A few weeks ago, Jaylen Brown said this after winning three games in a row and on the verge of a historic playoffs moment. He pointed out how his team almost fumbled the game.

“I guess I’m not sure why we do it. It seems like when we get in those moments, we get a little bit apprehensive… We just don’t want to be the one to mess up, and it causes you to be the one to mess up. I feel like in those moments, we’ve just got to grow… 

“You try not to lose, and sometimes trying not to lose makes you lose. You gotta keep playing.”

Jaylen Brown is describing an ironic effect, “the phenomenon in which individuals trying to rid their mind of a target thought ironically experience greater levels of occurrence and accessibility of the thought compared with individuals who deliberately concentrate on the thought.”

Contrast this with Kawhi Leonard’s calm—almost boring—demeanor. During the Raptors’ championship year, Kawhi focused on the game, encouraging his team members to enjoy the moment. 

I’m not saying that this was the only reason the Raptors won; Kawhi doesn’t win every year. However, it did help them not to cave under expectations. They didn’t get in their own way and let the ironic effect spiral out of control.

You probably wouldn’t have messed up if you didn’t think about it. Now that you did, focus on what you want the outcome to be and the effect you want to have, and let go. 

Enjoy the process, however it turns out. Play to have fun, and you just might win.