bcg blog

Advantage Us

Basketball season is a long one. 
Waking up for the morning workouts becomes harder and harder to get out of bed for. The early season, two and a half hour practices begin to drag on. And, the weight room sessions after practice twice a week is a bitter reminder of just how sore you are. The good news is the practices will eventually shorten. The bad news is that the other two things do not. Oh, and this goes on for all of November, December, January, February, and - if you’re lucky - some of March. Yes, the lucky ones get to keep doing it.

While every season has its ups and downs, the Covid season of 2020-21 was marked with an unusual number of interruptions and distractions. Every team experienced disruptions and it became clear very quickly that the team managing the disruptions the best would have a distinct advantage. This insight proved to be true numerous times throughout the year.

Our team alone experienced multiple shutdowns in which we weren’t allowed to practice or be together for several days in a row, only to jump right back into our schedule when the shutdown was complete. Our games, like most high schools across the country, were restricted to only parents and essential game personnel, making the gym eerily quiet for a varsity basketball game. We even had a directive from our governing body to not allow players to give each other high fives during play or coming in and out of the game … we weren’t the best at following through on that one.

In the end, it wasn’t the disruptions that caused the problems. It was the response to the disruptions that ultimately limited most teams. Our group was proactive in this fight. We decided early on that we would face every distraction with a single, unifying and empowering mindset:

‘Advantage Us’ became our battle cry.

Why Should We Care?
Just imagine, for a second, a team that truly embodies an ‘Advantage Us’ mindset.

No matter the circumstance, adversity, or challenge they remain undeterred. Their focus never waivers. Their belief never falters. Their commitment never comes into question. A team that sees each challenge as an advantage stays on the path. They aren’t distracted by trivial noise and obstacles. They aren’t even distracted by noise and obstacles that matter. Their conviction to the mission is unflappable.

‘Advantage Us’ teams deal in solutions, not problems. They are committed to finding a way, not an excuse. As a matter of fact, ‘Advantage Us’ teams don’t even see problems. The obstacles are simply just viewed as part of the process, not a mountain to be overcome but part of the path to be traversed.

For many teams, struggle is a threat. A threat to their stability. A threat to their performance. A threat to each individual’s place in the group. Not so for ‘Advantage Us’  teams. ‘Advantage Us’ teams are strengthened, not weakened, by adversity. It tightens the joints, raises the standards, and secures the need for each individual’s role. ‘Advantage Us’ teams always win - if not in the moment, just give it time. 

It’s a simple choice, but not an easy one.

REAL TALK - Action Steps
On the surface, viewing all circumstances as an advantage for yourself and your team seems simple. And, it is simple. It’s a choice. One you can make at this moment. The problem is you have to make it again in the next moment. And, the next. And, the next. And, the next. There’s nothing easy about that. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind in order to choose ‘Advantage Us’ in every moment:

• Master Your Story 
  
  • You have zero chance to have an ‘Advantage Us’ mindset if you fail to control the story you tell yourself about whatever circumstances you are facing. Good news though, I have the perfect story for you that works in all situations. To quote Jocko, just tell yourself “Good”.
    

• Model The Way
  
  • You are the leader - of your life and of your team. So, lead. 
    

• Embrace The Long Game
  
  • ‘Advantage Us’ people and teams are willing to delay gratification. They understand that results may not be immediate and they may not be exactly what you want, but they will make you better. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But, you will be better.
    

You know it’s the best way to approach challenges. You know it! It’s time to take action. No more excuses. No more blaming. No more complaining. Attack the opportunity: ‘Advantage Us’.

Checkout Surrender the Outcome on Amazon and order The Score That Matters with Ryan Hawk & Brook Cupps. The latest blog from Blue Collar Grit can be found here!