20 Second Timeout

Interview With Gene Jones, Developer of Triviation

LeBron James possesses breathtaking physical skills but he did not win a championship until he mastered the mental game. This critical element for success has always fascinated me and I have written many articles on the subject, including my review of Garret Kramer's book Stillpower: Your Inner Source of Excellence in Sports--and Life.

Gene Jones, developer of the Triviation method to "activate breakthrough thinking," believes that honing one's mental/psychological game is important in many aspects of life, including sports:

Hall of Fame baseball player and legendary wordsmith Yogi Berra famously said "90% of this game is 50% mental." While the math of this statement doesn't add up, it points to a vital aspect of sports and athletic competition.     

Although the games we play and watch are visibly physical, the key to success in sports is based on mental preparation and approach. Whether you are a sports hobbyist or a top professional athlete, the mental component of sports is what differentiates those who are continually frustrated from those who succeed. It almost always determines the outcome between two opponents who are fundamentally "evenly matched."

This means that breakthrough thinking is an essential element in all sports endeavors. How many times has it been said that an individual athlete or team "just has to get over the hump" to win a championship, or that one athlete or team has the "mental edge" over another?

I recently conducted a brief email interview with Mr. Jones. His unedited answers to my questions are set apart in italics.

Q: In what ways are your ideas about "flow"influenced by and/or complementary with the work done by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi?

Mihály was a pioneer in this field. When I read his work a number of years ago, I had already formulated many of my views on "flow" states. Reading his work was important confirmation of the conclusions I had arrived at.

Q: Which athletes have you worked with and/or observed who best exemplify the kind of "breakthrough thinking" that you recommend to achieve peak performance? What is a good, specific example of how one of those athletes employed such techniques effectively?

I hesitate to single out any athletes in this regard because I do not know what thought processes they have used.

Q: Are you familiar with Tim Grover's work? My interview with him can be found here: Interview with Tim Grover, Author of Relentless. Do you see a downside to the kind of focus and intensity that is necessary to achieve a high level of success in a given field, perhaps in terms of sacrifices one has to make in other areas of one's life?

There is a downside to any endeavor that is pursued with overwhelming intensity, as other aspects of life are often overlooked. The key word here is finding some balance while also being laser focused on a lofty goal.

To me, the truly successful person is one who reaches a high level of success while also maintaining a balanced and full existence. It is important not to let passion for any one aspect of life run wild and trample the rest of your life. This is true for any field of endeavor--not just sports.

Q: What is the biggest mistake that earnest competitors make when trying to maximize their potential?

There is no single biggest mistake. I like to evaluate each circumstance as an individual challenge.

Q: Do you believe in the concept of "choking" as the opposite of "flow"? If so, how would you define choking and how can one best prevent it?

This question opens up a whole world of its own. Saying that an athlete "choked" is one of the most nasty comments a person can make. Deciding as to whether a person choked or not can often be a subjective judgment. Simply put, choking is the opposite of being "clutch," but it is more than that. Someone who chokes is having an emotional crisis that prevents him/her from performing up to his/her capabilities. Simply missing a shot at the buzzer, or not getting a hit in a critical point of a baseball game, is not necessarily a "choke." Even a great athlete in a "flow" state can miss a shot or hit the ball directly at a fielder, etc. In my opinion, the only time that failure reaches the level of choking is when it is clear that the athlete is emotionally gnarled up and therefore not functioning properly. At that point, it becomes a "nervous condition" that needs to be treated. I would also take a serious look at that athlete's preparation process to see if improving the preparation can relieve the insecurity.

Q: Is there a specific, important idea or concept that I have not mentioned that you would like to share with my readers?

You have asked some good questions. I like to be of assistance to others in any way I can by either answering questions and/or analyzing specific situations. There are always more important ideas and concepts to explore. In fact, I am writing a whole book to try and encompass some of them. But it is difficult to answer such a wide open question as this. To use a baseball metaphor, this question makes me feel like a batter who is trying to pitch to himself...I'm trying to be on the mound at the same time I am in the batter's box.

Labels: flow, Garret Kramer, Gene Jones, LeBron James, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, Tim Grover

posted by David Friedman @ 5:23 PM

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Interview with Tim Grover, Author of Relentless

Tim Grover has trained Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and many other elite athletes. His new book Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable (co-written with Shari Lesser Wenk) divides competitors into three categories: Coolers, Closers, and Cleaners. A Cleaner is the ultimate competitor who has an "insatiable addiction to success." A Closer "can handle a lot of pressure" and will perform effectively if his task is clearly defined, while a Cooler is a follower who "can make a huge play, but he's ultimately not responsible for the outcome."

I recently spoke with Grover and he shared with me his observations about the mindset of elite athletes.

Friedman: "In your book you discuss how LeBron James and Dwyane Wade performed in the 2012 playoffs en route to winning the NBA championship. What is your take on LeBron James' performance in the 2010 playoffs with the Cleveland Cavaliers and his performance in the 2011 playoffs with the Miami Heat? What do you think was going on with him that prevented him from performing up to the capabilities that he displayed in 2012?"

Grover: "In his early years I think that LeBron was having a hard time figuring out who he is and was as a player. There are 13 different characteristics that I mention in Relentless that define who a Cooler is, who a Closer is and who a Cleaner is. In his early years with Cleveland he did not have that father figure--or that Cleaner, as I call it--to kind of guide him through those stages. LeBron was learning on the fly. When you come into Cleveland as the man having all of that pressure on you from high school and not having anybody to teach you how to deal with it and how to handle that in athletics, then it accumulates too much until you start overanalyzing things and you start thinking too much. You start worrying about what everybody else is saying. When he was in Miami, Dwyane Wade--having gone through all the trials and tribulations with the Miami Heat, from the (2006) championship to all the way down to being a Lottery team--learned how to deal with all the different levels of adversity and success. He was able to teach LeBron or when he would see LeBron in certain situations playing or in practice he knew how to put LeBron in position to succeed."

Friedman: "As you just mentioned in your answer and as you discuss in your book, you define competitors as Coolers, Closers and Cleaners. I am going to mention several players--one is retired and the rest are still active--and I would like to know which category you would place each of them in and why you would place that player in that particular category. The first one is a player who I know that you worked with when he played for the Chicago Bulls: Scottie Pippen."

Grover: "Scottie was a Closer. Scottie was a Closer who understood that his role was to assist and help the ultimate Cleaner (Michael Jordan) get to where he wanted to get to. When Scottie was was placed in a couple situations where he was the lead person on the team he found out how difficult it was not only to deal with the pressure on the court but also what comes with it off the court. Every time there is a mistake on the team or there is a loss or there is some off the court issue, you have to deal with that. Not every individual can deal with that situation."

Friedman: "That is the same category that you place LeBron in as well. You called LeBron a Closer for the reasons that you gave in your earlier answer. Is that correct?"

Grover: "Right. It's still early in LeBron's career. Remember, a Cleaner is a combination of many different aspects: championships, what you do on the court, what you do off the court. LeBron is still early in his career and what I have seen in the past (resembles a Closer) but he is definitely heading in the direction toward Cleaner status. I don't think that he is there yet because Cleaner status is all about what the end result is. It's not about the skill level, because we know that his skill level is extremely superior. It's about the mentality you have and how you handle it from the neck up. That can apply to anybody in any walk of life, not just in basketball. This is about the mental makeup of an individual."

Friedman: "So, even with the Finals MVP and the performance this season during the 27 game winning streak and so forth, you still don't think that LeBron has fully reached Cleaner level?"

Grover: "No, I don't. Each individual is held to a different standard. So, the standard that I would hold him to as a Cleaner is much different than the standard I would set for another player who does not have his ability. Three MVPs going on number four--which he will win--is not the end result. The end result is the championship. Now, if they pull off the championship again this year then we will definitely move him up into that Cleaner category. As of now, there is more that needs to be proved."

Friedman: "How would you categorize Chris Paul and why?"

Grover: "Chris Paul is definitely a Cleaner. No question."

Friedman: "In your estimation, what is the difference between Chris Paul and LeBron James? LeBron James has won three MVPs and a championship, while Chris Paul has not attained any of those things. What difference do you see in Chris Paul’s mindset?"

Grover: "Chris has not had a chance to play with the talent level that LeBron has. Throughout Chris' whole career, he has always wanted the ball in his hands. He has always decided whether he is going to shoot the ball or put the ball in someone else's hands to succeed. He is always willing to take the last shot and accept that pressure. He is always dictating where his players should be and what they should be doing. There was an article recently that stated that his teammates are tired of hearing him constantly telling them that they need to get better and play at a higher level. He is constantly relentless about putting that in their heads all the time. That is what a Cleaner does. Not everyone is going to be able to get to that championship level but it is about the mentality that you are applying to do what you can to get there."

Friedman: "What about Kevin Durant? Where would you place him?"

Grover: "Kevin Durant, to me right now, is also a Closer. I feel like Russell Westbrook is actually the Cleaner on that team."

Friedman: "That is very interesting, because I think that in the past 20 years or so in each generation there has been one great player who has been a bit underestimated. You and I may disagree a little bit about Scottie Pippen but I think that he was unappreciated. I think that in the next decade--the 2000s--Kobe Bryant has been unfairly criticized or unappreciated and I think that the next guy who is getting that mantle of being a great player but everybody is nitpicking his game or saying that he has the wrong attitude is Russell Westbrook. So, it is interesting that you say that he is a Cleaner and not Kevin Durant. I think that this is a minority opinion but I would really like to hear you explain what you see in Westbrook's game that maybe a lot of people are not seeing."

Grover: "He is 100% fearless. If you look at the characteristics of a Cleaner, one of them is that it is better to be feared than to be liked. He instills fear into his opponents and he doesn't care about being liked. He doesn't care about being liked by the media, he doesn't care about being liked by his teammates or by his opponents. His attitude is that he has a job to do and this is how he is going to do it. He will take the last second shot if necessary. They are interchangeable because there are some nights that I see Kevin Durant as a Cleaner but the majority of the time from a mental standpoint I see Russell as being the person who drives that team and gives them their personality."

Friedman: "You have not personally worked with Westbrook, have you?"

Grover: "I have not."

Friedman: "But obviously you've worked with Kobe, so you know Kobe better than you know Russell Westbrook. From what you've observed knowing Kobe very well and from what you've observed of Westbrook from a distance, do you see a similarity in their mindsets?"

Grover: "Very similar. Very, very similar."

Friedman: "That is interesting. I think that a lot of people would disagree with you about that but on that particular point I agree with you and I have written about that for the past year or two. When Kobe retires or at least declines physically--even though that seemingly has not happened yet--I think that Westbrook is going to take over as the best guard in the league even though many people will not even realize that this has happened.

Where would you place Carmelo Anthony in your continuum? Also, give an explanation for why you would place him there."

Grover: "Carmelo is one of those individuals on the Closer/Cleaner border. He goes back and forth. As he grows older in his career and deals with everything that you have to deal with in New York I think that he will obtain Cleaner status. I think that a lot of times he lets outside things interfere with what he is doing on the court. One thing I always say is a Cleaner knows what his job is. People always talk about Kobe and say he should pass the ball more and shoot less but Kobe's job is to get buckets. That's Kobe's job. That's what Melo's job is. You have to keep that mentality and let other teams make the adjustment toward you while also realizing that this is your main focus but not your only focus--if you are having an off night then you have to get your teammates in position to do what you are not able to do on a particular day. I think that is what Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant have to do in order to get to that next level."

Friedman: "That is interesting because in some of his public comments Kobe Bryant has said that Carmelo should accept that this is his role instead of trying to do other things or trying to justify why he took certain shots. Kobe has said that Carmelo should have a mentality like his own and not apologize for shooting a lot. So, you think that Carmelo is a hybrid who has some Closer tendencies and some Cleaner tendencies but that he is not quite in either category."

Grover: "Right."

Friedman: "I read a book a few months ago that deals with sports training and sports motivation. It is Stillpower by Garret Kramer. Have you read that book or are you familiar with its theme?"

Grover: "No, I have not."

Friedman: "Since you have not read the book I am going to briefly describe a couple aspects of the book to you and then ask you to compare that book's approach to your approach. There are a couple major points in the Stillpower book. One is very similar to comments that you made. In your book you talk about the Zone and that the Zone is not about thinking but about doing. You do what you are supposed to do without overthinking and overanalyzing. Kramer also says that the Zone is a place for 'minimal thinking or analyzing.' So you guys have the same point of view about that but in another aspect I see a bit of a difference. The very title of your book is Relentless and you describe using willpower and strength of mind to run right over any obstacle that is in front of you. In order to be a Cleaner that is what you have to do, kind of like what you said about Carmelo Anthony. He has to know that he is a scorer and he has to accept it, regardless of what the media says or what anybody else says. He just has to do that and just run over any obstacle that stops him. Whereas Kramer believes that sometimes too much emphasis is placed on willpower. He contrasts that with Stillpower, which he defines as 'The clarity of mind to live with freedom and ease; the inner source of excellence; the opposite of willpower.' That seems like a different approach from your method of being strong-willed and defiant, which he believes can be a detriment in certain situations, that being too strong-willed can get you out of the Zone and get you out of the mentality to succeed. I see value in his approach but I also see value in your approach and I know that there are players who are following your way. Based on my description of his book, do you see a place for this concept of Stillpower and for putting the mind at ease? I also think that there is a similarity between Stillpower and some of the philosophies that Phil Jackson espoused. What do you think of that and how does all of this mesh with your idea of just relentless willpower and attack, attack, attack?"

Grover: "Here is my issue with Stillpower. You can't have Stillpower unless your skills are so refined that you don't have to think about it. You talk about willpower and using willpower to get through something but if you don't have the mastery of the skills or the mental mindset to be relentless at it where it's so well defined then you can have all the willpower in the world and not be able to it. So my approach is that your skills at whatever you are doing from a physical and mental standpoint have to be so well defined and so mastered that you don't have to think about it. I always use Michael (Jordan) as an example. When he played, his mastery of the fundamental skills was so second nature that he never had to even think about what he was doing. He didn't even have to see the rim. He knew that if he was on a certain part of the floor he had taken so many shots from there that you could have a hand in his face or push him or do whatever you want to do he knew that the shot was going in. My thing is that in order to not be able to think and not to be have to use an excessive amount of willpower you first have to have a skill set that is so second to none that you don’t have to think about what you are doing. It is all reflexes, not reaction."

Friedman: "In a recent interview with T.J. Simers of the L.A. Times, Kobe Bryant admitted that his way, his forcefulness is 'very unbalanced' and 'not healthy' but that even though he understands that being so forceful can lead to imbalance in other parts of his life and it might not be the healthiest approach overall that was the approach he had to take to be a champion. He is willing to sacrifice a little bit of that healthiness or balance. This is an issue that you discuss at length in your book. You make reference to Tiger Woods and his personal life and you even said that you don't think that he should have apologized--at least not publicly--because that took something away from his competitiveness by making a public acknowledgment of his weakness, so to speak. Is it possible to have the 'dark side' that you describe in your book and that Kobe mentioned in the interview, to have that 'dark side' competitiveness without having it spill over into one’s personal life? Can someone reach that absolute highest level of Cleaner status and still be what most people would consider to be a balanced, healthy person in one's personal life?"

Grover: "You cannot be at the top of your game, profession or whatever it is without sacrificing something else. It's just not possible, because you are so focused on getting that one thing that something else has to give or something else has to be broken. You are pursuing the one thing that means more to you than anything else and if you can't get to that one thing then you figure out a different direction or a different path to get that result. When you do that then there is always something else is always going to take a back seat. Is that a healthy balance? No, and we talk about that in Relentless, that it's not a healthy balance. It's not a healthy lifestyle and it really is not for everybody but if you are looking to achieve that ultimate success then this is the way it has to be."

Friedman: "In your book you say that you don't really think that it is possible for people to change, that you either have this mindset or you don't. A recent article about Tiger said that he is more open with the media and he is more relaxed and he seems like a different person. The writer tried to figure out if Tiger is number one in the world again because he changed or if changing his personality helped him to become number one. I suspect that your response would be 'None of the above' and that you don't really believe that he has changed and that at his core he is still the same person and this is why he is number one again."

Grover: "100% correct."

Friedman: "So do you think that the 'new' Tiger Woods that is available for public consumption--not to disparage Tiger--but that it is a p.r. thing in a sense and that what he has really done is gone back to the elements that originally enabled him to be a champion?"

Grover: "Correct. He lost his 'dark side' and it took him a while to find it again. Now he's healthy physically. To me, he tried to become something he wasn't and we make that perfectly clear in the book. You become the way you are based on something that happens to you in your childhood or growing up and that makes you the way you are. How you take that will determine where you fit into one of those three categories. All Tiger has done is redefined himself back to the person he always has been."

Friedman: "Just to take this full circle, if your belief is true that a person can't change and that each person fits into one of these categories then is it really possible for LeBron to make this evolution after almost a decade in the league? Can he go from being a Closer to being a Cleaner if by nature he is not like Kobe, not like Jordan, not like Tiger Woods, not like Chris Paul, not like Westbrook? If he is not like that then how can he completely become that way?"

Grover: "Anyone can and that is the point of the book but it just depends how you handle the situations that are thrown your way. Let's say that they win the championship. Will he continue to want to win more or will he say that's enough? If they don't win the championship how will he react to that? Will he become a better player or will he stay the same way? Everyone has the ability to get to the next stage, to go from a Closer to a Cleaner or to go from a Cooler to a Closer, but what's thrown in front of you and how you handle it will determine that. It's not just about sports. You can be a Cleaner as a bus driver, as a teacher, as a radio host. It really doesn't matter what it is you do but rather how you handle what is thrown at you and what direction that takes you in."

Friedman: "From your perspective, LeBron is clearly the best player in the league, but whether or not you are a Cleaner is not determined by your skill set. His skill set at this point is second to none but the mindset that you are talking about--that thirst that if I have one championship then I want two, if I lose in the Finals then I want to get back--is the kind of thing that you want to see or is to be determined regarding LeBron’s status.”

Grover: "Absolutely."

Friedman: "Thank you very much for your time. Your book is an interesting read. You say in the book that your job is not to make people comfortable and you don't mind making people uncomfortable. I think that it will be an uncomfortable read for some people from the standpoint that, as you alluded to in the book and in this interview, it takes a 'dark side' to get to that highest level. I think that is a message that a lot of people may not want to hear or want to believe, even though there seems to be some truth to that."

Labels: Dwyane Wade, Garret Kramer, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Miami Heat, Michael Jordan, stillpower, Tiger Woods, Tim Grover

posted by David Friedman @ 8:04 PM

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The Power of Negative Thinking: Bob Knight Explains His Coaching Philosophy

Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Knight has been called many names but "Pollyanna" is not one of them. Knight's new book The Power of Negative Thinking (co-written with Bob Hammel) takes a contrarian view of Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking. Knight explains that there is "a large helping of my version of humor in the title chosen for this book" and adds, "I am not arguing for being a strict negativist, for walking around with a sour look, for always seeing the dark side, always expecting failure. That's not my intent at all. Quite the opposite."

Knight's thesis is that instead of blindly believing/hoping that an endeavor is going to be successful, "being alert to the possible negatives in any situation is the best way to bring about positive results." Knight believes "Planning beats repairing" because "There are so many unintended consequences in any important action that we need to at least consider, like the best chess player, how our next move could produce an unexpected chain reaction down the line."

Knight observes, "most basketball games are not won, they are lost," so therefore Knight constantly reminded his players, "Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes." Considering his confrontational reputation, it is not surprising that Knight also put a twist on a famous advertising slogan when he declared to his teams, "This ain't Burger King. We'll do it my way."

"Negative thinking" in Knight's parlance is analogous to what the great chess player/theoretician/writer Aron Nimzovich called "prophylaxis," which in chess means overprotecting a strategically important square, thus ensuring the overall safety of the position and also providing for smooth, harmonious deployment of one's forces. Knight cites many examples from military history and he is particularly fond of the philosophies of Sun Tzu, who believed that a wise general patiently waits until he can fight a battle on his terms on the terrain of his choosing and in a manner that favors the strengths of his forces while maximizing the deficiencies of the opposing forces. Along those lines, Knight advises, "Insecurity can have intangible benefits. Being able to self-analyze and be self-critical is very important...Realizing your shortcomings takes an awareness." A general, a coach or a business executive must figure out not only the reasons that he could be successful in the next battle, game or deal but also the reasons that the next endeavor could fail. Knight suggests, "Always worry. If you can't think of a thing to be worried about, worry about being overconfident."

Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell told Knight that coaches who rely on simplicity and execution have more long term success than coaches who rely on surprises and changes. Think of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers running their famous sweep to perfection and Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics that reportedly only had seven plays (although each play had multiple options); dynasties are not built on trickery and gimmicks but rather on a solid foundation of fundamentals executed precisely. During Knight's coaching career, his winning formula relied on drilling his players to make as few mistakes as possible, to play tough defense without fouling and to patiently pass the ball until a player had an open shot that he could make at least half of the time. Another factor that Knight considers to be critically important is to make more free throws than the opposing team attempts; he describes "the hidden values of drawing fouls": free throws not only add to your scoring total but foul trouble restricts the minutes of opposing players.

Knight decries drinking to excess, smoking and gambling; one of his treasured possessions is a scrapbook given to him by the widow of Hall of Fame coach Joe Lapchick: the scrapbook contains newspaper clippings detailing the fallout from the gambling scandals that almost destroyed college basketball in the 1950s. Lapchick showed those articles to his players to warn them about how a bad decision could ruin their lives. 

Lapchick's mild-mannered demeanor is completely different from Knight's but Gus Alfieri, author of Lapchick: The Life of a Legendary Player and Coach in the Glory Days of Basketball, told me that Knight "was a very strong disciple of Lapchick, probably the biggest name person who Lapchick mentored; Lou Carnesecca also benefited, but Knight more so. When I interviewed Knight, he made a statement that I put in the book: 'You could put all the technical basketball that Joe Lapchick knew on the back of a postcard but it would take encyclopedias to contain all the knowledge that he had of basketball.' Lapchick was an intuitive type of coach who could feel what was going on. Knight told me that Coach Lapchick taught him a rule that he still uses to this day. The rule, kind of simplified, was this: if a player does anything to embarrass the school, the team or me, he has to answer to me…He didn't make specific rules and neither does Bobby Knight to this day. He claims that he got that from Lapchick."

Knight alludes to this way of thinking in his book, stating that even though he had a reputation as a dictatorial personality he actually tried to have as few rules as possible and he would let his players decide many things by a vote; one time he allowed the team to skip practice entirely because the players were very fatigued from a tough win--but Knight admits that he always selected the team captains and the team MVPs because he felt that those choices would have a direct impact on current and future success. While it may be true that Knight followed Lapchick's example to not have rules about frivolous, unimportant things, the "Burger King" quote probably provides a more accurate depiction of day to day life in Knight's program than the story about his players voting not to have a practice, which must have been the exception rather than the norm.

There is an inescapable irony surrounding Knight's career. He achieved great success both on the court and off the court while emphasizing the importance of discipline, which he defines as "recognizing what has to be done, doing it as well as you can do it, and doing it that way all the time"--yet Knight often displayed horrific lack of personal discipline/self control in many infamous incidents; Indiana University fired Knight in 2000 after he repeatedly violated a code of conduct put in place to curb his verbal abusiveness and physical violence. Knight never directly addresses his temper in the book and his only reference to the end of his career at Indiana University is the suggestion that he should have left years earlier when it became apparent (in his opinion) that the school's administration no longer supported him. Knight would never accept that kind of lack of personal accountability from one of his players on the court, in the classroom or anywhere else, so even though Knight is indisputably a great coaching strategist and even though his book contains much wisdom it is undeniably hypocritical for Knight to ask other people to be disciplined, to think negatively (in terms of assessing the possible consequences of a course of action) and to uphold a high moral standard.

There is certainly a place in sports, business and life in general for the specific kind of "negative thinking" that Knight recommends; it makes sense to assess what could go wrong and then try to prevent those scenarios from happening but I wonder if a philosophy based on "negative thinking" can be presented in a positive manner or if "negative thinking" is instead more useful as one particular technique that is incorporated within a larger, more holistic philosophy. Nimzovich's prophylaxis is a very important chess technique but it is just one aspect of chess mastery; after a chess player properly deploys his forces and limits his opponent's options he still must come up with a winning plan.

In Stillpower: Your Inner Source of Excellence in Sports, Garret Kramer contends that the best approach to life is based on Stillpower, which he defines as "The clarity of mind to live with freedom and ease; the inner source of excellence; the opposite of willpower." He further explains the difference between Stillpower and willpower:

Forcing effort, judging behavior, or trying to mold players potentially thwarts creativity and, ultimately, stifles free will. What all children (and adults, too) are looking for is an unbounded environment where they are permitted to follow their passions, express themselves fully, and compete in the absence of the fear of failure.

Kramer believes that coaching should be rooted in love: "love for your players, the game or life itself." Knight would undoubtedly consider that to be a "Pollyanna" approach that is doomed to failure but I think that one can have a Stillpower mindset in terms of being a calm person with a positive outlook and yet still engage in prophylactic (or "negative") thinking regarding specific life and/or game strategies. In other words, I think that Knight did not have to throw chairs, physically assault people and act abusively in order to prepare his players to minimize their mistakes and maximize their strengths; those worthy ends do not justify all of Knight's means.

In The Power of Positive Coaching, David Bornstein defines the cornerstone principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) as developed by PCA founder Jim Thompson, a teacher who once directed the Public Management Program at Stanford Business School: "He came up with the 'ELM Tree of Mastery' to help coaches remember that the feedback that most helps young athletes develop their potential is not praise for good performance or criticism for bad performance. What works best is helping children understand that they control three key variables: their level of Effort, whether they Learn from experiences, and how they respond to Mistakes." Larry Brown, Phil Jackson and Dean Smith are three Hall of Fame coaches who are members of the PCA's National Advisory Board.

Knight's The Power of Negative Thinking communicates a worthwhile message and the specific examples he cites--including several detailed anecdotes from his championship seasons--are very interesting and apropos but there are some striking similarities between Knight and Bobby Fischer, the chess champion who often lashed out at those around him; Fischer did not reach the top because of those outbursts but rather in spite of them and he might have enjoyed even more success both personally and professionally if he had been less confrontational. Fischer perceived every legitimate critique of his conduct as a personal attack, much like Knight has defended his actions by citing his proven track record of success both on and off the court. It would be refreshing if Knight at some point develops the self-awareness to admit that he crossed the line on many occasions; Knight undoubtedly believes that everything he did was in service of a larger good but that still does not excuse his conduct and it is sad that someone who did so many things the right way is unable to acknowledge his own shortcomings. If Knight were capable of this kind of introspection then he would have finished his coaching career as an Indiana hero instead of being consigned to the relative wilderness of Texas Tech, much like Fischer ended up in the chess wilderness as opposed to enjoying a long reign as World Champion.

Labels: Bob Knight, Bobby Fischer, Garret Kramer, Gus Alfieri, Joe Lapchick, Pete Newell

posted by David Friedman @ 8:34 AM

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Garret Kramer's Stillpower Provides a Fresh Perspective About Coaching, Competition and Life

Luke Skywalker: "But how am I to know the good side from the bad?"
Yoda: "You will know...when you are calm, at peace, passive."--Dialogue from "The Empire Strikes Back"

"In war, as in life, there is a wrong way and a right way to compete. Avoid danger and greed. Embrace concentration and awareness. And when it becomes inevitable--let go."--Kwai Chang Caine, "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues"

"Colors blind; Sound deafens; Beauty beguiles; the enemy of stillness is desire. Eliminate desire, and the truth will become clear."--Kwai Chang Caine, "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues"

Champions are often praised for their will to win, their ability to overcome mental, psychological and physical challenges through sheer determination. Garret Kramer, the author of Stillpower: Your Inner Source of Excellence in Sports--and Life, argues that willpower is not nearly as important as "stillpower," which he defines as "The clarity of mind to live with freedom and ease; the inner source of excellence; the opposite of willpower."

Kramer--a former high school and collegiate hockey player who also qualified for four USGA golf championships--suggests that, as paradoxical as this might seem, the harder one tries to be successful the more likely it is that a person will fall short of his expectations and goals; Kramer believes that instead of trying to use willpower to overcome any and all obstacles it is better to clear one's mind and strive for a sense of calm. His mentor Sydney Banks said, "Happiness is only one thought away--but you must find, for yourself, that one thought" (emphasis in the original).

Kramer says that while "pop" psychology contends that "an athlete's life experience, or his performance on the field, is the source of his state of mind" the truth is that "just the opposite is the case--an athlete's state of mind is the source of his life experience, and thus his performance." Kramer declares, "Forcing effort, judging behavior, or trying to mold players potentially thwarts creativity and, ultimately, stifles free will. What all children (and adults, too) are looking for is an unbounded environment where they are permitted to follow their passions, express themselves fully, and compete in the absence of the fear of failure." Kramer says that the best coaching is rooted in love: "love for your players, the game or life itself."

Kramer's ideas and philosophy are very similar to the approach taken by Phil Jackson, who has been called the Zen Master of NBA coaches. Jackson encouraged his players to meditate, to be calm and to find their own solutions on the court; Jackson wanted his players to, in Kramer's words, "follow their passions, express themselves fully, and compete in the absence of the fear of failure." If Jackson's teams were not performing well, he usually did not try to will them to victory by calling a timeout and demanding that his players run a specific play or make a particular adjustment; he had already done his teaching and coaching during practice and he believed that, left to their own devices, his players could solve their problems on their own. This instilled confidence in his players and created a bond among teammates as they worked together toward a common goal. Similarly, Red Auerbach did not just dictate to his players but rather he encouraged them to offer suggestions and ideas. This is also reminiscent of the coaching style of Joe Lapchick, as described by Gus Alfieri; Lapchick coached by feel and he inspired tremendous loyalty from his players because they could sense his love for them and his love for basketball.

Shifting gears from coaching to playing/performing, Kramer says that the key to athletic success--and success in general--is to separate life situations from life. One example of a life situation is a shot that you are about to take; the outcome of that shot--make or miss--should not affect your life because "your life is a constant," Kramer writes. "While most of us think that external circumstances actually happen to us, in truth they don't. They're just happening. All life situations are just happening. Granted, we play a role in the outcome of whatever it is we face, but regardless of our role or whether we're happy or disappointed, the nature of all circumstances or results in life is unbiased. This basic understanding is essential to your quest for success." Kramer uses a dramatic analogy to drive this point home. While working with a pro hockey player who was in a slump, Kramer asked what would happen if he put 10 pucks at center ice and asked the player to hit the first nine into an open net. Naturally, the player confidently answered that he would make all nine shots. Then Kramer asked what would happen on the 10th shot if he put a gun to the player's head and said that he would pull the trigger if the player missed. At first the player replied that he would make the shot but then he admitted that he probably would miss. Kramer concludes, "What does this illustration show? Performing any task or activity while believing the outcome will somehow be indicative of your self-worth (not neutral), or believing the activity can somehow regulate your life (a gun to your head), is a surefire way to lower your consciousness and shrink the perceptual field."

LeBron James' transformation during the 2011-12 season, culminating in his tremendous 2012 postseason performance, was breathtaking to watch. The difference between LeBron James' failure in the 2011 NBA Finals and his success in the 2012 NBA Finals was not that James improved physically or from a skill set standpoint; James changed his mindset, improved his focus and calmed himself down: after the 2012 NBA Finals, James publicly admitted that in 2011 he had been "immature" and he explained how he turned things around: "I just looked at myself in the mirror and said, 'You need to be better, both on and off the floor.'" Instead of trying to prove anything to others or even to himself, James rediscovered the joy of the game and he embraced the responsibility of being the best player on the court without allowing himself to feel so crushed by the pressure of being the best player that he literally would run away from the ball (which is what he did in the 2011 NBA Finals and also in the 2010 playoffs versus the Boston Celtics). Instead of playing like he had a metaphorical gun to his head, James relaxed and this enabled his talents to shine.

Stillpower concludes with an appendix containing a 10 point "game plan for the future." Point number eight powerfully summarizes the book's overall message:

"8. The opportunity always exists to move through any situation successfully, no matter how challenging it might appear.

Everything that occurs in your life is meant to show you the way, not get in your way. When you are thinking clearly and your state of mind is high, life's purpose becomes obvious no matter what you face. Embrace the challenges by keeping this understanding in mind. The obstacles will make sense to you in no time."

Labels: Garret Kramer, Joe Lapchick, LeBron James, Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, stillpower, willpower

posted by David Friedman @ 4:59 PM

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