Being Judged will make you a better man (Learnings from NFL draft)
This weekend I watched my first NFL draft... It was fascinating.
The selected few had their lives changed... while the others went home empty handed.
For context... 257 men were drafted... there were around 3000 in the draft pool.
I want to dive into what this taught me about life & how to be a high performing man.
For context in this newsletter. Let's agree that High Performing means doing everything to the best of your ability.
It's within your control... unlike results (there are plenty of variables)
There are plenty of 'successful' men who I wouldn't say are high performing... they have had luck & politics on their side... but we can't control that so we don't focus on it.
'Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard'… This quote rings true. In the draft and in life.
Throughout the year.
It doesn't matter if you are the most talented... you need to be able to add value to the entire organisation and give it the best chance of winning a Superbowl.
Players are aware of this.
Those who really want it are continually working on these areas. They aren't leaving it up to chance.
Life is no different.
People will judge you on your:
Attitude / Work ethic
Physical Appearance
Standards
Communication
Skills
Relationships
You may not like this... but welcome to the real world.
If you really care about your future... you will use this to your advantage. Knowing that you will be judged. You can focus on allowing for better judgement in these areas.
It becomes even easier when you know the life you want to create for yourself.
"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." — Jim Rohn
Unfortunately many people spend most of the time complaining about this. Rather than accepting they aren't the right fit... they complain and try to get the person or organisation to bend over to accept them... maybe this works in very rare situations.
I believe we all have unique interests, likes/dislikes & desired outcomes... because of this it would be safe to assume people may have opposing views to us
I am interested in endurance sports, I love exploring the outdoors & I hate going shopping.
THAT IS OK. That's what makes us unique.
So stop taking it personally and move on.
After a few significant failures. I was faced with the harsh truth that I needed improvement if I wanted better things in life.
It was hard to face the music... To hear that I treated people badly, I was a liar & never committed to things.
I had two choices... I could keep blaming everyone else or I could get better.
I was ready to get better.
I set a goal (make a million dollars) and started doing what was needed to achieve that.
This highlighted areas that needed improvement so I could achieve my goal.
I had to learn:
Sales
Marketing
Communication
Emotional regulation
Plus so much more. It was hard... nothing came easy to me. I had a belief that I wasn't smart... over time that belief changed. I knew I could learn new things and my confidence grew as I implemented what I learned.
I feared making the wrong decision
You may be faced with a similar thing in your life.
Here is an example:
David, 42, leads a department at a tech company and has two young children. He fears that his demanding job, which often requires late nights and weekends, will make him miss irreplaceable moments in his children's lives, such as school plays and sports matches. This fear is intensified by memories of his own father's frequent absence due to work.
He is torn between his role as a provider and his desire to be a present parent.
There are 2 options
1. He could explore flexible work arrangements with his employer, such as working from home on certain days or delegating tasks to team members, allowing him to attend important family events without compromising his professional responsibilities.
2. He does nothing and build resentment toward his career
How will you respond?
Let's say you commit to learning and growing as a man.
What happens if like 2750 of the draft applicants... you don't get selected?
What do you do?
How do you respond?
This is a reality that more people are faced with... so you better be ready for it.
Take the Dwayne "The ROCK" Johnson for example.
He spent much of his younger years with a goal to get into the NFL. Only to fail at the final hurdle... he didn't give up on life... he pivoted. He used things he had learned while trying to go pro to allow him to be a high performer as a wrestler and now actor.
He is one of the most recognised people on the planet.
If you focus on who you are becoming those skills will be transferable.
Here are 3 things that I learned from the draft that will help me with life.
Everyone has a different #1
The scouts are not only looking for the best players... but the players the fill the holes in a team. No team is the same. Some have stronger offenses, others defences. The goal is to build the weak link to give them the best shot at winning the Superbowl.
If we view life like this... I feel less people will get offended because not everything is personal.
You may want something, but the timing may not be right or you may not be what the something/ someone is looking for.
Do you give up on life? Or do you pivot?
The key is being your number 1... knowing your worth so you don't settle
High performers focus on Every Detail
Details matter. This year's 1st draft pick Caleb Williams had the goal to be the #1 draft pick since he was 12. He has said how everyday he was focused on achieving that.
The moment one game finished or one season finished he started preparing for the next.
Those high performance standards have made him $38 million richer.
We can use this for life.
When one training session, date night or day at work is finished... start preparing for the next.
How can you make it better? What did you enjoy about the last experience? It doesn't take much time to do but it amplifies your results.
The skills/standards are transferable:
You don't get drafted... now what?
Some players let that define their lives. The true high performers know it's just a redirection. They aren't defined by football.
It was a goal & a season of life. Some will continue to pursue, others will move into the next season.
What they learned from being in an elite environment will serve them in the next step. You standards are the expectations and criteria you set for yourself in behaviour and achievement...
Things like dealing with pressure, overcoming adversity, working in a team are hugely valuable skills... even personal branding in today's world. This is a huge reason why you shouldn't hold yourself back.
Results aren't guaranteed but accumulating high performance habits, skills, mindset & network will pay off in the long run.
My idea is this. Regardless of what you want to achieve in your life.
You should have a life's vision. This helps you set goals, personal standards & gives you purpose. I teach you this in on Self-Discovery program
This allows you to get up every day with the goal to be 1% better.
Your results aren't guaranteed. There are too many variables in life.
I know you will become an incredible man if your focus on building your high performance habits.
It doesn't need to be complicated, it needs to be consistent.
Life is tough, you will be judged. You need to focus on the judgment that will make you better.
You can find gaps in the market that your skills can add value to, you can also find out what is holding you back!
Thanks for reading this week.
I look forward to sharing with you next week.
If you got value I would love if you could share this with a friend.