In an interview, Shaq recounted Michael Jordan’s words after a game where Shaq lost the opportunity to be an NBA champion. “Before you Succeed, you must FIRST Learn to FAIL.”
After the loss and despite Jordan’s words, Shaq angrily smashed and vandalized a restroom.
He was stopped by Jerry West, another NBA Hall of Hamer Ranked #14 among Top 75. To put the loss in perspective and calm Shaq down, Jerry told Shaq that he lost 8 NBA Finals to the Celtics before finally winning his only NBA Championship in 1972.
ZYX
in the ZYX genius mindset, MJ, Shaq and Jerry- became champions (which have been their Z, one of their life’s most important outcomes). But this was only after knowing the W (what they had to do, which was to learn how to fail).
The ZYX genie paradigm is also consistent with the scientifically proven fact: all things are created twice: first in your mind, second in the physical world.
Tennis
Stan Wawrinka, winner of 3 Grandslams in Tennis, had this poem by Samuel Beckett tattooed in his arm, before he won his first grand slam in 2014.
Stan particpated and lost in 40 grand slam tournaments (2004 to 2013). In the 2013 US Open, the last Grand Slam for 2013, he reached his first semifinal and lost. In the succeeding slam, 2014 Australian Open, he reached his first ever grandslam final and won. He also won in the 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open and is the only tennis player in history to win in his first 3 grandslam finals.
“I only did the tattoo last year (2013), but I first saw the quote a long time ago. It always stayed in my mind. It’s how I see life and tennis. The meaning of the quote doesn’t change no matter how well you do. There is always disappointment, heartache. You are losing almost every tournament. You need to just accept it and be positive because you are going to lose and fail. We’re not all Nadal or Djokovic, who can win most tournaments.”
