Go Big or Go Mahomes!

January 31, 2020 by Julie Elliott, President

Inside Information is in Kansas City, a town known for barbeque, but not known for Super Bowl appearances, at least not in the past 49 years. That is until this year — and until this quarterback.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve hopped on the fan bandwagon, but I'm not the only one – the city is full of us. Case in point, yesterday I left my house at 7am and drove 30 miles to a bakery to pick up some Chiefs sugar cookies. Even at that early hour, I was about 20th in line and was lucky enough to nab the last dozen. Chatting with a three-year old and his mom, I learned it was the Patrick Mahomes cookies that brought them in on this early morning jaunt. This young quarterback has captivated our city, and our hearts.

What I’ve observed about our MVP is that the character qualities drawing us to him are worth imitation in our own lives and businesses. Here’s what I see:

He gives others credit.

While Mahomes steals the show with amazing plays, he is quick to give credit to his teammates and play up their highlights reel when interviewed about his own performance. A team, whether on the gridiron or in the boardroom, is made up of players which can only succeed when each is sincerely interested in the success of the others.

He smiles.

Smiling is contagious. His grin makes others smile. It’s a great reminder to me that while it's easy to scowl, this small gesture can make a big difference.

He works really hard.

Obviously Mahomes has talent but he doesn’t rest on his abilities, he hones them. (Or maybe Mahones them, HA!) In a world where taking shortcuts has become the norm, we need to recognize the need for going the extra mile and instituting discipline in our lives and professions.

He doesn’t give up.

If you didn’t see the Chiefs vs. Texans 2020 playoff game, you really missed an amazing comeback. Down 21-0 in the FIRST quarter, the Chiefs ultimately won 51-31. Mahomes did not concede to defeat, and he also inspired his teammates to believe they could win. When odds seemed stacked against us, the spirit of perseverance is vital.

It’s not all the flash and amazing plays that catch our attention; we are equally entertained with the cheesy advertising like “Go Big or Go Mahomes” and “There’s No Place Like Mahomes.” We are having fun with the millions of Chiefs items available for sale and all the hype of the game. I have heard many people say they really don’t care about the outcome of the game – they are just happy to have made it to the Super Bowl. While that sounds good, even bandwagon riders like me don’t really believe that deep down. Let’s go for the WIN! GO CHIEFS!