Being Present Under Pressure
Michael Jordan wrote a book called ‘Driven From Within.’ In his career, there was a famous shot, and if you’re into sports or basketball, you’ve probably seen it. In this shot, he’s being defended and dribbling near the free throw line. As he pulls up to shoot, he’s kind of falling sideways. He hits the shot, they win the game against Cleveland, and advance in the playoffs.
It’s such a famous shot. Later reporters asked him, “you had to be nervous, you were in the huddle, you were going out there after the timeout, everything was going to count on you. The ball was coming to you, and you were going to win it or lose it for your team. Weren’t you nervous?”
Michael replied, “what do you mean?” They said, “weren’t you scared or nervous?” His response demonstrates the ability to reset and recover in between moments of action—to be in the moment.
Michael Jordan said, “why would I be nervous about a shot I hadn’t taken yet?”