by Garret Kramer
I have to admit, I am having angry thoughts about the common misconception that great athletes often “play angry.” This morning I heard Lebron James compare his “mean streak” to Michael Jordan’s. He insisted that Jordan used anger for motivation. He said, “The angrier Jordan got, the better he played.” James then claimed that because of public criticism regarding his decision to play for the Miami Heat, his plan for success this coming season was to play angry, too.
Nothing could be more ridiculous. There is a huge difference between understanding the causes of anger (hint: it’s not the events of the outside world) and expressing yourself from an angered state. In truth, Michael Jordan’s brilliant career was buttressed by his ability to move through his anger; he was far too smart to fall victim to his own raging thoughts.
Contrary to popular opinion, it is impossible for an athlete to perform productively when angry.
Vengeance is productive for athletes, or so they say. And sports critics and coaches warn of angering opponents—of awakening the “sleeping giant.” This talk is all hype, however, fruitless mind games. An angry athlete can only play angry; anger does not turn him into some kind of super-human performer. It’s as simple as that. When we are annoyed, frustrated, or livid, our thoughts race, and our awareness plummets. Thus, it is virtually impossible to perform successfully. On the other hand, even in contact sports such as football and hockey, when a player exists in a state of peace and harmony—his consciousness and freedom soar. Regardless of outcomes, it is impossible to fail.
Now, I am not saying that athletes such as Michael Jordan never become angry. We all do from time to time. The point is that the best athletes understand that anger (and its accompanying insecurity) is self-created. And because angry thoughts are binding thoughts, these athletes refuse to buy in to them. Contrary to James’s perspective, Jordan recognized that the circumstances of the game, or critical comments from the press, fans, or other players, were completely irrelevant. His negative thinking only possessed the potential to stick if a low mood was present before he stepped onto the court.
An athlete can move through angry or insecure emotions and succeed, but only if he understands their source.
Let me give you an example of this perspective. Let’s say you are in a great mood and driving down the road when some “crazy” driver cuts you off. Do you like it? No. But for some reason, you don’t get mad; you simply go about your business. The next day you are in a lousy mood and driving down the road when you are cut off once more. Again you don’t like it, but this time your thoughts start to rage. You are actually tempted to chase the other driver down and give him a piece of your mind, or maybe even worse.
Obviously, in this illustration, the external circumstance of being cut off has nothing to do with your angry, and certainly unproductive, thoughts. These thought originate solely from your own low mood, and the more you revel in them, the greater the odds for disaster. Where do you think road rage comes from—the act that ignites it or the driver’s state of mind before the act? Instead, the answer to your unsettling thoughts is to understand their origin and recognize what they are trying to tell you. That “off” feeling in your gut is a warning sign that your mood is low, and unless you proceed with caution, you are about to steer into trouble.
Remember, your mood is always the source of your experience. Your experience is never the source of your mood. Angry thoughts will occur, sometimes even during our most crucial moments. But trust me, like Michael Jordan, you will move through these thoughts—and your low state of mind—only if you’re wise enough to recognize their unproductive nature in the first place. Perhaps Lebron James will realize this liberating truth, someday soon, before it’s too late.