“Think about the eye of a hurricane. No matter how intense the storm or what’s swept up in its gale-force winds, that calm, blue center is always there. We all have this quiet center within us.”
—George Mumford
I can relate with this quote. I believe all of us can when we take a look at 2020 as a whole. The world seems like it is spinning faster and faster, but how do we slow it down? How do we find the eye of the hurricane and make it work FOR us? I believe there are three steps to control the storm.
Self-Awareness
In order to find the blue skies, we must first recognize what is happening to us. Am I angry or frustrated? Do I panic when I get in the game? What is it about the game that makes me tense up? We need to understand exactly what is going on in order to give an adequate response. Then we can begin to think, how do I want to feel? How do I want to respond to this? We need a clear road map of where we are and where we’re heading in order to act.
Create Space
Once we have fully taken in all the information, we can begin to control when and how we respond to it. Let’s say I a crucial error at shortstop. Rather than immediately freaking out, I can get back to the present. I can remember If he gets a groundball I have a chance to turn a double play, if not I am lining up to home. George Mumford says, “In the space between stimulus and response, we have the freedom to choose!” We can control our world because we can control how we interpret it. It really is a beautiful thing.
Act
We will be afraid of the monster until we finally open the closet door. It takes real action to conquer our fears. We may not be able to control absolutely everything right away, and that’s OK! This takes practice. Over time, you will visualize your response so clearly that it will feel natural to act. Our brains cannot tell the difference between visualizing something versus experiencing it in real life. Mental reps are real reps! Confidence and stillness come from within.
We can command that stillness. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Derek Jeter… they all had that quiet confidence that commanded the room. The millions of reps and the talent helped get them there, but their ability to “bob and weave with the eye of the hurricane” is what made them great.
