Pressure is a Privilege

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With the U.S Open in full swing I’ve been thinking about one of my favorite athletes and leaders Billie Jean King. Whether winning one of her 39 Grand Slams or fighting for equality, King is both an athlete and pioneer with a legacy worth studying for any self-respecting leadership nerd (aka you and I dear reader).

However, it’s King’s quote enshrined on a plaque at one of the entrances to Arthur Ashe stadium in Flushing, NY that always inspired and motivated me most in my own leadership career.

Truth be told Billie Jean King summed up in 4 words what I’ll take at least another 500+ to get to. If you close your browser now and spend the next 5 minutes thinking about this quote on its own I won’t blame you.

However if you are interested in some further meditations on pressure and fear please read on.

Any leader will be faced with fear or high pressure situations throughout their leadership journey. Knowing that these situations are inevitable here are 3 quotes that have shaped my views on fear which I come back to routinely when the slow, steady creep of anxiety works its way into my life.

1. Pressure is a privilege

2. Fear is the mind killer

3. A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for

Pressure is a privilege

The full quote from Billie Jean King from the lead in to this article is:

While the first 4 words of that quote are those enshrined at Arthur Ashe and a worthy mantra for any leader, it’s the mindset shift of the second portion of the quote which is most useful to me when faced with high pressure situations, “it comes only to those who earn it.”

Earning pressure. Having the privilege of mind, body, and spirit to be put into scenarios where the stakes are high. These are worthy aspirations for any leader.

When you shift your mindset toward the notion that you are in fact seeking high pressure situations. That those situations are your aim, not something to be avoided they suddenly seem less scary.

High pressure situations, fear, these are all simply reminders that we are experiencing the richness of life as opposed to moving through our lives passively as ghosts.

Pressure is a privilege you’ve earned. Act accordingly.

Fear is the mind killer

Alright if you know me you know I am a HUGE science fiction nerd. If you too are a science fiction nerd, you undoubtedly recognize the above quote as the famous litany against fear from the novel Dune by Frank Herbert.

I first read Dune early in my career as a Marine and, unsurprisingly, the above passage stuck with me.

While the phrase, “fear is the mind killer” is the most commonly quoted for its brevity and wit I’ve always found the line, “I will permit it to pass over me and through me…Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain” to be the most instructive in my leadership journey.

To me, the quote represents a way of repositioning ourselves as we face pressure and fear. You are not afraid you are simply feeling fear. Open yourself to that fear, recognize that it is temporary and will pass. Once it does, the same you that always existed will remain.

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for

While technically coined by John A Shedd in his book Salt From My Attic the quote was often used and popularized by computer science legend Admiral Grace Hopper (pictured above).

It’s not a stretch to say that Hopper is one of the founders of modern computing, convincing, after multiple attempts, the Navy to waive the age requirement so that she could serve in World War II as one of the legendary US Navy Waves (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).

Adm. Hopper continued her career serving in the Navy for more than 42 years remaining on active duty beyond the Navy’s mandatory retirement age through a special approval from Congress. Only 4 other people in history served in the Navy at ages older than Hopper so yeah, kind of a big deal.

Hopper’s advocacy for taking risks is embodied by the quote she was fond of saying:

I love this quote because it reframes fear as a source of energy to animate you toward your own life’s journey (aka leave the harbor).

In fact, when asked about the most important contribution of her career Hopper responded it was inspiring others to look beyond their fear.

“So they don’t forget to take chances.”

Se y’all next week.