Been watching the Olympics and every chance I get volleyball, my favorite sport, of any variety offered.
The game is so beautiful and magical. I love how the best teams work together. I love the strategy and setup for a big BOOM spike. And how games go and are won.
The last game I watched, you could tell the opposing team was better overall but I always love the scrappy US teams.
In each set US was down by several points.
And it made me think about how we respond to adversity.
When the going gets tough.
When the odds seems stacked against us.
When things don’t go our way.
How do we keep hope?
How do we stay focused?
How do we keep the gremlins of doubt and worry out?
I had a client who was a former professional volleyball player.
She said physically there was not much difference between players, but the game was always won in the mind.
The toughest and best players had an unparalleled focus she said.
All of this makes me think:
Win first in the mind
I’ve been reading and listening to Unbeatable Mind by former Navy SEAL Mark Divine and it’s been an inspiration if not a return to some disciplines I embrace early in my life.
Entrepreneurship requires an unbeatable mind. It requires resilience and constant adaptation to adversity.
The ups and downs.
The uncertainty.
The feeling of always being behind.
Feeing like the outspent outmanned underdog.
It’s one of the big reasons I insist on having three huge supports for my mind and health and life:
- A coach (meeting every week)
- A counselor (every two weeks / once a month)
- Comrades — I’m lacking a small group that meets consistently right now as I resigned from Entrepreneurs Organization a year ago.
And yes, despite of all the above, there is no better game … even volleyball.
This post is part of my 30 Days of Clicking Publish