“Everyone craves instant gratification in today’s world.”
Picture yourself as Caitlin Clark.
You’re a rookie in the WNBA, holding your own despite being relatively new to the professional scene, currently ranked 15th in offense among all WNBA players. Despite this, you’re hailed as the future face of women’s basketball, bearing the weight of enormous expectations. You’re frequently subjected to tough fouls and play for the Indiana Fever, a team not anticipated to perform well. After losing your first five games, you start the season with a 2-8 record.
Then, things change. You begin to win, and the public goes wild.
This marks a new chapter in Caitlin Clark’s journey, a particularly intriguing one. Over the weekend, Clark’s team, the Fever, secured their fourth consecutive win, escalating the scrutiny.
Such is the price of being dubbed the player of the future. This period tests Clark’s composure and focus as she faces her most challenging trials on the court.
In a dramatic turnaround, Clark has gone from answering questions like, “How do you cope with being on the worst team in the league?” to “Do you believe your team can clinch the WNBA championship?” all in a matter of days.
It would be a storybook ending, wouldn’t it, Caitlin?
Winning a professional championship in your debut year, after never securing an NCAA championship?
Following the Fever’s fourth straight win on Friday, against the Atlanta Dream with a score of 91-79, Clark addressed the growing hype with a statement rich in emotional intelligence:
“Everyone craves instant gratification in today’s world.”
No one in our locker room proclaimed we’d be WNBA champions from the outset. That was never our immediate goal. Our aim was to make it back to the playoffs, and we’re striving for that every single night.
This marks the first time since 2015 that we’ve won four home games consecutively. Perspective is crucial, in sports and in life. There needs to be a clear perspective on what this team can achieve, and I believe everyone in our locker room possesses that.
No one hung their heads. We had the toughest schedule initially, limited practice time, and we’re the most inexperienced team in the WNBA. This group is starting to click and build chemistry, taking it one day at a time.
But as I mentioned, everyone loves instant gratification.
That’s the essence: Everyone craves instant gratification.
Expecting Clark to enter the league and win a championship immediately is unrealistic.
Michael Jordan took seven years to secure his first NBA championship, and LeBron James took nine years to claim a trophy.
In another arena, Serena Williams needed four years after turning professional to win her first major open championship.
Given this context, consider what Clark’s response achieved:
Firstly, it reframed the issue, highlighting the universal desire for instant gratification as a human flaw to be addressed. Secondly, she maintained her composure, balancing the team’s initial struggles with their subsequent successes. Lastly, she emphasized long-term goals: aiming to get the Fever into the playoffs this year and potentially winning the WNBA championship in the future.
Clark’s philosophy extends beyond basketball; it’s applicable to life and business as well.
As detailed in my free e-book, 9 Smart Habits of People With Very High Emotional Intelligence, the essence of building emotional intelligence is learning to harness emotions—both yours and others’—to facilitate achieving your objectives.
Clark exemplified this brilliantly, showcasing resilience and balance.
This was especially important when the Fever’s winning streak ended in their next game, an 88-87 loss to the Chicago Sky.
After the emotionally taxing game, Clark remained as composed as she was after a victory.
While some people chase instant gratification, those with emotional intelligence understand the value of patience. They persistently strive to achieve their goals, night after night.
