Like many of you, I watched the AFL Grand Final on the last Saturday of September with anticipation. Two teams – the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans – were at their peak, turning up to play their biggest game of the year. But as the minutes ticked by, it became clear that one team was pulling away, and I couldn’t help but wonder, why?
The answer that kept coming to mind was mindset.
I don’t work for either club or the AFL, so I’m not privy to their internal reviews. But from an outsider’s perspective, I’ve been diving into articles and having conversations with those slightly in the know, trying to understand what happened.
One thing is crystal clear: over the past 12 months, the Lions have given us a masterclass in resilience and optimism – not just in physical strength and skill, but in mental toughness.
You see, what we witnessed during that game wasn’t just a physical contest – it was equally a mental one. And this isn’t just relevant to football or sports. In high-pressure situations – whether in business, leadership, or life – we all need the mindset and toolset to handle adversity, stay focused, and remain mentally strong.
How did resilience drive the Lions to victory?
The Brisbane Lions didn’t just wake up as Grand Final champions; their journey this season has been one of setbacks, injuries, and turning challenges into opportunities for growth. They started the year struggling, but through resilience and grit, they turned things around. I loved reading about coach Chris Fagan’s mindset exercise, where he had the team reflect on last year’s loss and used it as motivation for this finals campaign. This is a testament to their commitment to learn and grow, akin to the concept of post-traumatic growth – using adversity to come back even stronger.
Fagan is known to have created an environment where players aren’t afraid to make mistakes. They know he has their back and is ok with failure as long as they’re improving. This is why resilience isn’t just about bouncing back to where we once were; it’s about going further ahead, growing stronger, and being better equipped when the next challenge strikes.
What role did optimism play in their success?
Since their Grand Final loss last year, the Lions have remained optimistic about winning the flag in 2024. Even in the face of defeat, there was a sense of pride and belief in the team’s future potential. Coach Chris Fagan was even selling optimism 20 minutes after the 2023 loss, famously saying “Grand Final losses don’t have to define you or destroy you – they can be the making of you.” This is classic optimism in action – staying positive even in the face of setbacks.
Fagan even drew inspiration from TVs beloved coach, Ted Lasso – “be a goldfish and move on”. And who could miss the Lions’ game-day banner that read “Believe”, another nod to their unwavering faith on the journey, mirroring Lasso’s approach to building belief in his team. Fagan also tapped into another powerful trait of optimists – humour. By encouraging the team to watch Ted Lasso to “laugh at ourselves a bit… I thought we’d have a bit of fun and lighten things up,” he turned to humour perhaps as a tool to relieve stress and maintain perspective.
Did we witness the negativity effect?
On the other side of the field, I wondered if the Swans were wrestling their own mental hurdles. Was there a moment when one player thought, “oh no, it’s happening again” referencing their previous Grand Final defeats? And did that thought ripple throughout the team? After all, negativity is highly contagious. Our brains are wired to focus on what can go wrong as a way to protect us. But in high-stakes moments, this fear can cripple performance. Did the Swans’ focus shift to the outcome instead of staying in the moment? Were they focused on what they couldn’t control versus what they could?
In contrast, were the Lions equipped with strategies to pull themselves out of negativity and focus on the present, even when pressure was on (another trait of Optimists)? With renowned sports psychologist Emma Murray addressing them at halftime, they had a clear advantage in staying focused and resilient. Having this level of psychological support during a game would have been unheard of in the AFL not too long ago, but it’s a sign of the evolving understanding that mental toughness can be the ultimate differentiator.
What did we learn about thriving under pressure?
The lessons from the Lions’ journey are clear: achieving success in challenging environments isn’t just about skill – it’s about your mindset and toolset. Whether in sports, business, or our personal lives, we all face high-pressure moments. The key question is: are you equipped to handle them and succeed in spite of them?
As we’ve learned from the Lions, performance alone isn’t enough. We need to focus on resilience, engagement and wellbeing too, so we don’t just meet our challenges – we thrive beyond them.