Seize the Moment
June 29th, 2009 Posted in Leadership, Newsletter
I can recall many moments in my life where the spotlight and pressure was on me and I rose to the occasion and hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth.
I can also remember many moments where I failed under pressure and walked away knowing I didn’t do by best.
Oh, how I wish I could go back in time and change my moments of defeat. I wish I was granted a “DO OVER” and given the opportunity to change history. But that only works in movies. Unfortunately I can’t change the past, but I can learn from it to improve in the future. I can learn why I succeeded in some moments and failed in others.
During my research in writing Training Camp I found the answers I was seeking. In studying the best of the best I discovered how and why they have a knack for rising to the occasion when the pressure is the greatest. They are able to seize the moment. Whether it’s an athletic performance, a presentation to a client, a surgery, a lecture or a job interview the best are able to define the moment rather than letting the moment define them. How do they do this?
The best seize the moment because they don’t allow their fear of failure to define them. When the best are in the midst of their performance, they are not thinking “What if I win?” or “What if I lose?” They are not thinking “What if I make a mistake or fail?” The best are focused solely on the moment. They are one with the moment.
So what does this mean for you and me? It means that we can learn to think and act like a champion. We can learn to seize the moments in our life. In Training Camp I wrote:
To seize the moment, don’t let your failure define you; let it fuel you. Let it push you into the moment and beyond yourself. Let it inspire you to live and work each day as though it was your last.
Don’t focus on the past, and don’t look to the future. Focus on the now. Success, rewards, accolades, fame, and fortune are merely byproducts for those who are able to seize the moment—not those who look beyond it.
Ironically, to enjoy success you must not focus on it. Rather, you must focus on the process that produces success.
The moment is really all you have and when you engage and become one with it, you can soar to new heights. When the spotlight is on you don’t worry, don’t fear, and don’t think. Just focus your mind and your actions on the moment and the outcome will take care of itself.
I can honestly say that writing Training Camp has helped me seize the moments in my life and I believe reading it will help you seize your moments. Please email me at jon@jongordon.com and let me know if it helps you seize your moments. I’d love to hear from you.
Can you recall a time in sports, business, life, work, when you seized the moment. How and why did you rise to the occasion? Describe and share your experience on our blog.
Stay Positive!
Jon
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Tags: author, books, business, jon gordon, seize the moment, speaking, success, training camp
4 Responses to “Seize the Moment”
By Rene on Jun 29, 2009
Carpi diem (not sure of the sp) has come in my life for 20+ years. Seize the moment, I was just talking about this with my daughter this am over coffee. For the last 20 years I have been involved with the sport of Rodeo. I think in any arena, the fear of failure, worring about the past keeps many from success. sometimes you have to lose to learn how to win. Some of my greatest success stories rose out of the ashes of my bigest failures. Seize the moment, learn from the losses and learn from the wins, do it with style and grace as we say in Rodeo NO FEAR
By michael cates on Jun 29, 2009
It was the moment when I was standing in front of Broadway Gymnastics School and all that was left was burned bricks and ash it seemed to most people that Broadway Gymnastics was history that was when Jim Giggans channel 4 newscaster ask me what are you going to do and I whiped tears from my eyes and took a long breath and said that I had survived much more than this (I had survived Vietnam) we will rebuild here or somewhere else! We did and now the rest is History! To this very day we continue to grow! Thank God! You could say God is My Copilot! Michael Cates
By Gina McElroy on Jul 1, 2009
I recently became a member of a local business networking group, one “where everybody knows your business!” It’s customary for members to take turns giving a short (6-minute) presentation on their business. It was my turn a couple of weeks ago to talk about my resume-writing business. Though this is a group of friendly, warm individuals, I was anxious about speaking in front of the group. For many years, I’ve known that I’m better with the “written word,” and not so comfortable with public speaking. But I felt accepted in the group and knew that I needed to do this. I told myself what I have told my son numerous times: if you prepare thoroughly and can remember that you’re the perceived expert on your subject matter, you’ll do fine. After thinking about what would interest the listeners, then carefully preparing handouts and writing down what I planned to present, I was able to feel more confident about my presentation. I made the commitment to really focus on the moment. For the first time in my life, I believe I gave an effective verbal presentation that the audience seemed to enjoy. What a wonderful feeling!
By Anne on Jul 3, 2009
I was thinking of a game last fall when Ben Rothlesberger, the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw a bad pass. It was intercepted. Even I, sitting home watching the game on tv, could see that he should not have thrown it, the timing was off, things were too vulnerable.
Gosh I wish I remembered which game this was, but it was fairly early in the season.
At any rate, after this Rothlesberger changed profoundly. It was as if he woke up. He became much more focused on what he was doing and where the ball was going. He took over and started acting like a leader for the team. And we started winning, all the way to the nail-biting victory of the Super Bowl.
This is what you’re talking about. There have been so many times in my life when I keep ruminating on the mistake made, instead of seeing where I am and the possibilities that are available to me.