The fanfare (but not the pride) around the Milwaukee Bucks winning the 2021 NBA championship has died down.

The excitement and energy in Milwaukee with the Bucks appearance in the finals for the first time since 1974 was palpable.

I am not the biggest sports fan, yet I really took in the energy of the city while watching my local team play at that high level.

What brought even more enjoyment was seeing the passion, skill, strategy and intensity with which the team played.

During the run, I saw an interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo sharing a realization he had several seasons ago that he puts into practice to level up and perform at a championship level.

“I figured out a mindset to have that when you focus on the past, that’s your ego. When I focus on the future, it’s my pride. I try to focus on the moment, in the present. That’s humility. That’s being humble.”

He practices the philosophy of living in and embracing the present and I see it in how he influences on the court.

You saw presence when the team interacted with precision on the court. True they may have visited the past a bit when they missed a free throw or celebrated prematurely when the steal-dunk gave them the lead, yet, in milliseconds they returned solidly to the present…being where their feet were on the court. I really enjoyed watching how their muscle memory took over on the court and how present and connected they were with each other.

(Side note: I am interested to know Antetokounmpo’s full definition of “being humble” and “humility” because how some people see that is keeping themselves lower than others or feeling that they aren’t important. What we know to be true at Thrive is that when you show up in your personal power and shine your light it models to others how they can influence and be their full selves. I am not interested in people hiding their light under a basket. Shine full, shine bright. Just don’t dim someone else’s light to make yours brighter).

One thing I share with clients is that practicing new patterns and aligning their Human Internal Operating System (H-IOS) components helps them live more in the present and experience whatever is being thrown at them in life…a bounce-pass…a loss…a championship…in a better way.

When you practice alignment during your good days — or even not so good days — then the muscle memory and neural pathways exist already for those really not so good days. Being practiced in aligning your H-IOS when it is out of whack brings you back to yourself and your center more easily even in the most trying times.

Practicing “being where your feet are” serves you in so many ways. It can bring you calm. It can bring you clarity. It can bring you celebrations…and championships.