The NCAA National Championship football game finished last night. This morning several sports outlets had their 2023 National Championship predications posted. All employed the “way-to-early” headline.

It make me wonder. Is it too early? Is this exercise worth anything other than entertainment? I am certain none of these lists is an exhaustive look at all the possible iterations, considerations, alterations, and demarcations of the coming season. So is their value?

If it sparks questions, I think there is value in us embracing way-to-early thinking. If it opens our peripheral vision or creates considerations we had not previously pondered, then value added. If we head to a Las Vegas sports book with this information and double-down on future fortunes, then way-too-early might be a recipe for disaster., especially if we invest too much.

How might we adopt way-too-early thinking in a constructive and enlightening manner, even if we encounter a sense of overwhelm and fatigue? If we believe all our future considerations fit neatly on a 12-month calendar cycle, perhaps we are way-too-late.