10 Things a Game-Face Teaches Us About Resilience
“It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you’re a winner, when you’re number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not a winner.”
– Vince Lombardi
Ever notice how we Americans seem to have a pre-occupation with sports? It’s not about the game. It could be any game. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Whatever. Much of the time though, it’s more about the players, the teams and their coaches than the game itself. We know them all. They’re our heroes. We watch them as they don their game faces and go out to confront uncertain outcomes; but regardless of whether they win or lose, their determination to succeed never changes. In fact, we’ve come to depend on that quality in them and it endears them to us even more. It’s the kind of resilience that allows them to be down on the ground one minute, and be top of their game the next.
Resilient people face adversity with the same determination, spirit and passion they face everything life has to offer. In fact, you’ll find quite often that the lower they fall, the greater their rebound. They’re stronger, are more tenacious, and all the better for having overcome their difficulties. They live to play another day.
It’s inspirational. We connect with their ups and downs. We wish we were more like them. Maybe if we were, we would be more successful.
Resilience isn’t something relegated to sports heroes, Army generals or Navy SEALs. It’s more identifiable in them because they’re in the public eye more than your average Joe or Jane. Our heroes weren’t born with a ‘resilience gene’ either. Resilience takes practice – a lot of it, and we can all stand to show a little more resilience in how we handle situations in our own lives and businesses. In fact, it’s essence lies at the very core of effective leadership.
Can everyone learn to be more resilient? Yes, but only if you train for it by adopting the right mindset and attitude.
So, get your game face on. Here are 10 Tips on how to develop your resilience to up your business game:
- Be true to your purpose. Focus on success, and what that would mean to you.
- Realize that success has meaning beyond winning and losing. Success isn’t final and failing isn’t fatal. Both can be used to your advantage.
- Focus on long-term goals. Don’t focus on what’s expedient, the quick fix or what’s short term. Direct your energies to your ultimate goal.
- See things in a brighter light. Disasters are challenges. Obstacles are opportunities. You find detours around roadblocks. As Audrey Hepburn said: “Nothing’s impossible. The very word says ‘I’m possible.’’
- Don’t be a ‘know it all.’ Regardless of whether you’re new to the game or an old hand, you always try to learn from your mistakes and perfect your game. There’s always more to learn. You can always be better.
- Find positive takeaways from defeats (and there will be some). What did you learn when someone trounced you? Remember that. It will serve you well next time.
- Find a mentor. You’re not as smart as you think you are. If you find you’re always winning the game, perhaps the challenges aren’t big enough, or you need to find additional ways exceed your expectations of what’s possible.
- Always display confidence. Perception is everything, both for yourself and for those around you. If you display confidence, you will feel more confident. If others perceive you to be confident, you will appear more trustworthy to employees and customers. At the same time, you’ll keep your competitors on their toes.
- Face your fears. Understand that while you may exude confidence, you may also be shaking in your boots. Someone will make a move you’re not prepared for. So what? It happens – sometimes a lot. And there’s nothing you can do about it and no one to blame – not even yourself.(Just ask a few of our heroes. They’ll tell you). The trick is, to continue. Persevere. Push through it. I guarantee that once you do, you’ll never fear it again.
- Practice your game – all the time. Be sharp. You can’t afford to rest on past laurels. Play out your best and worst case scenarios and try to find creative solutions that are new and innovative.
The Urban Dictionary describes ‘game face’ as a confident swagger you bring out when you are about to get ready to tackle something difficult, or when you are about to take on a challenge. Or when you are getting ready to get down to hard business.”
I prefer to call it putting your best foot forward when you start your day.
Are you ready to put your game face on? As Vince Lombardi once said:
“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.”