CREATE SOME MARGIN
Sometimes in life, the difference between winning and losing is blatantly obvious. Other times that difference is razor thin. Either way, it’s that gap - that separation, that space between - that ultimately determines who gets recognized as a champion. If that’s your desire here today, to be recognized as a champion in some important area of life, then it’s worth considering what it is you’re doing to set yourself apart.
Bill Russell was an athlete and a man who did just that. He is widely regarded as the greatest winner in the history of professional sports. In his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, Russell led his team to 11 NBA championships - the most by an athlete in any sport. He was a 12-time all-star and a five-time league MVP. This was a guy who knew what it takes to win.
One of Russell’s most famous quotes speaks to the winning qualities he valued most. “Concentration and mental toughness,” he once said, “are the margins of victory.” Those were the things Russell relied on to create that competitive separation. It's a great reminder for us here today, that our concentration and our mental toughness can set us apart, can make us unique, and can ultimately make us people worthy of winning, on the playing field and beyond...if we make them a priority in our own life.
Russell's quote got me thinking about that phrase “margin of victory.” The margin literally refers to the space between two things. Sometimes in sports, that margin is obvious. It's measured by the score on a scoreboard, by the time on a stopwatch, or by the distance between finishers. But other times, it can be harder to determine if we’re ahead, and if so, by how much. That’s why continuing to get better today in the areas that matter most is so important, because it puts us in the best position to win in those moments when the outcome is revealed.
So my question for you today is, where are you creating that margin in the areas where you want to win in your life? How are you setting yourself apart? What are the winning skills you’re working to build and the winning qualities you’re working to develop that will make you someone worthy of winning when your moment comes? Bill Russell listed two of the most important separators:
*Concentration…the ability to limit distractions and give your full focus to the task at hand.
*Mental toughness…the ability to do what winning requires you to do, regardless of and maybe even in spite of how it feels.
Here are eight more areas where the champion creates some margin, and where you can, too:
*Preparation…the ability to rehearse relentlessly in the dark, long before you ever step into the bright lights of the big stage.
*Consistency…the ability to show up, with the same winning mindset and approach, day after day after day.
*Curiosity…the ability - and maybe more importantly, the willingness and the desire - to keep learning, growing, and getting better.
*Coachability…the ability to receive feedback and use it to get better.
*Adaptability…the ability to recognize what’s not working, where changes need to be made, and how to execute more effectively moving forward.
*Selflessness…the ability to serve others and bring out the best in those around you.
*Belief…the ability to maintain your hope and confidence in the face of challenges and setbacks.
*Patience…the ability to wait, maybe even longer than you want to or longer than others are willing to, in order to get what you want.
It’s important to recognize that when you make these winning qualities a part of your identity, you aren't just creating some margin between yourself and your competitors. Choosing to do what champions do in these areas also sets you apart from who it is you used to be, and, most importantly, helps you take another step toward your full potential. It helps you leave that old, mediocre version of yourself in the dust.
Like it does in any competition, the only way you can separate yourself is by moving forward. If some margin is what you're after, then staying where you are isn't an option. So recognize today where in your performance a little more concentration, a little more mental toughness, or a little more of any of those other winning qualities can help to set you apart. And then get to work creating some margin in your life.