high performers and true optimists

A friend of mind posted an article about the involvement of en elite performer within a coaching session of his. He went on to ask who leads high performance mindsets in our environments. A great question.

I guess, by virtue of the title ‘high performance’ it’s a mindset / attitude occupied by an elite set. We’ve all been provided access to high performance centres. Does this automatically mean that environment ensures the person entering has a high-performance mindset? Should the venue make any difference? When I practiced in my backyard as a kid, on my own with a bat, ball and a wall, was that a high-performance environment too?   

Another friend once said, “the last mile is the least crowded”. Why is this? I’m fairly confident that this is where you find those who truly understand the high-performance mindset.

Which leads me to the true optimist. A variety of tests / questionnaires have been implemented many times over many years and oddly, the average responses have been 80% optimists / 10% realists / 10% pessimists. The premise being that responders read questions at face value without looking at external factors. For instance, where health is concerned. Statistically 50% plus will suffer some form of serious illness when older. It appears only 20% consider this when answering the questions.

However, where there is 80% optimism within simple questionnaires, what is the reality? There is a great example shared within ‘The Bright Side’ called the ‘Stockdale Paradox’. The story revolves around a POW in Vietnam who was tortured daily for seven years before being finally released. Stockdale never stopped retaining an optimistic view that he would one day be free and better for the experience. When reading this, I thought, surely others were as optimistic though, so why didn’t they survive too. That very question was answered in the next paragraph.

It explains that others also believed they would be free. However, many set timelines – for example, by Easter, Christmas etc… and as each date passed their optimism faded. And as time progressed, their optimism became realism and then pessimism and finally death in captivity. Stockdale survived and told his tale.

Would Stockdale be on the same level as a genuine high-performer? True optimism cannot have caveats. You either are, or you aren’t. High performers have a standard irrespective of their environment. You either are or you aren’t?

Funnily enough, I have seen many young cricketers not achieve a high-performance level in cricket, yet I have been confident in their general attitude, approach and behaviours that they will be high-performers in life somewhere – many have and many will continue to do so.

Can we manage our optimism though? People like to set numerical goals. I prefer performance related goals ie did my performance today benefit the team irrespective of numbers? If my focus is numerical, can I be certain this has any relevance on the teams’ performance today? If my form drops, then my numbers drop and my optimism fades? If my goal is to be impactful game to game, I start with an optimistic mindset every game as every game is a new day. Can we create an optimistic habit?

Answers on a postcard please?

Research shows that ‘true’ optimists have the potential to achieve great things. Every setback is a new challenge, a temporary result, not an end.

It leads me to my own experiences. I gave up a job to try and become a professional cricketer. I spoke to a friend recently regarding my decision to give up the job to find out and he said that he would have done the same if he had more ability. He completely missed the point. I had no idea if I had the ability or not. Most observers believed I didn’t!

My playing career lasted seven seasons. I then moved into professional coaching, which is still going thirty-six years later, as well as helping set up a new coaching support system business. Am I a ‘true’ optimist? Am I still trying to reach that final mile?

There is no timescale after all!

Or am I deluded? To be fair it doesn’t really matter; I am who I am.

When I gave up that job to find out, I don’t recall having an end date to success. I wanted to find out and see how far I could go, nothing more. One person’s success is another person’s failure. Who’s to judge? Somebody said to me once, would I be interested in being good enough to coach England one day. No. It had never been a desire of mine. I’ve been far more interested in supporting as many people as I can, rather than a select few. It doesn’t mean I’m not ambitious, just ambitious in a different way, with different goals, different satisfactions.

Am I a ‘true’ optimist? Am I a high-performer? No idea.

Do I think Runmaka will be successful? Absolutely 100%! Why? Because it makes total sense and will help players with any attitude – high-performer or otherwise train more than they have ever done before.

No timescales though…