Don't Bet Against a Bad Ass Who is Having Fun
3 things on my mind this week
I want to try something new here—a brief weekly round-up that will include three parts: a timely story containing a practical lesson; a philosophical idea; and something I am personally digging.
Let’s dive in.
1. Don’t bet against the badass who is having fun
NBA star Donovan Mitchell just led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first conference finals without LeBron James since 1992.
(As a Detroit Pistons fan, the way this series concluded pained me, but that’s besides the point.)
After falling behind 0-2 in the series, Mitchell was asked about pressure.
“I don’t feel pressure,” he said. Getting your next meal is pressure. Where am I going to live? That’s pressure. This is an opportunity. This is fun.”
Contrast this with podcast bros who say you’ve got to be angry, that if you’re not suffering, you’re doing it wrong. Smiling and having fun are weaknesses. Hate your opponents. Play like everything is on the line, it’s life or death.
Y’all—these “alphas” are unserious clowns.
Steph Curry. Alysa Liu. Victor Wembanyama. LeBron James. Aryna Sabalenka.
All world beaters. All badasses. All have loads of fun.
Some people were confused as to why I included a chapter about having fun in my new book on excellence. People generally don’t put the two together. But in my research and reporting, I found the opposite: fierce intensity and deep joy can coexist, and in the best performers, they almost always do.
Meanwhile, here’s what I think is at the root of the alpha bro, be-angry-all-the-time approach to greatness: These guys are generally not elite at anything other than attracting attention—so they make up for it with enticing, performative nonsense. People in the arena realize that if you want to last, you’ve got to learn how to have fun.
The best performers in the world are focused, determined, a little bit crazy, at times obsessive, and live mundane lifestyles that most people would find boring. All that is true.
But the best performers in the world also have a whole lot of fun.
2. Fear of Failure Shrinks Your Life
There’s an increasingly pervasive attitude where people are so scared of failure that they don’t even try. It’s really tragic. You’ve got to get over it.
Every good thing in life requires putting yourself out there.
Doing hard things that align with your values is one of the most underrated, satisfying things there is. You gain discipline, self-respect, and self-confidence. You gain evidence that you can navigate discomfort.
A good life requires choosing to put yourself out there, face discomfort, and risk failure. It’s the cost of entry. There’s no way around it.
I’ve come to think of it as a humanist manifesto:
I will care deeply.
I will take on challenges.
I will explore my potential.
I will build relationships.
I will put myself out there.
I will create.
I will contribute.
I will learn.
I will keep going.
It’s not always easy to uphold these commitments. But it is always important, and feels that way more-so now than ever.
3. The Best Writer on the Best Coach
Wright Thompson is my favorite magazine writer. Steve Kerr is my favorite coach. So as soon as ESPN dropped Wright’s massive profile on Coach Kerr, I dropped everything I had planned to read it. It’s an incredible piece of craft. Every time Wright Thompson does a profile like this, I say there is no way writing this well is possible. And then I wait 18 months or so, and he somehow outdoes himself.
The piece took me a little over an hour to read. I’ve been sending it to everyone I know. Savor it.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup. I’ll catch y’all soon!
Your spine knows the difference. In the proving mode, you're small and tight, negotiating for the right to show up. In the playing mode, you're already valuable so you can just play. Donovan didn't become great by grinding through fear. He became great when he stopped needing his performance to earn the right to exist. That's when the opportunity showed up.
Your 9 pts for your “good life” is a great tool for motivation.!