Matter of fact

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.