I’ve noticed a common trait amongst people who are at the top of their field (football, business).
They are able to operate with a matter of factness and operate without attachment.
An example: during Arsenal’s last game, our top player Saka missed a key penalty. Later in the game, he scored a brilliant goal. The TV pundits asked him: you must’ve been so nervous after the penalty that you had a point to prove.
His response: I didn’t think about it.
It wasn’t a statement to show off but one that showed his mentality. He operates with a Buddhist sense of equanimity where his mind is clear and he’s not attached to specific outcomes.
I learned a neat trick from one of my mentors to help implement this with building a startup. When you’re making a decision, put yourself in the shoes of one of your investors. As a founder your identity and sense of self is attached to everything in the company.
As an investor, things feel a lot more matter of fact. Your product isn’t working? Shut it down and try something new.
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can be a powerful way of removing your ego and operating with greater clarity. In my meditations, I often use future self visualizations which forces me to zoom out and look at the bigger picture rather than getting too lost in the moment.
Putting yourself in the shoes of the “other” side is a great way to be emphatic of what may appear to be an aggressive or non cooperative response.. can be game changing in any relationship - personal or business