The underdog mentality can be a powerful source of motivation for entrepreneurs.
As the city of Philly winds down after hosting one of the biggest parties in its history, I can’t help but think about the underdog mentality that gripped not just the Eagles but the entire city and how they turned it on its head. It’s easy to forget that back when the 2017-18 season started, not many people lined up to lay money on the Birds winning it all. Even when the Big Game was upon us, Vegas still predicted they would lose.
It got me thinking about how powerful the underdog mentality can be. That hunger is something we as sales professionals and business owners have to embrace and leverage. I mean, how many times do you hear of successful entrepreneurs that were initially regarded as crazy? Anytime someone looks to turn the tables to do something different to cast the status quo aside, they’re always met with opposition. That opposition can either cause them to quit or galvanize them to work harder, longer, and better. For many, a chip on your shoulder can lead to your name on a building.
I always say there’s nothing more motivating to me than someone saying you can’t. That chip on the shoulder can help you fight through the pain, go the extra mile, and never give up just because you hear a chorus of voices laughing, saying they were right. But the underdog mentality is more than just a competitive chip on the shoulder—what makes it so powerful is it becomes that person’s “why.”
Don’t get me wrong, I know the Eagles were fighting their hearts out for the Lombardi, but what made this team so special was it was about more than a trophy—it became a movement about proving the pundits wrong, coming together as a team, and bringing home the championship for the city. The unified underdog hustle is what took a bunch of talented individuals and made them into a superstar team.
When you look at your business, what’s your underdog mentality? Are you fighting for something bigger than just money and accolades (accomplishments will always be fleeting)? If people aren’t saying you’re crazy, you’re probably not doing anything great. All the great inventors, entrepreneurs, and social justice warriors started as the underdog, which turned out to be a blessing. They used their underdog status to their advantage to build movements. So if you find yourself as the underdog today, and you don’t have a lot of people that believe in you, embrace it, let it be your fuel. Then go win your Lombardi trophy.
