Powders are for snorting. If you want protein, you should be eating real food. You know my views on shortcuts, and protein powders undoubtedly belong in that blender. I get my protein in a form my body recognizes, via the flesh of humanly raised animals. But I’ve finally cracked. For you, not for me, I’ve researched the best protein powders on the market and am now prepared … [Read more…]
We are about a week into the baseball season. Players are starting to peek up at the scoreboard and either a) digging themselves because they’ve popped a couple home runs, or b) beginning to panic because they gave up a few bombs and their ERA sits at 18.00. Whether they’re hitting .810 or .180, they, like us, would be best served focused on their processes and what they can control, day in and day out, rather than the results in small sample sizes that don’t reflect their diligence and work habits. Staying in the moment, rationally, rules.
As a player, I remember how misleading the beginning of the season could be. “Starting slow,” by baseball standards, meant that my batting average was around .200. This, of course, was utterly absurd. With a limited number of at-bats, an infield hit here and bloop single there would have transported me quickly into the “strong start” bucket. Ughhh. How are we this emotional in baseball when statistics are at the root of our beloved sport?
Baseball is a perfect metaphor for life, remember? We behave in a similar manner in our day to day interactions. Suppose we start a new eating plan and we immediately feel sluggish. Maybe we don’t feel as satiated and blame the veggies. We commit to a long stretch, perhaps even a lifetime of healthier eating, and when the immediate signals don’t line up perfectly with our action step, we throw up our hands because we are batting .000 after the first game of the season. It’s prudent, in baseball and in life, to hunt a personal state of mindfulness. From psychologytoday.com:
Because mindfulness helps you reduce vulnerability to negative emotion, helps formulate problems, increases attention in the present, reduces stress, helps people overcome depression, regulate emotion, increase perspective-taking, and enables you to manage daily difficulties and hassles in a calmer more considered manner.
Best of all it’s a practical way to stop rumination: that’s the constant negative chewing over of things that you think have gone wrong, that you dislike, that bug or annoy you.
Sure, our day to day events can be frustrating.
Picture yourself as a AA hitter finally getting into the lineup. You are desperately trying to impress your manager. You work a count from 0-2 to 3-2, then foul off 3 pitches before blasting a rocket at the pitcher’s dome that he somehow manages to throw his glove at. You’re 0 for 1. This event will test anyone’s patience. Similarly, in business, taking a deal to the one yard line then having it fall apart minutes before a deadline may look to your superior like you simply blew a negotiation. Or at least that’s how you envision their paradigm.
During these times, irrational thought begins to creep in for many. We wonder when our next opportunity for performance will come. That potential partnership that crumbled becomes the focal point of our self-examination.
But what if we honed in on how that deal came together? Our process was crisp and effective. We developed a relationship and planted valuable seeds. We spent hours putting thoughts in writing, researching and opining, ultimately making the best possible decision. When someone asks “how’d it go?” we can talk about our process instead of the dark alternative.
“I was 0 for 1,” or “My deal imploded.”
This isn’t the optimal place to focus our attention. Focusing on the moment and what is in our control is likely the ticket to longer term success and ultimately a more optimal state of well-being. We don’t have to meditate traditionally, per se, but staying present when small sample size irrationality ensues will strengthen our resolve and our brain’s muscle. From mindful.org:
Studies show that the ways we intentionally shape our internal focus of attention in mindfulness practice induces a state of brain activation during the practice. With repetition, an intentionally created state can become an enduring trait of the individual as reflected in long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience. Here, the experience is the focus of attention in a particular manner.
Look, I’m not saying don’t react to day-to-day events. I’m just suggesting we stay calm and logical. Your 0-4 today doesn’t define you as an athlete.
Strong mind,
Kap
We are about a week into the baseball season. Players are starting to peek up at the scoreboard and either a) digging themselves because they’ve popped a couple home runs, or b) beginning to panic because they gave up a few bombs and their ERA sits at 18.00. Whether they’re hitting .810 or .180, they, like us, would be best served focused on their processes and what they can control, day in and day out, rather than the results in small sample sizes that don’t reflect their diligence and work habits. Staying in the moment, rationally, rules.
As a player, I remember how misleading the beginning of the season could be. “Starting slow,” by baseball standards, meant that my batting average was around .200. This, of course, was utterly absurd. With a limited number of at-bats, an infield hit here and bloop single there would have transported me quickly into the “strong start” bucket. Ughhh. How are we this emotional in baseball when statistics are at the root of our beloved sport?
Baseball is a perfect metaphor for life, remember? We behave in a similar manner in our day to day interactions. Suppose we start a new eating plan and we immediately feel sluggish. Maybe we don’t feel as satiated and blame the veggies. We commit to a long stretch, perhaps even a lifetime of healthier eating, and when the immediate signals don’t line up perfectly with our action step, we throw up our hands because we are batting .000 after the first game of the season. It’s prudent, in baseball and in life, to hunt a personal state of mindfulness. From psychologytoday.com:
Because mindfulness helps you reduce vulnerability to negative emotion, helps formulate problems, increases attention in the present, reduces stress, helps people overcome depression, regulate emotion, increase perspective-taking, and enables you to manage daily difficulties and hassles in a calmer more considered manner.
Best of all it’s a practical way to stop rumination: that’s the constant negative chewing over of things that you think have gone wrong, that you dislike, that bug or annoy you.
Sure, our day to day events can be frustrating.
Picture yourself as a AA hitter finally getting into the lineup. You are desperately trying to impress your manager. You work a count from 0-2 to 3-2, then foul off 3 pitches before blasting a rocket at the pitcher’s dome that he somehow manages to throw his glove at. You’re 0 for 1. This event will test anyone’s patience. Similarly, in business, taking a deal to the one yard line then having it fall apart minutes before a deadline may look to your superior like you simply blew a negotiation. Or at least that’s how you envision their paradigm.
During these times, irrational thought begins to creep in for many. We wonder when our next opportunity for performance will come. That potential partnership that crumbled becomes the focal point of our self-examination.
But what if we honed in on how that deal came together? Our process was crisp and effective. We developed a relationship and planted valuable seeds. We spent hours putting thoughts in writing, researching and opining, ultimately making the best possible decision. When someone asks “how’d it go?” we can talk about our process instead of the dark alternative.
“I was 0 for 1,” or “My deal imploded.”
This isn’t the optimal place to focus our attention. Focusing on the moment and what is in our control is likely the ticket to longer term success and ultimately a more optimal state of well-being. We don’t have to meditate traditionally, per se, but staying present when small sample size irrationality ensues will strengthen our resolve and our brain’s muscle. From mindful.org:
Studies show that the ways we intentionally shape our internal focus of attention in mindfulness practice induces a state of brain activation during the practice. With repetition, an intentionally created state can become an enduring trait of the individual as reflected in long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience. Here, the experience is the focus of attention in a particular manner.
Look, I’m not saying don’t react to day-to-day events. I’m just suggesting we stay calm and logical. Your 0-4 today doesn’t define you as an athlete.
Strong mind,
Kap
We are about a week into the baseball season. Players are starting to peek up at the scoreboard and either a) digging themselves because they’ve popped a couple home runs, or b) beginning to panic because they gave up a few bombs and their ERA sits at 18.00. Whether they’re hitting .810 or .180, they, like us, would be best served focused on their processes and what they can control, day in and day out, rather than the results in small sample sizes that don’t reflect their diligence and work habits. Staying in the moment, rationally, rules.
As a player, I remember how misleading the beginning of the season could be. “Starting slow,” by baseball standards, meant that my batting average was around .200. This, of course, was utterly absurd. With a limited number of at-bats, an infield hit here and bloop single there would have transported me quickly into the “strong start” bucket. Ughhh. How are we this emotional in baseball when statistics are at the root of our beloved sport?
Baseball is a perfect metaphor for life, remember? We behave in a similar manner in our day to day interactions. Suppose we start a new eating plan and we immediately feel sluggish. Maybe we don’t feel as satiated and blame the veggies. We commit to a long stretch, perhaps even a lifetime of healthier eating, and when the immediate signals don’t line up perfectly with our action step, we throw up our hands because we are batting .000 after the first game of the season. It’s prudent, in baseball and in life, to hunt a personal state of mindfulness. From psychologytoday.com:
Because mindfulness helps you reduce vulnerability to negative emotion, helps formulate problems, increases attention in the present, reduces stress, helps people overcome depression, regulate emotion, increase perspective-taking, and enables you to manage daily difficulties and hassles in a calmer more considered manner.
Best of all it’s a practical way to stop rumination: that’s the constant negative chewing over of things that you think have gone wrong, that you dislike, that bug or annoy you.
Sure, our day to day events can be frustrating.
Picture yourself as a AA hitter finally getting into the lineup. You are desperately trying to impress your manager. You work a count from 0-2 to 3-2, then foul off 3 pitches before blasting a rocket at the pitcher’s dome that he somehow manages to throw his glove at. You’re 0 for 1. This event will test anyone’s patience. Similarly, in business, taking a deal to the one yard line then having it fall apart minutes before a deadline may look to your superior like you simply blew a negotiation. Or at least that’s how you envision their paradigm.
During these times, irrational thought begins to creep in for many. We wonder when our next opportunity for performance will come. That potential partnership that crumbled becomes the focal point of our self-examination.
But what if we honed in on how that deal came together? Our process was crisp and effective. We developed a relationship and planted valuable seeds. We spent hours putting thoughts in writing, researching and opining, ultimately making the best possible decision. When someone asks “how’d it go?” we can talk about our process instead of the dark alternative.
“I was 0 for 1,” or “My deal imploded.”
This isn’t the optimal place to focus our attention. Focusing on the moment and what is in our control is likely the ticket to longer term success and ultimately a more optimal state of well-being. We don’t have to meditate traditionally, per se, but staying present when small sample size irrationality ensues will strengthen our resolve and our brain’s muscle. From mindful.org:
Studies show that the ways we intentionally shape our internal focus of attention in mindfulness practice induces a state of brain activation during the practice. With repetition, an intentionally created state can become an enduring trait of the individual as reflected in long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience. Here, the experience is the focus of attention in a particular manner.
Look, I’m not saying don’t react to day-to-day events. I’m just suggesting we stay calm and logical. Your 0-4 today doesn’t define you as an athlete.
Strong mind,
Kap
We are about a week into the baseball season. Players are starting to peek up at the scoreboard and either a) digging themselves because they’ve popped a couple home runs, or b) beginning to panic because they gave up a few bombs and their ERA sits at 18.00. Whether they’re hitting .810 or .180, they, like us, would be best served focused on their processes and what they can control, day in and day out, rather than the results in small sample sizes that don’t reflect their diligence and work habits. Staying in the moment, rationally, rules.
As a player, I remember how misleading the beginning of the season could be. “Starting slow,” by baseball standards, meant that my batting average was around .200. This, of course, was utterly absurd. With a limited number of at-bats, an infield hit here and bloop single there would have transported me quickly into the “strong start” bucket. Ughhh. How are we this emotional in baseball when statistics are at the root of our beloved sport?
Baseball is a perfect metaphor for life, remember? We behave in a similar manner in our day to day interactions. Suppose we start a new eating plan and we immediately feel sluggish. Maybe we don’t feel as satiated and blame the veggies. We commit to a long stretch, perhaps even a lifetime of healthier eating, and when the immediate signals don’t line up perfectly with our action step, we throw up our hands because we are batting .000 after the first game of the season. It’s prudent, in baseball and in life, to hunt a personal state of mindfulness. From psychologytoday.com:
Because mindfulness helps you reduce vulnerability to negative emotion, helps formulate problems, increases attention in the present, reduces stress, helps people overcome depression, regulate emotion, increase perspective-taking, and enables you to manage daily difficulties and hassles in a calmer more considered manner.
Best of all it’s a practical way to stop rumination: that’s the constant negative chewing over of things that you think have gone wrong, that you dislike, that bug or annoy you.
Sure, our day to day events can be frustrating.
Picture yourself as a AA hitter finally getting into the lineup. You are desperately trying to impress your manager. You work a count from 0-2 to 3-2, then foul off 3 pitches before blasting a rocket at the pitcher’s dome that he somehow manages to throw his glove at. You’re 0 for 1. This event will test anyone’s patience. Similarly, in business, taking a deal to the one yard line then having it fall apart minutes before a deadline may look to your superior like you simply blew a negotiation. Or at least that’s how you envision their paradigm.
During these times, irrational thought begins to creep in for many. We wonder when our next opportunity for performance will come. That potential partnership that crumbled becomes the focal point of our self-examination.
But what if we honed in on how that deal came together? Our process was crisp and effective. We developed a relationship and planted valuable seeds. We spent hours putting thoughts in writing, researching and opining, ultimately making the best possible decision. When someone asks “how’d it go?” we can talk about our process instead of the dark alternative.
“I was 0 for 1,” or “My deal imploded.”
This isn’t the optimal place to focus our attention. Focusing on the moment and what is in our control is likely the ticket to longer term success and ultimately a more optimal state of well-being. We don’t have to meditate traditionally, per se, but staying present when small sample size irrationality ensues will strengthen our resolve and our brain’s muscle. From mindful.org:
Studies show that the ways we intentionally shape our internal focus of attention in mindfulness practice induces a state of brain activation during the practice. With repetition, an intentionally created state can become an enduring trait of the individual as reflected in long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience. Here, the experience is the focus of attention in a particular manner.
Look, I’m not saying don’t react to day-to-day events. I’m just suggesting we stay calm and logical. Your 0-4 today doesn’t define you as an athlete.
Strong mind,
Kap
We are about a week into the baseball season. Players are starting to peek up at the scoreboard and either a) digging themselves because they’ve popped a couple home runs, or b) beginning to panic because they gave up a few bombs and their ERA sits at 18.00. Whether they’re hitting .810 or .180, they, like us, would be best served focused on their processes and what they can control, day in and day out, rather than the results in small sample sizes that don’t reflect their diligence and work habits. Staying in the moment, rationally, rules.
As a player, I remember how misleading the beginning of the season could be. “Starting slow,” by baseball standards, meant that my batting average was around .200. This, of course, was utterly absurd. With a limited number of at-bats, an infield hit here and bloop single there would have transported me quickly into the “strong start” bucket. Ughhh. How are we this emotional in baseball when statistics are at the root of our beloved sport?
Baseball is a perfect metaphor for life, remember? We behave in a similar manner in our day to day interactions. Suppose we start a new eating plan and we immediately feel sluggish. Maybe we don’t feel as satiated and blame the veggies. We commit to a long stretch, perhaps even a lifetime of healthier eating, and when the immediate signals don’t line up perfectly with our action step, we throw up our hands because we are batting .000 after the first game of the season. It’s prudent, in baseball and in life, to hunt a personal state of mindfulness. From psychologytoday.com:
Because mindfulness helps you reduce vulnerability to negative emotion, helps formulate problems, increases attention in the present, reduces stress, helps people overcome depression, regulate emotion, increase perspective-taking, and enables you to manage daily difficulties and hassles in a calmer more considered manner.
Best of all it’s a practical way to stop rumination: that’s the constant negative chewing over of things that you think have gone wrong, that you dislike, that bug or annoy you.
Sure, our day to day events can be frustrating.
Picture yourself as a AA hitter finally getting into the lineup. You are desperately trying to impress your manager. You work a count from 0-2 to 3-2, then foul off 3 pitches before blasting a rocket at the pitcher’s dome that he somehow manages to throw his glove at. You’re 0 for 1. This event will test anyone’s patience. Similarly, in business, taking a deal to the one yard line then having it fall apart minutes before a deadline may look to your superior like you simply blew a negotiation. Or at least that’s how you envision their paradigm.
During these times, irrational thought begins to creep in for many. We wonder when our next opportunity for performance will come. That potential partnership that crumbled becomes the focal point of our self-examination.
But what if we honed in on how that deal came together? Our process was crisp and effective. We developed a relationship and planted valuable seeds. We spent hours putting thoughts in writing, researching and opining, ultimately making the best possible decision. When someone asks “how’d it go?” we can talk about our process instead of the dark alternative.
“I was 0 for 1,” or “My deal imploded.”
This isn’t the optimal place to focus our attention. Focusing on the moment and what is in our control is likely the ticket to longer term success and ultimately a more optimal state of well-being. We don’t have to meditate traditionally, per se, but staying present when small sample size irrationality ensues will strengthen our resolve and our brain’s muscle. From mindful.org:
Studies show that the ways we intentionally shape our internal focus of attention in mindfulness practice induces a state of brain activation during the practice. With repetition, an intentionally created state can become an enduring trait of the individual as reflected in long-term changes in brain function and structure. This is a fundamental property of neuroplasticity—how the brain changes in response to experience. Here, the experience is the focus of attention in a particular manner.
Look, I’m not saying don’t react to day-to-day events. I’m just suggesting we stay calm and logical. Your 0-4 today doesn’t define you as an athlete.
Strong mind,
Kap
You’ve heard me riff on numerous occasions about how my mother and father impacted my life and deeply influenced my tastes. For instance, I romanticize railroad tracks to this day largely because of the train hopping stories my pops mused to me about in his early adult years.
Liddy Bisanz is a foodie and particularly open minded about experimenting with flavors both in and out of the kitchen. This stems, in large part, from of the influence her parents had in her most critical formative childhood years.
In today’s guest post, Liddy paints a gorgeous picture of that influence and its impact. Enjoy.
Every palate has a different story to tell.
Food is so much more than just a source to fuel our body’s caloric needs. It is an expression of love, creativity, art and fellowship. Food connects to every one of our senses and emotions. You can learn about a person simply by examining what they like to eat. Our palates are an ever changing, ever developing roadmap of our experiences and memories starting with childhood. Want to know where someone came from or how they were raised? Examine the food they like to eat.
I consider my palate a very eclectic one, shaped by my opportunity to travel as a child. Most vacations were spent overseas or in a foreign country. I had the chance to experience foods from so many different cultures and cuisines. I guess you could say I’ve been a foodie since I was a little girl. Having traveled so much, we were always experimenting with new and unique things. It’s safe to say there wasn’t much I wouldn’t eat or try.
Beyond merely traveling, however, my love of food and new experiences was shaped by my parents. I can remember eating octopus with my dad at an Italian market when I was 8 years old. He’s always encouraged us to try different things, even if we may not want to. I was a little hesitant about octopus, but I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. And he said, “See, it wasn’t that bad, was it?” Little moments, or little victories, if you will, paved the way for me to be more and more adventurous with food. It’s like taking baby steps on a culinary adventure.
I like to think of cooking as my time of relaxation. It’s my happy place. Some people like to go for a run, or read a book, or paint…mine is cooking. There is just something about being in the kitchen that puts me at ease. And for this, I have my mom to thank.
My mom was my biggest influence and has always been my role model. Growing up you could always find me in the kitchen cooking alongside my mom. I used to feel like time would stand still in the kitchen. This was where my true passion for the culinary world was discovered. Not only was cooking fun, but there was something so intriguing about creating dishes; each one with different flavors, textures, and aromas. I would copy everything she did. I even wanted a matching apron. Cooking was our bonding time and still is today. My mom was always at peace there and nothing was ever rushed. We would play soft music and talk about our days. You would never see my mom in the kitchen without a smile. She would tell me that cooking was her therapy. And now I fully understand the feeling. When I’m home, it’s one of my favorite things to do with her.
She encouraged my budding creativity, and it has carried over to my present life. In my kitchen, I am constantly looking for new recipes or new ways to put a spin on old favorites. When I am looking at restaurants to try, I always gravitate towards the most innovative menus. To me, the more unique, the better. I always love to see how chefs can play with ingredients and create a beautiful dish. It’s inspiration. To me, food is a lifelong, ever changing, beautiful journey. And it was all inspired from my childhood.
I believe that a genuine appreciation for new foods is one of the most important gifts a parent can offer a child. It’s an act of love that brings a whole family together around the table. That’s where memories are made. Expanding beyond familiar staples gives you a greater appreciation for not only different cuisines, but cultures as well. It broadens your outlook on life and encourages you to stay open to new experiences.
One of my favorite quotes is, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Nowdays, people get so comfortable where they are and are afraid to 
venture out and try something new. It may be easy to fall into a culinary rut and not venture outside your narrow habits, but it’s like never test driving the BMW because you’ve always enjoyed your old Honda. I am a firm believer that we can’t fully experience life this way. One must be willing to take risks in the event we discover something greater than we knew even existed.
The same goes for our palates. Every new and delicious flavor was uncovered by trying something for the first time. Be adventurous. Take a risk. Try something new. You’ll never know what you’re you missing out on until you do.
You’ve heard me riff on numerous occasions about how my mother and father impacted my life and deeply influenced my tastes. For instance, I romanticize railroad tracks to this day largely because of the train hopping stories my pops mused to me about in his early adult years.
Liddy Bisanz is a foodie and particularly open minded about experimenting with flavors both in and out of the kitchen. This stems, in large part, from of the influence her parents had in her most critical formative childhood years.
In today’s guest post, Liddy paints a gorgeous picture of that influence and its impact. Enjoy.
Every palate has a different story to tell.
Food is so much more than just a source to fuel our body’s caloric needs. It is an expression of love, creativity, art and fellowship. Food connects to every one of our senses and emotions. You can learn about a person simply by examining what they like to eat. Our palates are an ever changing, ever developing roadmap of our experiences and memories starting with childhood. Want to know where someone came from or how they were raised? Examine the food they like to eat.
I consider my palate a very eclectic one, shaped by my opportunity to travel as a child. Most vacations were spent overseas or in a foreign country. I had the chance to experience foods from so many different cultures and cuisines. I guess you could say I’ve been a foodie since I was a little girl. Having traveled so much, we were always experimenting with new and unique things. It’s safe to say there wasn’t much I wouldn’t eat or try.
Beyond merely traveling, however, my love of food and new experiences was shaped by my parents. I can remember eating octopus with my dad at an Italian market when I was 8 years old. He’s always encouraged us to try different things, even if we may not want to. I was a little hesitant about octopus, but I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. And he said, “See, it wasn’t that bad, was it?” Little moments, or little victories, if you will, paved the way for me to be more and more adventurous with food. It’s like taking baby steps on a culinary adventure.
I like to think of cooking as my time of relaxation. It’s my happy place. Some people like to go for a run, or read a book, or paint…mine is cooking. There is just something about being in the kitchen that puts me at ease. And for this, I have my mom to thank.
My mom was my biggest influence and has always been my role model. Growing up you could always find me in the kitchen cooking alongside my mom. I used to feel like time would stand still in the kitchen. This was where my true passion for the culinary world was discovered. Not only was cooking fun, but there was something so intriguing about creating dishes; each one with different flavors, textures, and aromas. I would copy everything she did. I even wanted a matching apron. Cooking was our bonding time and still is today. My mom was always at peace there and nothing was ever rushed. We would play soft music and talk about our days. You would never see my mom in the kitchen without a smile. She would tell me that cooking was her therapy. And now I fully understand the feeling. When I’m home, it’s one of my favorite things to do with her.
She encouraged my budding creativity, and it has carried over to my present life. In my kitchen, I am constantly looking for new recipes or new ways to put a spin on old favorites. When I am looking at restaurants to try, I always gravitate towards the most innovative menus. To me, the more unique, the better. I always love to see how chefs can play with ingredients and create a beautiful dish. It’s inspiration. To me, food is a lifelong, ever changing, beautiful journey. And it was all inspired from my childhood.
I believe that a genuine appreciation for new foods is one of the most important gifts a parent can offer a child. It’s an act of love that brings a whole family together around the table. That’s where memories are made. Expanding beyond familiar staples gives you a greater appreciation for not only different cuisines, but cultures as well. It broadens your outlook on life and encourages you to stay open to new experiences.
One of my favorite quotes is, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Nowdays, people get so comfortable where they are and are afraid to venture out and try something new. It may be easy to fall into a culinary rut and not venture outside your narrow habits, but it’s like never test driving the BMW because you’ve always enjoyed your old Honda. I am a firm believer that we can’t fully experience life this way. One must be willing to take risks in the event we discover something greater than we knew even existed.
The same goes for our palates. Every new and delicious flavor was uncovered by trying something for the first time. Be adventurous. Take a risk. Try something new. You’ll never know what you’re you missing out on until you do.
If you’re a leader of men and women looking for an easy way to improve your skills, examine your non-verbal communication. Elevating your body language can change the way your group responds to you and positively impact team performance.
My 9th grader just completed his first start as his JV high school football team’s QB. His team was trounced to the tune of 40-0. Chase was sacked no fewer than 8 times. He scrambled for his life on nearly every other pass play. This was your classic ass whipping from every vantage point.
I care minimally about the final score or even his performance. Instead, I watched how he got up after being hit and his response on the sidelines. I watched as he limped around, appearing weakened and tired. I also watched him finish with his head held up high.
My eyes weren’t the only ones trained on him; his teammates watched him for their cues. If you wear number 12, you sign up for that level of scrutiny. You are the leader by default, like it or not. Tom Brady is usually composed, but has come unglued at times. When he has, he understands it hasn’t gone unnoticed.
I think I have to do a better job with my body language. I definitely can improve that. I wouldn’t say it’s a real strong point of mine right now. We’ll just try to keep doing better. That’s what we’ve got to do.
Thanks, Tom. I’ll use this quote again when I post on accountability.
Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist and professor at Harvard Business and suggests:
“Certain “power poses” don’t just change how others perceive you, Professor Cuddy says. They immediately change your body chemistry. And these changes affect the way you do your job and interact with other people.”
The best leaders model behavior. They walk the walk. If it were as easy as following a script, any literate man or woman could be Martin Luther King Jr. His words were powerful, but his actions and non-verbal communication moved mountains. Take a look at this photo:
I don’t need to hear this man speak. Simply by looking at him, I care what he has to say. I inherently want to follow him. His cause becomes our cause, and I’m inspired to work for it. I can’t imagine him dragging his tail, even in the most dire straits. Biased? Absolutely. He’s my hero.
I had a minor league manager in 1997 that carried himself with superlative power, Dwight Lowry.
Dwight wore the strong, calm exterior that you see in this picture. Whether we were up ten runs or down ten runs, he was unflappable and perpetually approachable. Our club respected his consistent strength throughout the season. Once in a while, he’d display angry flames, but the fire always seemed within his command. I never once saw him hang his head after a tough loss. I aimed to emulate Dwight.
That’s not to say you cannot win with less than ideal countenance and posture. Eli Manning has won titles with questionable body language. Jay Cutler has won many games while appearing genuinely uninterested. I reckon these are outliers. Take a look at this man:
I feel sympathy for him, but a man completely dejected by his current circumstances does not sharpen me. Rather, I’m questioning his capability to bounce back on the next play. I’m looking to my teammate and gauging his mental toughness at all times.
There is certainly something endearing about vulnerability. Sharing imperfections allows others to feel safe with us. However, giving the impression that we are licked is a bad strategy when others depend on us for guidance. We want to know that when our leaders fail, they will quickly be back on the horse. We want to trust them. We want them to be strong where we are weak.
We are all human beings capable of being beaten down by the game, the business or life. Displaying genuine courage in those times inspires others to do the same and invigorates us at the same time.
Strong mind,
Kap