Six weeks ago, I was down in Durham, North Carolina, at Duke University playing at the Coach K Fantasy Basketball Camp.
And on the very first day, I shattered my elbow.
Three days later, I had to have surgery to reattach the tricep tendon.
But that story’s not important to you.
The story that is important to you… is how we choose to view the world around us.
The Winner’s Mindset
I want to encourage and empower each and every one of you to adopt what I call the winner’s mindset.
This is also my definition of mental toughness:
Waking up every single day making the conscious commitment to do the best you can with what you have, wherever you are. Full stop.
We don’t want to make it any more complicated than that.
Do the best you can with what you have, wherever you are.
Why This Matters
Here’s why I use that as the foundation of my own operating system as I navigate the world:
When you make the commitment to do the best you can with what you have, wherever you are, you automatically eliminate a trilogy of behaviors that I know from firsthand experience will undermine your performance, productivity, confidence, optimism, and relationships.
And what are those three devious behaviors?
Blaming
Complaining
Making excuses
Emotional Agility vs. Emotional Fragility
I use absolutes very sparingly, but you will never, ever improve your life or move you or your business forward by blaming, complaining, and making excuses.
The sooner you can untether from the very real temptation to do those things, you’ll immediately become emotionally more agile.
And do you know what you are if you’re not emotionally agile?
You’re emotionally fragile.
And if you’re emotionally fragile, you simply can’t lead yourselves or your businesses to the level that they’re capable of.
Resilience in Tough Times
With emotional agility comes the resilience to know you can withstand anything the world throws at you.
Because I promise you — regardless of what industry or business you’re in — there are tough times ahead.
But, Alan, you’re a motivational speaker. Aren’t you supposed to be positive?
You know what? You’re right.
I’m positive that there’s some tough times ahead.
So the only way we can withstand that is with a resilient mindset.
What’s Important Now (WIN)
Your ability to focus at the task at hand and block out all of the noise and distractions can be your number one separator.
If you want to WIN, you have to know What’s Important Now.
At any given moment of any given day, you need to be able to identify what is the most important thing that deserves your attention in that moment.
In other words, what I’m asking you to do is to be in the present moment.
There is a time to look back and learn from the past.
There’s absolutely a time to look ahead and prepare for the future.
But the overwhelming majority of your faculties and attention need to be on the present moment.
Be Where Your Feet Are
The short definition of being in the present moment is learning how to be where your feet are.
Wherever your feet are, make sure that’s where your head and your heart are as well.
And once you hold yourself to that standard, you can hold everyone else in your life to that standard.
A Final Note
Do you know of one event, team, or organization that would benefit from a message like this?
If so, would you be kind enough to share this video with them and encourage them to shoot me a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn?
Or better yet, fill out the contact form at AlanSteinJr.com so they can explore options on my customized keynotes and interactive workshops.
Direct referrals from rock stars like you are the lifeblood of my business and are truly appreciated.
And don’t ever forget…
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
