Focus on the Process

We had to focus on the process of winning, not the result of winning.

One Last Strike, Tony LaRussa

On August 24, 2011, the Atlanta Braves had a 10.5 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the Wild Card spot in the National League. From that point forward, the Cardinals went 23-9 and passed Atlanta on the final day of the season. How did they do it? They focused on the process.

There are a lot of things in life, and in sports that we can’t really control. So, what can we control? We can control our approach, our reactions. We can focus on what we can control, and what will be will be.

The fact of the matter is that this incredible comeback wouldn’t have happened if Atlanta hadn’t fallen apart. This kind of historic event takes more than one party to make it happen. There are a lot of moving parts. If the Braves had won 13 instead of just 11 of their games in the final month (and change), they would have been in the playoffs. If they won just one of their games against St. Louis instead of getting swept, they would have faced each other in a tie-breaker game. Epic comebacks also mean epic collapses.

Whatever you’re facing in life, know that there are just as many (probably more, if we’re honest) moving parts. You can’t control others, or even what is going on around you. But you can control you. Focus on yourself. Focus on the process. And good things can happen.