Who is in Your Game 7?

By Paulina Adams

Edited by Taylor Morgan

Growing up, my dad would ask our family one simple question:

“Would you want them in your Game 7?”

My dad is someone who has navigated life’s twists and turns with humility and strength. How he has handled negativity with such composure has shaped me in countless ways.

In hockey, a Game 7 is the final game in a best-of-seven series. It’s the decider. Every shift matters. The stakes are high. And my dad had the opportunity to play in a Game 7 at the highest level and win.

I’m not a professional athlete. I will never play in a literal Game 7. But I have my own version of it, and so do you.

Your Game 7 is any moment where it all feels on the line.

The breakup.

The career leap.

The loss.

The risk.

The dream you are scared to say out loud.

A Game 7 person is who you want beside you when there is no room for excuses.

They are loyal. Not just when it’s convenient,  but when it’s uncomfortable.

They show up.

They follow through.

They don’t fold under pressure.

They are gritty enough to help you push forward and soft enough to sit with you when pushing is not what you need.

Win or lose. They are steady.

So pause and ask yourself:

If you are dating someone, would you want them in your Game 7?

In your friendships, would they rise when you need them?

If you are hiring someone, are they clutch when it matters most?

When someone new entered our lives, my dad would always ask us that question. It was not about being judgmental. It was about being discerning.

Because life is not hockey, but it is full of high-stakes moments. And in those moments, pressure reveals everything.

We all crave connection. And yet, we cannot pour our most valuable energy into people who are not built for our storms.

PAULINA ADAMS / UP Co Fashion Director

I love palm trees, and I often think about them when I think about resilience.

When a storm hits, many trees snap. But palm trees bend. They look like they might break, but they don’t. Their roots are deep enough to anchor them, and their trunks are flexible enough to move with the wind.

And when the storm passes, they are still standing. Actually, even stronger.

That’s what your Game 7 circle should feel like.

People with deep roots. Grounded in who they are.

People who are flexible enough to adapt when life shifts.

People who don’t create more chaos when the wind is already howling.

Storms are inevitable. You cannot stop them. But the right people will not just watch you endure; they will plant their roots next to yours. They won’t compete with your strength. They will reinforce it. 

And here’s the truth: you are going to get it wrong sometimes.

You will let someone into your Game 7 who does not belong there. You might get blindsided. And it’s painful, but it’s also clarifying.

Every disappointment sharpens your discernment. Every lesson strengthens your roots. Your Game 7 circle becomes smaller, but also more intentional. More aligned.

Not everyone in your life has to be a Game 7 person. Some people are meant for light seasons. Some are situational. Some are simply passing through. That does not make them bad; it just means they don’t belong in the final minutes when everything is on the line.

And if you feel like you don’t have anyone in your Game 7 right now, that does not mean you are behind.

Write down what Game 7 means to you.

What qualities matter most?

What kind of presence do you want beside you when life gets loud?

Be clear about it. When you embody the energy you are seeking, the people who belong in your life will naturally gravitate toward you. Holding strong standards does not push the right ones away; it actually helps you recognize them.

Life will bring storms. That’s guaranteed.

When you are supported around you and rooted within you, you won’t just survive them.

You will stand taller because of them. 

Just like a palm tree.

So I will ask you the same question my dad asked us growing up:

Who’s in your Game 7?