IT’S COOL TO CARE
I ran across a clip this week of Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr’s postgame press conference following his team’s 25-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. The loss dropped the Raiders to a surprisingly subpar 2-7 record on the season, and it brought a level of emotion to the surface from Carr that’s rarely seen in pro athletes. His disappointment and frustration were obvious. You can watch the short clip here:
What does Derek Carr’s emotional postgame moment say about him? Depends on who you ask. Not surprisingly, many on social media mocked the quarterback for being weak and sensitive. It’s easy of course for critics to hurl insults from the cheap seats without really appreciating the commitment and sacrifice someone like Derek Carr puts into his performance. It's a level of commitment and sacrifice most of those critics have probably never known.
To be honest, I loved what I saw from Derek Carr in that moment. I saw a competitor who really wants to win. I saw someone who’s put everything he has into this pursuit, someone devastated that he came up short. I saw something in Derek Carr that’s become more and more rare these days. I saw someone who cares.
Why is it more and more rare to find people who really, truly care - people who are willing to compete, who put everything they have into their pursuit and who are devastated when they come up short? I think it’s fear. The truth is, caring is risky. Derek Carr's experience proves that just because you care doesn’t mean you win. You can put your heart and soul into it. You can make all the commitments and sacrifices necessary, even the ones nobody else sees or celebrates. You can really, truly care…and still not get the outcome you're after. It's a huge risk, and it's why choosing to care requires some serious courage.
It's also why so many people these days are making it cool not to care. It's the easiest way for a loser to cover for their cowardice. Not caring provides the loser with a built-in excuse for coming up short. “I didn’t win, but that’s because I didn’t really care.” It protects their fragile ego and satisfies that insecurity that keeps them from stepping in the arena and laying it all on the line. When it doesn't mean much, it doesn't matter much.
In reality, though, the loser does care. Everyone does. They just care about something different. Losers care about comfort over courage. They care about what other people think and about what coming up short might say about them. They care about protecting their image. That’s why they mock and criticize those who are actually in the arena. They hope shining a light on someone else's failure will divert from the harsh reality, that they don’t even have the courage it takes to try. Each of us cares about something, including you. So the question isn’t, "do you care?" The question is, "what do you care about?"
The voice of those critics and losers can be loud and convincing, including the one in your own head. But the voice of your inner champion speaks the truth. The truth is, putting your heart and soul into your pursuit is risky, but it’s worth it. It's the only way you’ll ever reach your potential, and even though there are no guarantees, it puts you in the best possible position to get the winning outcome you’re after. Most importantly, choosing to care today eliminates your regret for tomorrow. Looking back, you'll be proud that what meant a lot mattered a lot. So don't listen to the critics and losers. Instead, cultivate your courage and step in the arena. Give everything you've got to your pursuit, and see the truth. It's cool to care.