NEVER LOSE AGAIN

NEVER LOSE AGAIN

A couple of weeks ago I watched in awe the performance of Steph Curry. His game-winning shot against the Thunder seemed so deliberate and effortless, which is what made this so intriguing to me and perhaps you too. Fascinating because often in these situations the proverbial Hail Mary seems not to be a hail of Mary at all but simply luck. Not so in Curry’s case, it was indeed the culmination and belief in his skills and execution at the moment of truth driven by preparation and indeed “playing” the game.

Last weekend, I returned from a speaking engagement and spending time with family and friends in Missouri. After getting settled down, my son asked me what I thought of the Warriors horrible loss Saturday night to the lowly LA Lakers a week after the amazing shot by Curry. It was the worst loss in the history of the NBA by a number one ranked team to a non-contender. My son was impressed not with the Lakers but the possible demise of the Warriors. Could this be the beginning of a change of fortune for the Warriors? I think not!

I went on to explain to my son that winning isn’t everything as long as you prepare and play the game. After Curry’s performance against the Thunder a week earlier, ESPN did an analysis of the shots and moves he made during the game with side by side video of his pre-game shots and dribbling moves. They were the same. Curry is playing the game!

When I have the opportunity to talk to school-aged children, one will usually ask if I ever had a patient die during or after heart surgery and how do I deal with that situation. The answer to the question is yes. In my business, death does occur from time to time. However, the only outcome that is pre-determined is the one in which we fail to prepare. In other words, preparing for and playing the game, regardless the score or the outcome, you will always win.

I recall what my Father taught me, “anybody can be a somebody if they only know how to play the game.”