I recently watched the Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance.” I am not necessarily a huge fan of basketball but I believe that athletes + sports can teach us a lot about commitment, teamwork, growth and mindset.
One thing, Michael Jordan shared that touched me was about mindset before a game – he said that the thought of losing didn’t cross his mind, he wouldn’t allow it – if his goal was to win the game, why would he spend even an ounce of energy on losing?
This makes so much sense and yet many people struggle with this. In fact, they put a lot more energy, thought and emotion into what if x,y,z doesn’t happen or doesn’t work, is a waste, or makes it worse. Then the goal or dream of challenge they are trying to overcome becomes about what they do not want rather than what they do want.
It almost seems like we are betting against ourselves! Why on earth would we want to do that?
Though realistically, Michael Jordan, even at the height of his career knew there was always a 50/50 chance that he could lose, he didn’t focus his attention on that, he focused on winning and what he needed in order to win. The love of sport, the love of winning, consistent practice, the team, etc.
Take a moment to consider this and ask yourself, where am I betting against myself?
How can I shift my focus to what I want rather than what I am afraid of?
What do you need to get there?
I hope this supports you on your journey!
