One of the traits of high performers is that they have a dazzling ability to finish well. Jordan's shot in the final moments to clinch the championship. Joe Carter's stunning grand slam to win the World Series. Lance Armstrong's come from behind finish to own The Tour de France. Champions are made not by how they start but by how they show up under pressure. And at the end.

The kids and I went to a hockey game on Friday night. For most of the first three periods, the home team was winning. The players were focused. The energy was high. The fans were thrilled. It was beautiful.

Then something fascinating happened. It was the last minute of the game. The other team pulled their goalie so that they had an extra man on offense. People started leaving-expecting the home team to win and rushing to avoid the inevitable traffic jam outside of the arena. The home team started high-fiving each other. Laughs and smiles appeared on their faces. They sensed victory was close. Imminent.

Then, with about 22 seconds left in the game, something unimaginable happened. The other team scored. Incredible. This tied the game and sent it into a sudden death extra period of only 5 minutes (this just means whoever got the next goal would win the game).

You know how this story ended. Sure enough, buoyed by their fearless comeback, the visiting team scored. And they won the game. A stunning upset.

Please apply this as a cautionary tale to the way you do business. And the way you lead life. Complacency is the beginning of failure. Coasting is the DNA of disaster. Keeping your eye off the ball (puck in this case) is an invitation for defeat. And assuming that you'll win if you don't stay on your A game is a dangerous assumption. Because you could lose it all. In about 22 seconds.