Today Rafael Nadal won his 5th straight Monte Carlo Masters on Clay. It was an incredible match where once again he was too tough, too focused, too smart and too prepared. In order to pull this super human feat off though he had to win 4 matches in 3 days against 2 other top 4 players.
Rafa’s play reminded me of what today’s business leaders must do. They have to play their best against the best competition even when they're tired. They have to bring their A game to work everyday and they have quickly adapt to the many challenges they see daily and weekly. So as I watched this match (and the post match ceremony) I wondered if there were any Rafa lesson’s that you apply to your performance (at work and away from it).
1. Before every point Rafa makes sure that his mind is focused and that he has a plan. He never steps up to serve without laser like focus. You can do the same. Before every meeting, every presentation, every must-win event (and most events today are must-win) you can set your intentions and set your energy level and your focus where it needs to be (see previous blog What you focus on grows.)
2. Rafa comes to every tournament exceptionally well prepared. He is meticulous in the way he manages his Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery. He understands that in tough competition in tough times you can’t leave anything to chance. You can do the same. Pay attention to the details. Do simple things savagely well. Take care of your most important asset – YOU.
3. Rafa does a fantastic job of compartmentalizing. That is, he never lets a previous point or shot influence his current point or shot. He doesn’t let an outside element that he can’t control leak into his mindset to poison his game. He takes each thing and puts it into its box and deals with it appropriately (actually he deals with it exceptionally). You can do this too. You finish one meeting, its done. Go back to your office, review what went well, fix what didn’t go well and move on. You have an argument with one customer, one co-worker, or your spouse – compartmentalize it and don’t let it leak into your next conversation. You received some bad news from the market or an internal report, put it into perspective, identify what you need to do (solutions), and move on.
I love watching Rafael Nadal because for a young guy he is a master in his Mindset. I learn so much watching him and you can too. Let me know what you think. Who do you love to watch (doesn’t need to be an athlete) and what do you learn?
By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Peformance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance
Rafa’s play reminded me of what today’s business leaders must do. They have to play their best against the best competition even when they're tired. They have to bring their A game to work everyday and they have quickly adapt to the many challenges they see daily and weekly. So as I watched this match (and the post match ceremony) I wondered if there were any Rafa lesson’s that you apply to your performance (at work and away from it).
1. Before every point Rafa makes sure that his mind is focused and that he has a plan. He never steps up to serve without laser like focus. You can do the same. Before every meeting, every presentation, every must-win event (and most events today are must-win) you can set your intentions and set your energy level and your focus where it needs to be (see previous blog What you focus on grows.)
2. Rafa comes to every tournament exceptionally well prepared. He is meticulous in the way he manages his Mindset, Nutrition, Movement and Recovery. He understands that in tough competition in tough times you can’t leave anything to chance. You can do the same. Pay attention to the details. Do simple things savagely well. Take care of your most important asset – YOU.
3. Rafa does a fantastic job of compartmentalizing. That is, he never lets a previous point or shot influence his current point or shot. He doesn’t let an outside element that he can’t control leak into his mindset to poison his game. He takes each thing and puts it into its box and deals with it appropriately (actually he deals with it exceptionally). You can do this too. You finish one meeting, its done. Go back to your office, review what went well, fix what didn’t go well and move on. You have an argument with one customer, one co-worker, or your spouse – compartmentalize it and don’t let it leak into your next conversation. You received some bad news from the market or an internal report, put it into perspective, identify what you need to do (solutions), and move on.
I love watching Rafael Nadal because for a young guy he is a master in his Mindset. I learn so much watching him and you can too. Let me know what you think. Who do you love to watch (doesn’t need to be an athlete) and what do you learn?
By Scott Peltin, Founder, Director of Peformance
TIGNUM - Institute for Sustainable High Performance
I stick to Rafa... he´s pretty easy to observe :-).
Posted by: Krissy P | June 09, 2009 at 07:25 PM
Nelson Mandela is a huge one for me too. His story is inspiring - and not just from a mindset perspective. Despite the circumstances, he understood the importance of taking care of himself. Instead of letting his years in jail control his future, he controlled his controllables. He used jail as an opportunity to reinforce habits that were already entrenched. He continued a disciplined eating regime and exercised daily. This undoubtedly contributed to his longevity.
Posted by: Adrianne Bowden | April 27, 2009 at 09:01 PM
From a pure mindset perspective I would have to say that I admire Nelson Mandela. The way he stayed committed to what he believed in is a real testimony to the strength of values. He befriended his captures and educated them on his views. He made everyone he came in contact with a better person. He redefined freedom as the control over one's thoughts and actions and that is extremely motivational.
Posted by: Jeff Peterson | April 27, 2009 at 10:01 AM
There are so many people that I admire. I'm going to stick with my athletic role model this time though. David Robinson. He was the center for the San Antonio Spurs for many years, and was an All-Star, MVP, and helped the Spurs to two Championships. He was a superb high school basketball player, and probably could have gone to an elite basketball school such as Duke University, The University of California at Los Angeles or Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut; but no. Robinson decided to enroll into the Naval Academy, and study mathematics. He was honorably discharged after he became too big (7’1” tall!) for the Navy. David was the first pick in the 1987 draft by the San Antonio Spurs, and was a staple in the paint ever since. Robinson has been a hero to many basketball fans, and he is regarded as one of the nicest, and most respectable human beings ever to survive the National Basketball Association.
Posted by: Derek Mann | April 25, 2009 at 02:57 AM
The person I respect the most is my business partner. He never gives up even when the times are tough. He may get knocked down but his resilience is amazing. Better than just getting back up he always gets back up with 5 new ideas. He is an innovator and a fighter and that's high performance all the way.
Posted by: JimMiller436 | April 24, 2009 at 03:38 PM
Wow, these are all great. I could easily talk about my dad, my mom or even a few athletes but I think I have to say Steve Jobs. I say that because he had a vision for apple and he never let anyone stop him from making his vision come true. He constantly pushes the envelope and he does it against the stream of the way other CEOs or leaders do it. He has huge expectations for his products, his brand and his team but also for himself. Even when he has been sick he has kept the most dignity and kept his personal life out of the media. Steve is one of those guys who understands the details of wow. The question will be whether he can leave the legacy so apple can keep on this track when he steps down.
Posted by: BarryMcGlump | April 22, 2009 at 05:48 AM
The person I really respect is my dad. In business my dad always kept things in perspective and rarely took his job home. He was a great leader by bringing out the best in others. He was always one of those guys who made everyone around him feel special. As my coach he always knew when to correct me and when to just hug me. He knew when to bring up my mistakes and he knew exactly how to take me out and help me correct my errors. Most important, I really respect my dad because even as he has aged he has never stopped learning. Had Tignum been around when my dad was still working he would have not only been your biggest advocate he may have been one of your coaches.
Posted by: Karen C | April 22, 2009 at 05:43 AM
I really respect Anne Mulcahy the CEO of Xerox. I watched her on youtube and she seems to really get it. Her emotional intelligence seems very high and she balances it with being a tough cookie. She seems like a person with a great mindset.
Posted by: MichelleZ | April 21, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Very interesting blog. As a regular reader of your blogs I love the way you guys tie things together. The person I have really admired recently is Barack Obama. He is energetic, focused, in control of his emotions, and confident. His vitality is inspiring. I have read that he works out every morning and is really trying to watch what he eats. I just hope he is getting enough rest because it is obvious that he works very hard. Just look at his first 90 days. He is in a dead sprint.
Posted by: SamGiovanti | April 21, 2009 at 11:33 PM