This championship run didn’t start in May. It didn’t start last fall. It didn’t even start two years ago when the Celtics were last in the NBA Finals. In truth, there’s really no moment you can point to unless you count the Celtics drafting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown (or perhaps trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce for those Nets picks).
What we are witnessing has been building, day after day, month after month, year after year, to reach this moment in history. Specifically, Tatum and Brown have grown up under the brightest of lights. Lights that have mercilessly exposed every flaw, every misstep, every weakness in their developing games. Lesser players would have melted under those lights. Countless players have in the past.
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What seems to have set the Jays apart and allowed them to overcome those shortcomings is the growth mindset that Brad Stevens has been preaching to them since they entered the league.
“In a growth mindset, you are focused every day by your growth, not deterred by challenges and not overwhelmed by accomplishments—you’re just moving on to the next day.” –Brad Stevens
Failure is part of sports. There’s a winner and a loser. Everyone loses at some point. The best winners take those losses and learn from them. Talent alone can’t do it. In fact, talent can be a trap.
For review, here’s how the Harvard Business Review defines growth mindset.
Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset. They tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts). This is because they worry less about looking smart and they put more energy into learning. When entire companies embrace a growth mindset, their employees report feeling far more empowered and committed; they also receive far greater organizational support for collaboration and innovation.
Jayson and Jaylen achieved great success early in their careers. They are insanely talented and that was enough to get them very far. But they had their flaws that limited them.
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Both were sometimes too…
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