According to Melanie Yost, "Success is 10% what you DO and 90% what you THINK." As I like to say, you do what you do because you think what you think. So watch your thoughts, and you'll see your actions change.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the inaugural Las Vegas Mental Performance Summit. I'm looking forward to the program, and I'm certain I'll be sharing insights from the speakers in this space in the future.

University of Akron men's basketball coach John Groce calls Enrique Freeman a unicorn. It's hard to disagree with him when you consider his journey, one even he calls surreal. As a skinny high school senior, the only scholarship offer Freeman had was for academics, not basketball. He enrolled at Akron, grew four inches, and was urged by his friends to attend the annual walk-on tryout. His effort and drive caught Groce's eye, and he was given a roster spot. No one expected how Freeman's relentless determination would transform his game. The walk-on became the MAC conference defensive player of the year, then all-league honoree and tournament MVP. This year, he led the nation in rebounds, was the conference player of the year, and earned All-American distinction. 

But that's not why he's a unicorn. Instead, it's who he is as a person. It's because of his human skills - coachability, humilty, and work ethic - and his off-the-court exploits. He serves on the student-athlete advisory council. He completed his bachelor's degree in communication and will finish his MBA in May. That MBA will pay off when he becomes a certain NBA draft pick. Not only will that NBA team get a great player, they'll get a better person.

Some recent events reminded me of the unofficial national slogan of Iceland - þetta reddast (pronounced thet-ta red-ust). It means, "It’ll all work out in the end." For an isolated country with extreme weather and geologic conditions, this might seem to be an odd sentiment. Some might view it as an unduly optimistic perspective, but it's more along the lines of accepting that some things cannot be controlled. Rather than devote energy to the uncontrollable, Icelanders maintain a sense of agency that is directed towards that which can be controlled. Combining hope and confidence, it provides a mindset for dealing with the unpredictable and imperfect. With a focus on problem-solving and adaptability, the þetta reddast philosophy leads to diminished stress and enhanced performance. So the next time things start to go south, remind yourself "þetta reddast."

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