The word "stance" is important in all phases of basketball. It's also something that struck me in John Maxwell's latest book "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth." He took the word stance to another level when he referred to the execution of choosing a "Positive Life Stance." This is an attitudinal stance -- what a great concept. Here is what John had to say:
"Life stance" is a term used to describe people's overall frame of reference -- the set of attitudes, assumptions, and expectations people hold about themselves, other people, and the world in general...The product of any person's life stance is their overall way of looking at things: whether they tend to be optimistic or pessimistic, cheerful or gloomy, trusting or suspicious, friendly or reserved, brake or timid, generous or stingy, giving or selfish. If you can maintain a positive life stance, you put yourself in the best position to manage bad experiences and turn them into positive growth.
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be.
It's the way it is. They way you cope
with it is what makes the difference."
-Virginia Satir
Here is what John says about his own personal stance:
I have come to adopt a positive life stance because I believe it gives me the best chance to succeed while putting me in the best position to help others succeed. I came to develop this mind-set by the way of the following thinking:
--Life is filled with good and bad.
--Some of the good and bad I can't control -- that's life.
--Some of the good and bad will find me.
--If I have had a positive life stance the good and bad will become better.
--If I have a negative life stance the good and bad will become worse.
--Therefore I choose a positive life stance.
To a large degree in life, you what you expect -- not always, bust most of the time.
Everyone that reads my blog or follows my teams know what a great proponent I am of John Maxwell and his teachings. And with that, I of course recommend "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth" -- I think it is one of his best.
