When four-time major champion Rory McIlroy missed the 4-foot putt at hole 8 during Sunday’s US Open golf tournament, he had a choice to make:
Unfortunately, Rory seemed to choose the latter. He lost the tournament by one stroke! Golf commentators wondered aloud if Rory was trying too hard ‘not to lose’ instead of playing to win. Conversely, while the winner, Wyndham Clark, made numerous mistakes on the golf course, he remained poised and centered, playing like a man destined to win. Holding the trophy, Wyndham told a reporter, “I worked so hard and dreamed about this moment for so long. I just felt like it was my time.” Similarly, during the recent French Open tennis tournament, Novak Djokovic’s opponent was leading after the first set. Novak won by creating a Momentum Shift. Novak advises young people: “Be in the present moment, forget what happened in the past. If you want a better future, create it.” Momentum Shift
We lose (or create) momentum when we lose (or create) focus. Famous comebacks are borne out of Momentum Shifts, as evidenced by the New England Patriot’s Super Bowl 38-26 win after entering the fourth quarter 25 points behind the Atlanta Falcons. Whether you’re delivering a presentation, leading a team, or interviewing for an opportunity, you can create a Momentum Shift:
When one of his players chastised himself for a mistake, Jason Sudeikis’ character Ted Lasso advised, “You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. It has a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam.” © 2023. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved. |