Being ALL IN ON and OFF the Court

If you’re on the court shooting hoops, trying to make a connection with a potential customer, or closing a sale, you have to be all in.

Let me tell you, you can learn a lot about going all in by watching a group of fifth grade boys get together and play basketball. I’m lucky enough to help coach my son Max’s basketball team and I’ll admit that these guys are a pretty great group of players. I’ve had fun watching them when they score big, do small celebration dances, or when they introduce me to a trending song during practice. That’s where I get some of my Rise & Grind songs. They’re a bunch of 11 year old’s who still have a lot to learn, but they’re already practicing an all-in mindset. They stay focused, are dedicated, and cheer each other on during high and low moments on the court.

But on the bench, I’ve noticed Max and some of the other players don’t always have the same mindset. Maxman messes around more with his teammates and I can tell he’s not as focused. I’m glad Max doesn’t take things too seriously all the time, but the team got me thinking about what being all in means on a larger scale…

Try setting these guidelines and see if you’re able to achieve the all-in mindset.

1. Be positive & smile! A friend and fellow business owner sent me this article from the Harvard Business Review called “The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy.” WOW. Every day, I try to get this message across to people, whether I’m going live on Facebook, in a meeting, or giving a speech. Hopefully I’ve harped on this enough that whenever you’re not feeling your best, you imagine a little me in your head saying, “remember to practice positivity and challenge people’s negative mindset!”

It can be hard to put on a positive face when sales are down, you haven’t made any recent business connections, or, in Maxman’s case, the team is down by 2 points and there’s ten seconds left in the game. The great thing in life… the TIDE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE if you dedicate yourself to being all in. Everyone loves an underdog story. Just look at Rocky, Remember the Titans or a personal favorite at my house right now…Legally Blonde! So, what if you get knocked down? Be like Max’s basketball team and continue to cheer yourself and others on, do a little dance, and you’ll eventually get to where you need to be.

2. Find a mentor, two, or three. I have a few mentors in my life, like my mom Patty Brisben, great businessman Warren Buffet, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I also have a soft spot for professor Brenè Brown. The reason why everyone needs a mentor is because they exemplify what being all in looks like. Currently, Maxman looks up to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (Who Dey!). Like a lot of kids practicing their basketball skills, he thinks Michael Jordan is a basketball god. By this age, Max knows he won’t be exactly “like Mike ,” but he continues to model himself after someone great because it gives him inspiration on the court.

A mentor will help remind you of what’s possible in a lifetime. While you may experience ups and downs in your business, I can promise you, they’ve experienced hard things too – it’s how they handled past situations that make them who they are today.

3. Look successful, act successful, and you will BE successful. Have you ever watched a TV show or movie where the main character doesn’t dress well but they have to wear a suit for a work event or first date? Next is the makeover montage, the character puts on a suit, and BOOM, he’s transformed with a newfound confidence. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. Max will tell me that when he puts on a pair of basketball shoes he feels more like a professional. I put on a suit jacket over a pair of jeans, and I’m suddenly in the zone.

If you don’t feel like you can mentally be all in on certain days, the right outfit can help carry the weight for a while. Remember, this stuff doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to make you feel confident.

You can’t be all in if you’re not motivated, focused, or lack a positive mindset. Just like Max, you may be down by two points in the last 10 seconds of a game, but a lot can happen when your team has the ball, and your friends cheer you on. Take the risk, summon your confidence, and SHOOT! There are two outcomes in this scenario, and a lot of it depends on your mindset. Just like Max, Michael Jordan, or Brenè Brown, you decide… are you going to be all in?