Emotions Are Information, Not Instructions

Emotions.

I’ve been asking athletes if emotions are information, instructions, or predictors. We’ve made a habit of seeing them as instructions and predictors. When we do that, we run the risk of taking them literally.

In the documentary Court of Gold about the 2024 Olympic basketball tournament, the U.S. is down 17 to Serbia midway through the second half. Grant Hill, the GM, says that in situations like this, great athletes have to be delusional.

He’s right.

The information from the emotions called for urgency, not quitting. If they treated those emotions as predictors or instructions, the message would have been, it’s over. It would seem delusional to think you could come back down 17 against a highly talented team with one of the best players in the world.

Great athletes choose confidence, trust, and belief.

After the game, there’s a scene where the coaches and players are sharing beers. Kevin Durant says, I only have about three beers a year, but I’ll take one.

Wow.

Durant avoids self defeating behaviors that could make him question his confidence. What self defeating habits can you take off the table?

Maybe it starts with seeing your emotions as information, not predictors.

Reach out to learn how to use your emotions as information for action. We can help with a keynote, training, or one on one coaching.