It's Cool to Care
Victor Wembanyama and the power of giving a damn
Victor Wembanyama just led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals. He embodies a central idea in my new book, The Way of Excellence: he is not scared to lay it on the line; he cares deeply; he makes himself vulnerable.
You could see it throughout the entire Western Conference Finals series. In the way he played. In the way he processed victories and defeats. In the way he spoke to the media. This is the same player that, earlier in the season, took flak for crying following a hard-fought game. His response: “Personally, I refuse to carry the burden of having to hide my emotions.”
So it was no surprise that following Saturday night’s game seven victory, Wemby had big feelings—an enormous joy combined with a sense of release. All of this heartfelt effort finally paying off.
I love it when there are clear examples of the ideas I write about. So I thought this would be a good chance to share a direct excerpt from the new book.
Caring is cool.
“You are not going to be the best anything—including the best version of yourself—with an attitude of nonchalance.
The best athletes care deeply.
The best artists care deeply.
The best leaders care deeply.
The best coaches care deeply.
The best teachers care deeply.
The best doctors care deeply.
The best writers care deeply.
The best scientists care deeply.
The best parents care deeply.
Caring deeply is the cost of admission to a big and textured life.
When you hold yourself back because you fear failure or looking uncool, you sacrifice growth and potential—and mastery and fulfillment and intimacy and love and all the other good stuff in life—for short-term safety and comfort.
It’s a trap. Get over it.
Fear, doubt, and insecurity are all part of human nature.
You can either go through the motions and be superficially cool (but actually boring). Or you can step into the arena, lay it on the line, care deeply, make yourself vulnerable, and fully live your one and only life.
The world doesn’t need more mediocrity or going through the motions. The world needs more people putting themselves out there and giving it their all. The world needs more people who have the guts to care.
Try hard and give a damn.”
Hopefully Wemby is an inspiration to you. He’s certainly a refreshing character to me. I can’t wait to watch him compete for an NBA championship.
And if you haven’t yet, get a copy of The Way of Excellence now. It’s a perfect time to read the book. It’s currently 23% off here.
The real danger is not caring too much. The real danger is spending a lifetime pretending not to care.
Love this, and it's a lesson I learned the hard way. I still sometimes catch myself hiding behind a mask of arrogance or not caring. And it's not that I don't care, it's a form of self-protection. I am practicing radical honesty with myself and this is probably one of my most important lessons. And explains why I used to feel lonely ha!