I Don't Care

Tim Ferriss: “Shaun, what are thinking when you are at the gate, seconds away from taking that gold medal run down the half pipe?”

Shaun White: “I don’t care.”

Those may not be the verbatim words in Tim’s PODcast transcript, but it’s how I remember the conversation going in this highly entertaining conversation between Tim Ferriss and Shaun White, the most decorated snowboarder in history.

What a lesson! I don’t care. All that time, money, and energy, and it all comes down to a few seconds and he doesn’t care! Really?! Well, yes.  

As he said, all the work had already been done. Equipment, training, diet, mental discipline…if he didn’t not have that ready by the time he got to the gate, what does it matter what he thinks?  Bottom line, he showed up prepared – mentally, physically, and strategically. Let the work show up now and have some fun!

It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you do the work up front, show up prepared and just let it all go – kind of trust, if you will, and have fun. What’s the worst that can happen? You lose, but still had fun doing it! But more than likely, you won’t lose.

Years ago I heard a great speaker who broke my paradigm of how I view “showtime” – not the Cable version, but “showtime” in terms of my time to win or lose. The presentation for sale. The big speech/talk. The championship match. Etc. Showtime! Well, this speaker shattered that paradigm – none of those are showtime. Showtime is what happens before the sale, before the speech, and before the big sports event. The event itself –that’s the fun time!

So yes, as long as I’ve done my homework, and I’ve shown up prepared – what happens next - I don’t care – because I trust what happened first.