“A striker is someone who turns nothing into something.”
Creating Soccer from Zero:
I recently started watching the surprisingly good anime, Blue Lock. In an early episode of the anime, the mastermind, Jinpachi Ego, had everyone attempt to “create soccer from zero”. With the introduction of the rule where the highest scorer on the team would pass to the next selection regardless of team losses, the soccer pitch became utter chaos as each player began thinking only of themselves and their own goals. Chaos is the key word here. Without any order, soccer was reduced to “zero”. In this state, soccer no longer existed.
In this state of Zero, nothing moves forward. There is no progress to be made or growth to be experienced. In this state of non-being, it takes something anomalous to break through and make a change. It requires something external to be added to the chaos.
In the case of Blue Lock, this external anomaly was Shoei Barou and his singular goal at the start of the match. Suddenly, Barou’s team was able to organize around him and multiply the number of goals he scored. They were no longer creating soccer from zero, they were realizing their potential on the field of Blue Lock.
Life Change Comes From a Single Spark
This applies to life beyond soccer though. Right this instant, we’re living lives of complacency, stuck in the routine of who we’ve always been. We’re at zero. At the beginning of any pursuit however, we start at zero. We all have dreams; goals that lift our eyes above the mundane and boring world, yet we don’t chase them. Why?
Because we’re at zero, and turning zero into one is the most difficult step. It’s so tough because it requires something extra. It requires the initial surge of effort that gets the ball rolling. Something must be added from the Ether, seemingly from nowhere. But as we discover in Blue Lock, as soon as that first spark appears, 1 can then multiply into 2, then 2 into 4, and so on. It’s the single spark that starts a flame, a flame grows into a fire, and a fire into an unstoppable inferno.
This is the key to changing our lives, and Blue Lock is trying to tell us that. If we feel stuck in life, constantly trapped in the same routine with no end in sight, it’s up to our minds to provide that initial spark. We are required to be that anomalous addition that turns zero into one. Reality won’t provide it for us. We must change who we are with a massive surge of effort that pushes us onto an upward path, out of the pit where we have lain dormant and comfortable. By transcending our normal selves, by shedding the skin of who we’ve always been, we can turn nothing into something. We can make our lives into something amazing.
Igniting Exponential Growth
What Shoei Barou did in Blue Lock was ignite momentum. His goal was the initial surge that pushed the team and freed them from stagnation. As they unified around Barou’s success, the team as a whole became better, defeating Isagi’s team with ease. Barou’s goal was a catalyst for growth. With a spark like that, a team can grow from zero, to 10, even to 100.
The same principle applies to a human life. If we are able to create something from nothing, using a surge of effort and discipline, our lives can begin to level up exponentially. We start at where we are now… at zero. But with conscious effort and a disciplined mind, our lives can become exponentially better.
Decide on a dream to chase. Start training in the gym. Eat healthier. Improve social skills. Act confidently. Abstain from lust and pornography. Spend time writing and journaling. Cut out distractions like tv and social media. Stop wasting so much time on video games. Go on adventures and explore outdoors. Spend time with friends. Have meaningful conversations with family. Get a job and make money. Study and focus on grades. Dress nicer and look better. Get better at talking to girls. Practice a skill like a new instrument, sport, or language. Spend time with God and aim to remove sin. Read books and chase passions.
If we work towards these ideals, how much would our lives improve in a year? We would be unrecognizable. And our growth wouldn’t be one-dimensional either. We would elevate in mind, body, and spirit. Our relationships would improve. Our futures would open up. Opportunities would present themselves. We would be filled with self-respect and confidence. Others would look to us for leadership and guidance. All in all, we would level up and become a version of ourselves we never thought possible.
Listen to the wisdom of Blue Lock, and aim to emulate Barou’s anomalous goal. Turn zero into one. Be someone who can create something out of nothing. That’s what our greatest selves long for us to accomplish.
Let me know how this relates to you and what turning zero to one looks like in your own life! If you haven’t watched Blue Lock, I would strongly recommend giving it a try. On the surface, Blue Lock is about soccer, but it goes far deeper than that and each lesson can be applied to life and striving towards our highest selves. Wishing you the best of luck in each of your pursuits! Aim high and don’t look back.
The Adventurous Mind 
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