Greatness isn’t about winning. It’s about mastering the process.
If you watched Game 2 of the NBA finals, then you saw a showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors that left both teams exhausted by the end. At the close of the 3rd quarter, LeBron James looked like he’d been run ragged, sweat dripping down his face and his eyes drooping as he took his seat on the bench. Many moments, Curry looked the same. Both teams had their moments of flow, and both teams stumbled. But by the end, the Warriors prevailed 132-113.
You’d think that after that kind of grueling performance ending in a win, that Curry would be focused on the fact that his team had just crossed another finish line. You’d think he would say something about the achievement they had just earned.
He didn’t.
Instead, when the microphone was pointed to him after the game, he said, still panting, “I can play better.”
That, ladies and gentlemen, is why Steph Curry holds the rank that he does in the NBA. That’s what makes him a superstar.
When it comes to the “winning mindset,” there truly is no greater example than this. The irony of the phrase “winning mindset” is the fact that in order to be a winner, in order to achieve legendary status in anything, you have to care more about the process than you do the achievement itself.
Curry could have finished Game 2 and talked about how happy he was with his team’s performance, or how great it feels to be up 2-0 in the series. But he didn’t.
Instead, he remained focused on the process. He audited himself and looked at what he could have done better, not what was already working well. Every great competitor, in any industry, knows that celebrating what’s working is nice, but it doesn’t help you fix what’s not working. And those that constantly live on their growth edge keep a strong focus on what still needs tweaking.
Curry is that type of player.
If you want to become great at anything in life, take a page out of Curry’s playbook. The key to success, especially long-term success, has far more to do with your ability to keep your eye on the ball, so to speak. It’s about being able to see where you still need to make adjustments, even in the midst of a win (and all the distractions winning brings to the table).
Curry knows the finals aren’t over. He knows that the Cavaliers were down 0-2 last year and came back to win it all.
He knows celebrating this win won’t mean a thing if the Warriors end up losing the finals.
“I can play better,” said Curry.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.