has been dealing with constant chest pains for at least 2 years—during the time of his team’s winning streak. Coach Meyer expects nothing less than perfection. Our society says that success is determined by wins and failures by losses. Nothing else matters but being perfect.

And the cost of perfection could be your life. …[read more]