MS Dhoni is the only cricket captain in history to win all ICC trophies
His remarkable calm under extreme pressure earned him the title of Captain Cool
2 years since he retired, the secret to this calm still remains a mystery
Here's the mental model he used (that you can too):
His remarkable calm under extreme pressure earned him the title of Captain Cool
2 years since he retired, the secret to this calm still remains a mystery
Here's the mental model he used (that you can too):
I hate to break it for you, but our Captain Cool isn’t that calm in reality.
And that actually is the best part!
MS Dhoni’s calm isn’t induced by some god level meditation, or some Buddhist practice that he does.
It is the result of simple mental conditioning:
And that actually is the best part!
MS Dhoni’s calm isn’t induced by some god level meditation, or some Buddhist practice that he does.
It is the result of simple mental conditioning:
And the basis of this mental model is 3 main pillars:
👉🏼 Compartmentalisation
👉🏼 Cutting down the “trivials” & focusing on the “vitals”
👉🏼 Ruling the game like a chess player
We’ll cover them one by one:
👉🏼 Compartmentalisation
👉🏼 Cutting down the “trivials” & focusing on the “vitals”
👉🏼 Ruling the game like a chess player
We’ll cover them one by one:
We all feel fear and a sense of numbness in pressure situations, even Dhoni does.
But he doesn’t brush it off.
He acknowledges it’s presence and then picks it up, puts it in a box, closes the lid tightly in his head and puts it aside.
But he doesn’t brush it off.
He acknowledges it’s presence and then picks it up, puts it in a box, closes the lid tightly in his head and puts it aside.
This simple psychological play helps him routinely declutter his mind to focus on what needs to be done.
This is compartmentalisation: a process in which you keep your thoughts, which might conflict with each other, in different “compartments” from each other.
This is compartmentalisation: a process in which you keep your thoughts, which might conflict with each other, in different “compartments” from each other.
Effectively avoiding cognitive dissonance.
It happens when you have two conflicting thoughts in your mind at the same time.
Cognitive Dissonance sends you in a dilemma and increases the chances of taking bad decisions.
It happens when you have two conflicting thoughts in your mind at the same time.
Cognitive Dissonance sends you in a dilemma and increases the chances of taking bad decisions.
In most cases, negative thinking triggers cognitive dissonance.
Negative thoughts make you think about a negative outcome and make your reverse engineer a situation from there.
And this in turn sends your mind into regret minimisation mode.
Negative thoughts make you think about a negative outcome and make your reverse engineer a situation from there.
And this in turn sends your mind into regret minimisation mode.
They don’t allow room for innovative thinking and you tend to stick more with what usually works.
It doesn’t give your mind room to do things which might be unconventional, but important for the desired outcome.
Now you know why Dhoni almost always did the unconventional? đź‘€
It doesn’t give your mind room to do things which might be unconventional, but important for the desired outcome.
Now you know why Dhoni almost always did the unconventional? đź‘€
Second Pillar:
At the core of his personality is working on what he calls the “controllables” and the “vitals”, while eliminating the “trivials”.
That’s also where his famous thinking of concentrating on the “process rather than the results” crops up.
At the core of his personality is working on what he calls the “controllables” and the “vitals”, while eliminating the “trivials”.
That’s also where his famous thinking of concentrating on the “process rather than the results” crops up.
He believes in doing what he can to win, and eliminating everything which acts as a hinderance like fear, anger, disappointment.
Vitals are constructive.
Like keeping the wicket intact if half your batting line up is back in the dressing room.
Vitals are constructive.
Like keeping the wicket intact if half your batting line up is back in the dressing room.
Doing that while eliminating all the destructive thoughts like “half you team is out, one person cannot pull off such a thing”.
Removing baggage of the recent events is the most integral part.
Removing baggage of the recent events is the most integral part.
Remember those occasional “lucky” or “unconventional moments”?
Like giving Joginder Sharma the final over in 2007, or coming above Yuvi in 2011, or giving the ball to Ishant Sharma in 2013?
Like giving Joginder Sharma the final over in 2007, or coming above Yuvi in 2011, or giving the ball to Ishant Sharma in 2013?
All that is because he was clear about his outcome, and played on the player’s strength.
Not letting any bias (not even recency bias) affect him.
Playing on the vitals.
Not letting any bias (not even recency bias) affect him.
Playing on the vitals.
The most important part about taking good decisions is clear thinking (removing cognitive dissonance and any biases) and playing on facts.
He knew he can play Murli better, that is why he came in early in the final.
He knew he can play Murli better, that is why he came in early in the final.
He didn’t follow convention because his brain collected facts that indicated towards a better outcome if he took the chance.
What looked like luck was actually clear thinking.
What looked like luck was actually clear thinking.
And that reminds me of the third pillar:
“Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing” - Buffett
Dhoni’s planning contributes to his calmness.
He has a game plan set at place for any change of situation.
“Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing” - Buffett
Dhoni’s planning contributes to his calmness.
He has a game plan set at place for any change of situation.
That pre-planned control over the game breeds confidence and that confidence breeds calmness.
Bonus pillar:
He had fun playing the sport.
Often times as professionals we forget why we started doing what we are doing.
Dhoni started playing cricket to enjoy.
He had fun playing the sport.
Often times as professionals we forget why we started doing what we are doing.
Dhoni started playing cricket to enjoy.
Dhoni always tried to enjoy the game to reinstate that calmness in him.
At the end of the day, no matter the stage you’re playing at, a sport is a sport and if you’re not having fun playing, you’ll have a hard time keeping those nerves in check.
At the end of the day, no matter the stage you’re playing at, a sport is a sport and if you’re not having fun playing, you’ll have a hard time keeping those nerves in check.
TLDR:
Create a solid plan that you’re in control of.
Concentrate on the controllables, but if the plan doesn’t work,
again concentrate on the controllables, keeping the vitals in mind.
Create a solid plan that you’re in control of.
Concentrate on the controllables, but if the plan doesn’t work,
again concentrate on the controllables, keeping the vitals in mind.
If you enjoyed reading this thread do ReTweet🔄 the 1st tweet and follow me @aryan_kochhar for more such threads❤️
I learned so much in the process of writing this that can’t be covered in just one thread.
So, I’ll be doing a deep dive into Dhoni, the leader. And what we can learn from him while building a startup in my newsletter this week
Subscribe: aryankochhar.substack.com
So, I’ll be doing a deep dive into Dhoni, the leader. And what we can learn from him while building a startup in my newsletter this week
Subscribe: aryankochhar.substack.com
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