I love Derek Jeter. Here’s one of my favorite quotes from him:
“Winning is the reason for playing. The goal is to win.”
I think we can all agree Derek Jeter is a winner. Five World Series rings is a fairly objective yardstick (by the way Hal, 2009 is too long for us Yankee fans to wait for another Championship…).
What stands out when one describes Derek? He has a lightness to him. He exudes a steady, positive energy that comes from a simple truth: he’s won before. It makes sense!
Winning feels good, and it builds a quiet confidence that things will probably work out if you keep at it. When effort has turned into results enough times, your brain learns that persistence pays off. You stop bracing for things to fail. You start expecting to figure it out.
Looking for this characteristic can be highly predictive of entrepreneurial success as well. The winner’s mindset shows up in small ways. You can hear it in how one talks about problems, how one handles surprises, how one treats people. It’s grounded optimism, not blind positivity.
When you meet someone like that, pay attention. They’ve learned to win. Follow that energy!
