We all know that excuses are a waste of time and great players avoid them at all costs. But oftentimes, players and coaches will allow themselves to justify failure. This can be a recipe for disaster. Let's take a deeper look!
So, what is justification in this case? And how is it different to making excuses? Well, justification takes place on a grander scale than excuses. Justification is a mindset, and a mindset permeates your life. Excuses are event-specific. They are a simple phrase or statement after the fact about why something played out the way it did. Justification starts before the event and affects the outcome negatively.
Let's take a look at a common example from a basketball game that we all have seen before. Player X commits a foul. Then another. And then it happens. The ref makes a "bad call", or maybe they don't. But Player X sure feels that it was a bad call. Now it's in their head that the ref is against them, or unqualified to officiate the game properly - the justification. An outside force is now in control of the game or the performance of Player X. This is the point where things will start to deteriorate unless Player X can move past the justification.
For now, let's assume they cannot. The game continues and with each call that goes against Player X and their team, the justification becomes more real and affects Player X's attitude. As things spiral downward, with Player X committing another foul and their attitude poisoning their teammates, the game starts to slip away.
And now the final straw. Player X is frustrated and commits a final foul and is sent off the court. Both individually and as a team, Player X's mindset has granted their team an easy out for why they will lose this game. The referee was against us. How often have we heard players and coaches use this line? And it is more than an excuse. It is a frame of mind that consumes players and coaches and distracts them from more important aspects of the game, ultimately causing teams to lose games.
Now let's look at another choice. Player X accepts that they committed the first two fouls, and as a result the ref is keeping an eye on them. But rather than chase the "bad ref" justification down the rabbit hole, they choose to buckle down and keep their hands off the opponent. They double down their effort on offense and try to get some fouls on their defender.
This mindset is just as contagious as the negative one above and drives the team to new heights. As a team they tighten up their defense, but do it cleanly with visible hands and quick feet. The referees are also caught up in the positive energy created by Player X and their team. Some calls start to go their way, swinging the momentum even further in their direction. As the game continues, Player X is able to play the final minutes and help their team secure a win.
Now, both of these scenarios are common enough in basketball. And the only difference is the decision of Player X - Will I allow this event to give me the justification to play poorly and lose? Choose yes and it will be easy to brush away a loss as the fault of the referee and then move on to the next game. Or choose no and fight to the end, no matter the result, and take ownership for the outcome.
Great players and coaches choose no. Great players and coaches rise above the temptation to justify losses as out of their control. Great players and coaches own their mistakes and their triumphs. Don't let outside conditions determine how hard you will play. Give yourself every chance to win and you will be a better player or coach for it.