7 Life Lessons From the Super Bowl Bound Kansas City Chiefs

I'm writing this on Sunday night, and the Kansas City Chiefs have just won the AFC Championship – advancing to their first Super Bowl in 50 years. Once again, the Chiefs played a remarkable game, serving us a ton of life lessons, so I want you to read on... even if you're a Titans fan (and even if football is not your thing!) 

You can listen to the entire episode, or read below for the major points. Listen via the player on this page, or search Power Up Your Performance on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or iHeart Radio.

 

Seven Life Lessons We Can Learn from the Super Bowl Bound Kansas City Chiefs:

1. A setback doesn't mean you are starting over from scratch. Last year, the Chiefs lost the AFC Championship game. They learned from it and applied the lessons to their off-season preparation and their play. We all need to accept "failure" as an opportunity to learn and understand that we are never starting over, only building on past lessons.
2. Mindset is everything. We learned this from Mahomes last week in his "Do something special" speech where he told his team to focus on "one play at a time." Travis Kelce said in an interview, "The best thing you can do in my mind is attack it with the right mindset, go out there with a purpose, with energy, not mope around but be the attacker.” I talk about mindset all the time, so you know I'm a believer!
3. Take care of your machine! Take care of your body, and give it the things it needs to do the work. A Sports Illustrated interview with Patrick Mahomes noted the things he did in the offseason that would make him a stronger player and affect his ability to lead the team to the Super Bowl this year. (In my upcoming book, I talk about how to take care of your body and do all the "little things" that we think of as being optional that really should be considered foundational: nutrition, rest, recovery, strength, mindset, mobility work, gratitude... and more).
4. Value your friendships. There is no denying the connection between Mahomes and Kelce. Their chemistry is evident both on and off the field. The friendships the Chiefs have with each other strengthen their teamwork, but friendships also play a critical role when it comes to happiness and longevity. Treasure those friendships; they will help you live longer!
   
   

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5. Give credit where it is due. Patrick Mahomes never fails to give credit to his team, his coaches, to God, and to the people who contribute to his success. No one is successful without the help of others. It takes a village.
6. Have a higher purpose. Of course, they did it for themselves. But they knew they had a reason for winning that was outside themselves. They did it for the Kingdom, they did it for the fans. They brought the Lamar Hunt trophy home where it belongs. They did it for their coach, Andy Reid.  Sometimes, knowing who you serve, can be the catalyst to greatness you could not achieve on your own.
7. Take time to celebrate your accomplishments...but not too long. In the post-game interview, when Kelce had his chance to speak, he said, “I’ll tell you what, it’s been seven years coming, baby,” Then he grabbed the microphone with both hands, and said…. “I’ve learned one thing since I’ve been here," BEFORE CHANNELING THE BEASTIE BOYS AND SAYING, "You’ve got to fight for your right to party." While Kelce encourages celebration, Mahomes reminds us to celebrate, but not too long. It's important to stay focused on the prize. “We’re not done yet," he said. "We’re going to get it.”

I love the stories that come out of championship games, the Olympics, the Boston Marathon… any sporting event where you get insight into the real people behind the sport. 

Their greatness almost always comes down to the same handful of things: incredible drive and desire to be the best they can be, gratitude, humility, taking care of their machine, mindset, nutrition, community, a support team, and a reason bigger than themselves.

 If you liked this post, you might also like "Do Something Special" What We Can All Learn From Patrick Mahomes.