Life Lessons I Learned From Alex Smith

The San Francisco 49ers played in the NFC title game. If they won, they play in Super Bowl XLVI. Unfortunately, the 49ers lost to the Super Bowl champions New York Giants. Nobody expected the 49ers to make the playoffs. Nobody expected quarterback Alex Smith to comeback and perform his best season ever.

Smith was the 2005 number one draft pick overall. His seven seasons were ups and downs including injuries and losing the starting quarterback position. Fans wanted him gone. He had different head coaches and different offensive coordinators. He persisted. He didn’t give up. Smith’s strengths are intelligence and tenacity.

The 2011 season brought Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers new head coach. Harbaugh brought the best in Smith and used his strengths. Harbaugh raised Smith’s confidence. Smith worked hard and earned high respect from the 49ers fans. The following are life lessons I learned from Alex Smith.

1. Hell before you get to heaven. Everyone starts at the bottom. Nobody becomes a vice president in their first year in a company. Continue reading to understand my point.

2. Consistency is important. Smith started his first 7 seasons with a new offensive coordinator. That’s bad. Smith had to learn something new at the beginning of a new season. He couldn’t continue developing a coordinator’s style into the next year.

3. Support. Nobody becomes successful alone. Smith’s best season included support from Harbaugh and the coaching staff, former 49ers General Manager Scot McCloughan, current 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke who signed him for this season, 49ers owner Jed York (who also signed Jim Harbaugh), teammates including Vernon Davis and Frank Gore, and Smith’s family.

4. Action speaks louder than words. Smith won football games. That was how he did his talking. His modesty is another strength. He was the number one 49er this season.

5. Luck and good fortune. Always factors everywhere we do.

6. Redemption. We all make mistakes big and small. The successful people learn from their mistakes and don’t repeat them. They want a second chance to make up for their mistakes. Smith’s 2011 season was redemption after all those past bad years.

Smith's 2011 season was a season in heaven. Good things come to those who wait.

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