Zoom Out
– Monday Mindset –

Today’s Monday Mindset: Zoom Out

Presented by: Mano Watsa, President of PGC Basketball Camps

Saturday night, Lakers vs Celtics, LeBron has the game-winning layup gets fouled. No call from the referees. LeBron loses it, runs around the court, eventually drops down near center court on all fours, drooping his head down, inconsolable.

He’s in utter despair and frustration.

This isn’t the first time it’s happened. Over the past month, there have been multiple no calls at the end of games by the referees.

And this is no criticism of LeBron and no judgment here whatsoever. None of us can imagine the expectations and the pressure that he faces day in and day out.

And in that moment, any one of us might have done the exact same thing.

I can think of countless times in my career in which I was frustrated with a missed call, but I think there’s a learning lesson from this moment.

As great as LeBron is one, one of the best to ever play the game as longevity, unparalleled, and an outstanding leader, I still think in this moment there was an opportunity missed.

The opportunity is simply to zoom out.

To zoom out.

When you start to get into your feelings, what do you need to do?

Pull yourself out from zooming in to what’s not good for you and zoom out to what do others need around me and what do your teammates need from you.

You always have to be the be the face your teammates need to see.

And to do that, you’ve gotta focus on what you can control. You control the controllables and let everything else go and focus on what’s the next best action.

As my college coach used to say, what’s next?

Instead, LeBron was focusing on what had happened rather than the face his teammates needed to see which was one of resilience and determination.

The refs blew that call. The Lakers were gonna win this game but it didn’t happen.

In overtime, they end up losing. LeBron sits on the bench with a white talent draped over his head.

Once again, no judgment. Any of us might have responded the exact same way.

But the learning for each one of us is to put into practice zooming out when we get into our feelings and to think about what do others need from us right now.

How can we be the face they need to see?

So my challenge is whatever your circumstance, be ready to put that into practice.

Zoom out when it’s needed the most. That’s how you lead in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Zoom out.

That’s your Monday Mindset.