The world cup is gradually approaching its end and has been a wonderful journey so far. I was fortunate to watch the second semi-final match between Croatia and England and it was quite a pleasure. I believe many of us are familiar with the Croatian team being the first team that the Super Eagles played against in the tournament.

Aside the spectacle of the game, the Croatian team’s march to the final has produced or re-affirmed some ideas that will likely help anyone who intends to achieve success.

1 The start of any project is very important.

The Croatian team started on a good note as they achieved the maximum three points in their first match against Nigeria. The victory was a good start and it ensured that they grew with confidence as the matches came rolling in. It is quite simple to embark on a project and just live as life happens but the desire to win or to be successful do not come easily. An individual must be intentional if he/she wants to achieve success.

2 Do you have a plan?

It is quite fascinating when one looks at the tactics employed by the Croatians. From my own understanding, they have a good defense and a good midfield with their forward play being their weakest point. The team manages to soak up pressure from big teams like Argentina and also launches their own attack which have yielded a reasonable amount of goals. They did this to a great effect against England and it helped in keeping their nerves while they were behind. The key thing about doing anything is how well you plan and more importantly, one should emphasize one’s strength in order to blur their weak points.

3 Talent is not enough

For those who are familiar with European football, few could actually vouch for the Croatian team causing more than a stir in the tournament especially when you consider the fact that they do not have as many talented or known footballers as England or Argentina. Modric, Rakitic and possibly Mandzukic are the popular ones among them as they all play in three of the best club sides in Europe. The truth about Croatia’s run is the fact that they marry both talent, discipline, technics, and bravery to reach the final of the world cup. If you are very sure of your talent in any discipline, it is also important that you realize that it is not just going to be straightforward as you must learn the right skills, be disciplined and also be prepared to work hard.

4 Success is beyond your physical characteristics

Croatia is one of the least populated countries among the 32 teams that participated in the world cup. Its population size is about 4.5 million people and this is quite interesting when considering the fact that most of the countries they met on the way to the final are twice as many as them. The reality about life is the fact that people equate the possibility of being successful with how much you have or the amount of strength or acceptance you have. For what Croatia lacked in the physical plane, they supplemented it with a keen belief that they could get what they desire. Their journey through the knock-out stages has been anything but smooth as they have played an extra thirty minutes with all of the opposition teams with two ending in penalty shoot-out but they stayed the course and also had luck in their side.

Hence, one should realize that beyond your physical ability, faith and belief in your ability to achieve whatever you desire is very important. Success is possible for anyone and hopefully we all get to believe that our dreams are within reach.