Are You Above the Line, or Below?

I’ve been watching a bit of the Aussie Open tennis from Melbourne over the past week.  The biggest talking point is the heat.  Air temps of 40 deg C or more, and probably court-side temperatures of 50 plus.  I hate the heat, so can only imagine what it’s like playing 5 sets of tennis in those conditions!

What is most interesting are the competitors’ responses to there heat.  Many moan that the heat is unbearable and the organizers should somehow be held to account over it.  A few don’t complain.  I watched a clip of Roger Federer’s post match interview, and when asked what he thought of the heat and what should be done about it, his response was, “It’s just a mental thing. If you’ve trained hard enough your entire life or the last few weeks and you believe you can do it and come through it, there’s no reason. If you can’t deal with it, you throw in the towel.”

Some people were shocked at his comments, but it is a great example of above-the-line thinking, versus below-the-line.  So what’s this line?  It’s the line of choice.  You can either take ownership of the situation, be accountable for your actions and act positively; or be below the line and look to blame someone else, find excuses and be in denial.

It’s your choice and you make that choice every day.

So, are you operating above or below the line?  Below the line is where victims operate; above the line is where winners operate.

If you need someone to help keep you above the line, email me at andy@tradescoach.co.nz or call my office on 09 912 1901.  I want to help you become a winner.

Andy Burrows  –  The Trades Coach