American tennis prodigy Venus Williams was offered three million dollars on the eve of her first professional tennis tournament. On the eve of playing her first competitive tournament in three years, a Nike executive spotted an opportunity and offered her a lucrative footwear deal. As per the movie King Richard, the Nike deal was only valid before she played her first game the following day. Venus and her family decided to decline the offer as they believed that once Venus began to play, she would attract more lucrative offers. In the movie, Venus’s father, Richard Williams, said:
“You asking this girl to take all the hard work she done did for the last ten years, and accept the first offer that come through the door?”
Against the wishes of her coach who warned the family that the offers may dry up if Venus went on to lose. The decision was risky, but the Williams family and Venus trusted their training and stuck to betting on Venus. It turned out to be a great decision. Seven months after playing her first professional game, the American fitness footwear and clothing brand Reebok signed her on a lucrative $12 million deal for five years.
It is tough to bet on oneself like Venus and her family did, especially when the stakes are very high. The Williams were not rich in finances, but they were rich in self-belief and a clear vision. Betting on yourself is very tough, especially when there are responsibilities to take care of, bills to pay and expectations to fulfil. Bet on yourself anyway, even when everyone around you calls you crazy to leave your well-paying job to start that business venture you’ve always wanted to start. Bet on yourself by leaving that toxic relationship that is draining you and making you lose yourself. Bet on yourself by leaving social media to focus on your blog and write your masterpiece. These decisions are not easy, so most of us will not take them because the alternative does not seem that bad. Betting on yourself requires courage to see a vision most people don’t see and can’t see.
Meditations
Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt – Work Stress
For many of us, stress is a regular part of our workday. The work environment can be overwhelming, and we often think that if we keep pushing ourselves, we can achieve more and more. But if we neglect self-care and run on fumes, we pay the price in the form of poor concentration and lost productivity.
Staying constantly sharpened can wear out the blade. – Tao Te Ching.
The stress hormone is so automatic and unconscious that it happens below our radar. When the benefits of mindfulness helps us notice when we are overwhelmed, that way we can take a pause and hit the reset button.
“Learn how to calm the winds of your mind, and you will enjoy great inner peace….” Remez Sasson
Daily Jay with Jay Shetty – Start, Stop, Keep
Start, Stop, Keep: At Calm, the start, stop, keep technique is used for practices the team wants to implement, ones to get rid of and the ones to keep doing. It encourages getting more intentional about work. It is about creating a process where you step back and take a thoughtful, objective look at policies and procedures in relationships or work.
- Identify a couple of practices that you would like to implement.
- What do you want to stop doing?
- What’s working? What do you want to continue?
Daily Trip with Jeff Warren – Light on Our Feet
Spanish Poet Antonio Machado: Walker, there is no road; the road is made by walking.
With each step, we arrive in a new place, with new choices that we may not have been able to anticipate even once. Our job is less about making the right decision and more about being light on our feet, making our decisions as we go. You don’t need to get it right; you just need to be light on your feet. Meditation isn’t trying to perfect you; it is trying to unblock you so that you can move a little more smoothly in life.
All the best in your quest to get better. Don’t Settle: Live with Passion
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