How to become the MVP of your life
Any basketball fan, especially those from the North, can relate to the hype that was created around the country’s basketball team, Toronto Raptors. Their run to become the 2019 National Basketball Association’s World champion was an amazing one. Even those who aren’t basketball fans got caught up in the magic of the 4-division series.
The entire experience was an amazing one, but the real story came from one particular player, Kawhi Leonard, who ended up winning the top individual prize of Most Valuable Player (MVP). He became a legend to not only the basketball world, but to the fans in Toronto. Why? Because he became know for his ridiculous focus and concentration on the goal at hand.
How did he do it? I have done a deep dive and I found 3 primary characteristics that lead to his amazing mindset.
- Stay focused on your goal
Kawhi was known for this laser-focus on the goal in front of him. When asked about why the team showed no emotions after winning a big game in the third round, the reply was simply this: we haven’t achieved the ultimate goal. We still have to win four. He refused to be distracted by the small wins on the way to the ultimate prize.
2. Remain in the present
Kawhi’s energy was infectious. Both he and his team remained focus on being present and getting through the task that was in front of them. During an interview, team member, Mark Gasol was asked about how they managed to come from behind against a team that was supposed to dominate them. His answer was simple: we just focused on the next few minutes, not the end of the game. Remaining in the present moment, enabled them to harness the power of now!
3. Refuse to accept anything less than the goal you set
I can remember an incident where the Raptor’s coach, Nick Nurse, said to Kawhi, let’s go into the opponent’s arena and plan to take at least one game out of the two before returning home, to which Kawhi replied: “nope, let’s go in their and take two! That they did!
Art can often resemble life itself, and there are many lessons we can take from any experience of great proportions. The overarching lesson of this historic NBA run, is to remember that to become the MVP of your life, it takes focus, being present, and refusing to accept less than the goal you set.
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