Where the Isles Place in Mindset Standings

The Isles have separated themselves from the NHL herd by something other than their actual ability – their mindset. From watching the Isle’s body language on the bench and demeanor in interviews, here’s where they appear to stand:

Frustration
noun. the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals.

->Isles<-

Apathy
noun. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.

Frustration is a normal response to not being able to get to where you want to go, especially when you believe you have the ability to get there and it’s the only place you want to be. While in a state of frustration an athlete can still find the will to re-translate, re-formulate and move past it…utilize the frustration as fuel. Apathy on the other hand, is more toxic to an athlete’s mindset because in that state a player can begin to lose sight of their resources for success. Thinking and feeling patterns can become distorted (ie. the ability to realistically evaluate one’s performance) where problems can appear larger than they really are, thus leaving little room for optimism. Apathy is detrimental to an athlete’s self-confidence which can then lead to other symptoms such as depression and anxiety. In frustration an athlete can still be po’d enough to get back up, often with more determination than ever, however in a state of apathy, getting back up can be harder to do because by this time the athlete may be physically and mentally exhausted. And at this point the most formidable opponent an athlete faces is him/her self. In the bigger picture every player contributes to the collective unconscious of the team so the mindset of each player matters greatly because whatever state of being exists is contagious.

Some effective solutions beyond each player choosing to pivot in a new direction can…wait, scratch that…WILL be found in the team’s leadership and the support of the fans. Being far from the Isle’s inner circle, there is no way to asses the mindset of the Isles organization but what has been noticeable is that recently Ted Nolan speaks with deflation and distance in his tone of voice. But after reading about him in The New York Time’s article, the force for overcoming challenges is well within him. As for Isles fans, now would be a great time to move beyond our own frustration and rally behind the Isles. Let the only Flu circulating around be Isles fans infecting the team with positive vibes.

Someone once shared with me a mantra of the 12-step program AA. ‘Gratitude not attitude’. Here’s to the Isles pivoting towards better outcomes and preserving gratitude in all that doing so entails - put one skate in front of the other and let nothing or no one stop you from getting where you want to go.

LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!

ps. In a pre-game radio interview, it was great to hear LA coach Mark Crawford stating that he and his team were looking forward to playing at the Coliseum, describing it as an arena filled with great history and tradition. Take THAT all you Lighthouse enthusiasts! By the way organization d’Isles…it’s the Lighthouse ON Long Island, not the Lighthouse AT Long Island.

(word definitions taken from dictionary.com)