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James’ controversial reaction to defeat has raised a question in my mind: What motivates a champion? Is it a player’s will to win? Or is it the hatred of defeat what puts a player/team/coach on top of the sporting world? .......
........Did you know that as an NBA player, Jerry Sloan would pin up a picture of the opposing player he had been assigned to defend in his locker prior to every game? I wonder if he carries a picture of Phil Jackson in his wallet to remind him of how far short his team has ended the past two seasons? These days Phil’s awkward face may have been replaced by a Free Drink coupon to Texas Roadhouse.

http://thesaltpalace.blogspot.com/

I think it's a will to win. There is no much people who like to lose or even feel OK with it. But there is less how can make anything to succeed.

that's kind of an interesting question actually - - for any particular individual, is it achieving the "thrill of victory" or avoiding the "agony of defeat" that provides the most motivation?

I know for me personally, the "agony of defeat" stings much more than whatever joy I get from the "thrill of victory"


then again, I wonder if it makes a difference whether or not it's a "winner takes all, loser goes home" situation, or a situation where more than the top "winner" moves on to the next level or wins a significant prize (like in the Olympics, silver & bronze medalists are recognized as "winners")

The implications in this are immense. I don't mean to get all abstract and holistic, but i can't help and ask one question:

Does the negative motivation that Sloan instills in his players really work?

Don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to his making a player work hard and prove themselves (not that he sticks to his word, see Price, Koufos).

But Sloan tends to try and motivate with cynicism, swearing charades and trips to his famous "doghouse". I tend to lean towards the idea that the mind does not work in negatives. Sloan needs to focus more on winning than on "not losing", on what players can do to improve and not on what they are doing wrong.

I think a positive mentality, although not as infectious as a negative one, is more powerful in motivating people in general; it is the rare person that turns negativity and doubt into motivation, and even then it's because they look at it with a positive mindset.