What is an 'empty cup'? When I hear new information, am I open to the truth? When I see the world, what prism filters my view? Reason and emotion do not always peacefully coexist.
Having core values doesn't mean blind loyalty to a plan. Great plans go horribly wrong...
and great ideas can come from a video assistant. Steve Kerr went small against the Cavaliers. Kerr's "empty cup" allowed him the flexibility to migrate to a winning strategy and capture an NBA title.
In Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why, Laurence Gonzales writes the first rule of survival is BE HERE NOW. Recognize and respond to reality. He cites many examples - a catastrophic fall on Oregon's Mount Hood, Ken Killip lost in the wilderness, Steve Callahan adrift in a life raft for months after his boat capsized on a transatlantic voyage.
Survival lessons translate to everyday activity and sports.
When our cup is full, we lose.
It's more than being "in the moment" or making the "next play". Be here now represents heightened awareness, openness, and purpose. Chaos and risk demand transformation. They demand integrity to the process. As Gonzales wrote, "integrity begins with humility." You sacrifice yourself to the process, which might mean cheering for a teammate, setting a great screen, defensive rotation, or being run over taking a charge.
Are we a know-it-all or a learn-it-all? We all know autocrats who dismiss any input or perspective but their own. When the mighty fall, they have little cushion.
"Heaven is eternal; the earth endures.
Why do heaven and earth last forever?
They do not live for themselves only.
This is the secret of their durability.
For this reason, the sage puts himself last and so ends up ahead.
He stays a witness to life, so he endures.
Serve the needs of others and all your own needs will be fulfilled.
Through selfless action fulfillment is obtained."
Empty your cup. Be here now.