During the 2016 NBA Finals, we watched the Cleveland Cavaliers overcome the odds.
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and the Cavaliers were down 3–1 in the NBA Finals. They defeated the 73–9 Golden State Warriors in Game 7 to win the series 4–3 and claim the NBA championship.
No team in NBA history had ever come back in the Finals down 3–1. In fact, teams were 0–32 when facing this situation. Against all odds, Cleveland was successful.
There may be areas of your life where you may be down 3–1, and you might think that it is impossible to overcome the odds. But you must know this: you can succeed against the odds by applying today’s principles to your situation.
Principal 1) You Can Never Give Up
After the Cavs’ devastating Game 4 loss, many analysts counted them out.
Almost no one thought it was possible for them to overcome the odds and come back from the 3–1 deficit. Only the players and coaches in the Cleveland locker room believed it was possible to come back.
What most people believed on the outside did not matter to the Cavs. The next three games showcased a team that flat-out refused to give up. They fought until they broke through and shattered the Warriors’ will.
You might be down 3–1 with your physique. If you give up because it is difficult, you will never be able to build your dream body. As a personal trainer, l have seen many lifters quit before they hit their stride. A common reason is that the process is “taking too long.”
Let’s be real. If you are out of shape and have been making terrible food choices for 10 years, this process is not going to be quick. If it took you 10 years to get out of shape, you cannot expect to get into fantastic shape overnight. Building a great physique requires time and giving a consistent, quality effort.
Giving up is the coward’s way out. You will not always win, but if you quit and do not even try, success will always be out of your grasp.
Principal 2) Stay Focused on Your Goal
When Cleveland was down 3–1, they could have easily lost focus.
When you suffer a demoralizing loss as they did in Game 4, it can begin to affect your mindset. At this point, the circumstances stacked the odds against them. Players might have begun to think about the offseason and their summer travel plans.
They could have started to think about the new car that they were going to buy. But not this Cavalier team. They stayed focused on the prize, which was the NBA championship.
You saw it in the effort they gave in Games 5–7. Their hustle for loose balls, tenacious defense, and game-saving plays were on display.
You can only perform at this level if you remain focused on your goal. To be a better sprinter, you must train hard. You need to work your craft. But along the way, you will suffer setbacks.
There will be inevitable injuries and poor performances. When setbacks arise, success depends on who can continue to best focus on the goal.
Your goal has to outweigh the pain you will encounter.
Conclusion
If you do not give up and you continue to keep your eyes on the prize, then you will be able to overcome the odds.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
