Accomplished Professionals and Damaged Confidence

Magic Johnson

Highly successful people can experience fragile confidence from time to time, even if to the masses that might seem to be a curious response.

Magic Johnson was a high school basketball star and college All American, won a national championship at Michigan State University, was the number one overall pick in the NBA Draft, won two NBA championships early in his career and was as popular as any athlete in any sport and yet, he still suffered from overwhelming doubt after one specific game.

His apparent unflappable confidence was shaken in the 1984 NBA Finals between Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

In Game 2, the score was tied and Johnson “inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time,” according to Wikipedia. “The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime.”

Johnson previously always felt like Superman, impervious to stress, shocking surprise and deep disappointment. But not after this game.

“I don’t think I ever recovered from Game 2,” Johnson told author and reporter Jackie MacMullan for her book “When the Game Was Ours.”

“I never felt in control after that. It was the first time I failed in a big situation,” Johnson painfully remembers. “I’m used to coming through, and I didn’t, and I handled it the wrong way. Instead of just saying, 'That was one game. I'm moving on,' I kept thinking about it. I couldn’t let it go and it carried through the whole series.”

How could Johnson, after the depth and width of his success, be rattled by a temporary failing? He was human. Decades later he was willing to do a public postmortem in a raw manner.

Johnson overcame that feeling by working his way through adversity and relatively soon win three more NBA titles to finish his career with five.

He was a three-time Finals MVP, three-time league MVP, 12-time All Star and was enshrined the Hall of Fame. Oh, and in his business career, he worked to become a billionaire. Success almost everywhere yet one game, specifically the end of it, led to him wondering about his powers.

Eric Eng

“Magic Johnson’s candid reflection reveals an aspect of human nature that transcends profession, status or accomplishment,” says Eric Eng, the founder, CEO and private admissions counselor at AdmissionSight, adding that the trait is, “Vulnerability.”

“His honesty is rare, even more so coming from an individual of his stature. It shows humility, self-awareness and the courage to confront his flaws openly. This act of vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but rather a testament to his authenticity and character strength. It is this willingness to face and learn from failure, rather than hide from it, that has contributed to his resilience and success in his career,” Eng details. “Individuals like Magic Johnson remind us that we truly grow and evolve through confronting our failures and shortcomings.”

He’s not the only one who notices.

“It's pretty rare to hear someone like Magic Johnson, a total basketball icon, getting this candid about a time he felt he dropped the ball,” says Nikki Jain, founder and CEO at The Sprout PR. “It’s kind of like seeing behind the curtain, isn’t it? Most times, these big-shot figures keep their guard up, always looking invincible. But here’s Magic, just laying it out there, raw and honest.”

It conveys something more important than the long list of his teams’ accolades and personal success, Jain adds.

“What this says about him is huge. He’s not just a collection of his wins,” she says. “He’s got depth. He’s faced some real demons and he’s not too proud to say it. This level of honesty? It’s rare, especially for someone who’s always been in the spotlight. It takes serious courage to admit that even when you’re at the top, you can still have moments where you feel totally out of your depth.”

Maybe the most successful people in a company or a particular profession could show others less accomplished that doubt, mangled confidence and a sense of a loss of agency and control are part of our careers and life.

“When leaders in a company or field openly express their vulnerabilities and failures, they create an atmosphere of openness and authenticity,” Eng says. “This can be incredibly empowering for those who look up to them.”

He elaborates as to why this can be encouraging and helpful.

“In an era where people often only showcase their successes, it’s refreshing and humanizing to see that even the best of the best have their own struggles and failures,” Eng says.

This benefits leaders too. The value goes both ways.

“This open communication humanizes leaders, making them more relatable and approachable. It encourages others to embrace their shortcomings, fostering a culture where individuals see failures as opportunities for growth rather than an end point.”

That byproduct would likely be most welcomed.

“This ultimately can lead to a more supportive, understanding and innovative environment within a company or field,” Eng states.

Jain is passionate about that possibility too.

“Do you know what would be wild? If only more top dogs, like CEOs and big-league players, started (describing) the times they goofed up. We all have this image in our heads that nothing ever goes wrong with them. But suppose they start saying, ‘Guess what, I messed up big time.’ If direct talk like this was the norm, it would change the whole vibe in the workplace.”

Communicating emotions endured during the trying times is important.

“Leaders should discuss the emotional aspects of overcoming obstacles and the personal growth that occurred throughout the process and be open to feedback within this realm of conversation,” says Vanessa Gordon, the publisher at East End Taste.

Bringing ourselves to communicate honestly and bluntly about our bigger and biggest errors will never be easy for most people. It remains possible.

“Embracing vulnerability and sharing our failures openly can be daunting, yet incredibly rewarding,” says Eng. “From my personal experience, the first step is acceptance, acknowledging that we all make mistakes and these errors do not define our worth or capabilities.”

His personal experiences have taught him to view his disappointments and trauma through a different lens.

“As a business owner, I’ve had my share of setbacks and learned to see them as opportunities for growth, rather than signs of incompetence,” Eng says.

Communicating responsibly, humbly and honestly is valuable.

“Practicing transparency is critical. I communicate to my team my failures and the lessons learned,” Eng says. “This fosters trust and promotes a culture of learning within the organization.”

“It’s about fostering an environment that celebrates growth over perfection,” he points out and advises, “where failures are not shamed but encouraged as stepping stones towards improvement.”

This, Eng has come to believe, “can inspire others to do the same, sparking a collective effort toward continuous learning and growth.”

Jain realizes the courage that is required and asked.

“It is not easy to talk about our own mistakes, especially the big ones,” she says, “But it’s super important.”

There is a business saying, often forgotten, that advises leaders to strongly consider being “Hard on the issue, soft on the person.” It’s a point about which Jain agrees, even if it’s you.

“The first thing you need to do is stay easy on yourself. Everyone points out those times when things don’t go as planned. The trick is to take a step back, see what you can learn from it and then actually apply that lesson. And share that with others,” she says, because, “That’s where you can turn something embarrassing into something really valuable.”

This act is not only mature, it is a sign of a special trait.

“It’s about being brave enough to show your more imperfect side,” Jain asserts. “When you start doing that, it opens the way for others to do the same. It creates this ‘we’re all in this together’ vibe, where it’s OK to be a work in progress. And that’s where real growth comes in, both for you and the people around you.”