Game, (Mind) SET, Match!

Being from NY, this time of year is always memorable for me.  There’s a distinct feeling in the fall air and the stellar sunsets over Long Island Sound that trigger childhood memories of attending The US Open each year.  I haven’t been to The US Open in the past 15 years, but each year I tune in for 2-weeks straight, watching intently as athletes rise and fall through the brackets of their dreams of being the champion on Arthur Ashe Stadium’s center court.

Photo credit: Darren Carroll/USTA

This weekend, I witnessed what I consider not only to be the most exemplary state of athleticism, but one of a stellar and unbreakable, mindset.  Admittedly, I am somewhat ashamed of initially passing judgement on the 23-year old Russian, Daniile Medvedev who was described as a “villain” in The New York Post for making rude gestures to the crowd heckling him in a previous match that week. He just struck me as a “punk”.  I was pulling for Rafa Nadal anyway, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the world in men’s singles tennis.  But as the match progressed, my perception of Medvedev changed drastically as the commentators were writing Medvedev off and prematurely claiming victory for Nadal.  Suddenly, I was won over by the “villainous punk”, and I found myself cheering for him as I witnessed the most admirable turn around in any sport I had ever seen.  I was intrigued by the mindset of the young Russian, and how he magically willed his mind and his body to fight back after getting kicked down in the first two sets.  What was even more impressive was the way Nadal responded as he raised his game even higher.  Mad respect for both players!

Medvedev ultimately ended up losing the match however he earned tremendous recognition from the tough crowd who were heckling the “villain” earlier that week.  News headlines now include him in the category of “warrior” along with his fearless opponent, Rafa Nadal.  The levels of athleticism and displays of mastered mindsets were beyond admirable and equally inspiring.

 

So it provoked me to question myself… “How deep can you dig?”  As I witnessed the adversity and challenge that Nadal gave Medvedev, I reflected on what moves me to dig deeper in order to achieve a stronger and more disciplined mindset in my personal and professional life.  Medvedev learned that he had more in his emotional and physical tank than he ever imagined.  He even said in an interview that after losing the first two sets, he struggled with what he was going to say in his speech when he lost the third set.  He was then interrupted by the visualization of being a champion stewing inside him, and before you knew it, the battle begun as Medvedev transformed and became not only a master of the court, but a master of his mind.  Although the fight was over with a win by Nadal, the battle was not lost by Medvedev.  The 23-year old Russian has nothing to be ashamed of.  I’m convinced that this isn’t the last we will see of him.

It’s no wonder why such renowned companies sponsor and align themselves with The US Open.    Whether you are a financial institution that provides the highest quality of service, a consulting firm specializing in innovation, a healthcare system acclaimed for excellence in research, patient care and education, a Swiss watch manufacturer that prides itself on performance and prestige, or a technology company that is tasked with delivering increased productivity with artificial intelligence…The environment and mindset are what differentiates them from competitors.  It is mindset that determines the precision of their overall performance and the reliability of reaching goals.

  

If you and your company were on center court, would your mindset be a one of a Champion?