How much success would be too much to handle? For Jason Day, it was after he won the Players Championship in 2016. It was a wire-to-wire victory that cemented him as the number one player in the World Golf Rankings. He was on top of his profession. Then, he didn’t win again for the rest of 2016. And nothing again in 2017.
What happened?
As Day told ESPN, “I got burned out being No. 1. It’s easy to get burned out in a position that you’re in the spotlight. It can be demanding at times,” he said, “I know what it takes and feels like to win and be in that position, and it was a more disappointing emotion that came over me last year saying that I feel I’ve got all this talent. For me to not work as hard as I should be and to be selfish in that mindset – well, I’m burned out, it’s OK to have an off year. That really bugged me.”
After reading Day’s honest assessment of his abilities, I like him more for knowing himself so well. Most people aren’t as honest, with themselves or with others, about the challenges or pressures of being the best. I think it’s great that he called himself out on this.
We each work to succeed in life and business, but not everyone is made for the top spot. If you want to be number one, are you ready for the pressures and pitfalls that come with being at the top? Being ready is not just about natural talent. Talented people rise to the top every day, but to stay there you have to have both the right skills and temperament to stay there.
But is there something in our makeup that makes us more likely to handle the pressures of success? Do certain people have an easier time being at the top?