I was recently talking to the Yankee Captain, and Derek Jeter said two things that really resonated with me.
First, he said that he didn't understand what people mean when they talk about a "big game."
"If that's such a big game," he said, "then what does it say about all the other games?"
I couldn't agree more.
I always hear people say things like "I have a big meeting coming up" or "Today is a really big day."
Shouldn't every day be a big day? Shouldn't every meeting be considered big?
How do you know which meeting is really going to prove "big" in the long run?
Every now and then, you have a big sale, or a big hit, one that really stands out. I get that.
But most of the time, when you categorize isolated meetings, or events, or days as singularly big, I think you're setting yourself up for mediocrity.
Because you're devaluing all the other things you're working on, and all the other days you're working on them.
I've always been a believer in the phrase "If you stay ready, you never have to get ready."
In other words, every day is a big day.
The game isn't big on its own. It's you who makes it big...or not.
The other interesting thing Derek said was that, in his eyes, there isn't that much of a difference in physical talent between most average major leaguers, and most major league stars.
"The difference is in their mindset," he said.
If you think about it, he's absolutely right - and it's not just in baseball.
In business, there's not such a big difference in intelligence between the most successful CEOs and the "average" executives.
The difference is usually in the enthusiasm, the energy, the diligence, the persistence and the attitude that these people bring to their jobs.
We've all seen some minimally talented people rise very high in the world. They do it not on their natural abilities, but on their will to master the intangibles I listed above.
In the end, like Derek said, success is more a question of mindset than talent.
