Edition #1. The Hail Mary Friday Club: So, What is It Exactly?

Welcome to the Hail Mary Friday Club.

I’m so glad you’re here! All your questions, including the reason for the ridiculous name, are about to be answered.

What is the Hail Mary Friday Club?

It’s a club for people who own their actions, value the process, and are committed to personal growth in the areas of courage, boldness, and fun!

What do you mean by “Hail Mary”?

Please don’t stop reading because you think you have to be Catholic or religious to join! “Hail Mary” is a sports reference to a last gasp effort to win the game. Imagine you are an NFL quarterback launching a 70 yard throw into the endzone when your team is down by 6 points and the final buzzer is about to go. The chances of it working are slim, but you try anyways because it’s just not in you to give up. Watch my favorite example (video)

How did it start?

I initiated myself to the club when I retired from Paralympic Sport. After 18 years of intense focus and drive, I felt lost and overwhelmed and unsure of the future.

Life as a sprinter and long jumper was wonderfully clear! I knew my schedule 4 years in advance, I knew what winning looked like, and I knew what I needed to do.

Eventually I retired, as all athletes do, and stepped into the real world as a freelancer and entrepreneur and there was nothing clear about it. I woke up every morning wondering if I had the right strategy and the right to-do list. The smiles are genuine and I love what I do, but I got tired of feeling like a failure because I didn’t have a clear definition of success.

So I had a very serious conversation with myself, which, as you get to know me, you will soon realize is something I do a lot. It helps me process my thoughts and is very effective at discouraging people from sitting next to me on public transport.

I said, “Stefanie, you’ve experienced enough to know that life isn’t fair, and things don’t always work out the way you want. In light of this, what does living a life you are proud of look like?”

Phrased that way, I knew the answer immediately. Because the one thing a life changing boating accident and 18 years as an elite athlete has taught me is this:

It was never the outcome that determined my level of satisfaction. It was always whether I seized the opportunity in front of me as hard as I could and delivered in the boldest and most audacious way I could think of.

I accept that not all of my goals will be accomplished. But it will never be because I was too afraid to try. And no matter what happens in life, if I know that in my core, then I can be proud of myself.

…enter the Hail Mary Friday Club

What does membership involve?

Every Friday, your mission is to do something that you would normally consider a little too crazy, too bold, or too audacious for you.

Maybe you:

send that job application
ask to deliver that pitch
sign up for that course
ask that person to hang out
share that big idea

In less than 10 minutes a week, you are answering the question, “Am I brave enough to risk looking silly or delusional for a shot at what I really want in life?”

The T’s & C’s

Full disclosure: most of my Hail Mary’s haven’t worked out. Yours may not either. But that’s not the point! They are supposed to be on the brink of crazy. They are supposed to stretch you. And in the process, they will inoculate you against failure and rejection. Fear will never be the reason why you say no!

The point is to gift yourself 10 minutes of freedom every Friday where you can be bold and courageous without having to worry about the result.

But…just to warn you, sometimes they do work out! And I promise that the problem of having to follow through is a wonderful one to have!

What you can expect:

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, The Hail Mary Friday Club will land, featuring useful, actionable, evidence-based content that challenges the way you see growth, opportunities, and success.

You can sign up here and invite others you want to share the journey with. One of the great things about Hail Marys is that even if they don’t work out, they make for a great story to share on a Monday!

See you on (insert date of launch).

Stay bold, stay audacious, and start thinking about your next Hail Mary.
- Stef