on Artest of the LA Lakers Provides a Practical Example of the Power of Personal Empowerment

As a huge Lakers fan I watched all of the post-game commentary and interviews following the victory over the Boston Celtics and as I listened to Ron Artest's interviews and press conference I was reminded again of the power of self-efficacy and personal empowerment.

Artest was asked about the contrast between his under par performances in the first five playoff games and his outstanding performance in the final two games in Los Angeles. Artest said the difference was he knows that he does not respond well in stressful game situations, he said' I know that about myself and I didn't want to be that way, so I asked for help'.

Artest consulted his sports psychologist because he said he 'wanted to get better' (in those situations). The psychologist traveled to Boston with Artest and with her help, Artest began to utilize the tools and advise she shared with him. He said by game 7 he fully trusted the advise from his psychologist which allowed him to relax and play within the Lakers' system.

Artest said she helped him to believe he could overcome his previous reaction when he is on the court and in the moment of a NBA Championship game.

That my friends, is personal empowerment and the development of self-efficacy. By achieving both, Artest significantly elevated his performance level and delivered an MVP game performance to obtain what he has never had, an NBA Championship!

When we evaluate Artest's behaviors before and after his transformation we see many of the elements of personal empowerment behavior. Of the ten elements I prescribe, Artest employed six elements to achieve a higher state of performance.

1. Determine your goal - Artest determined that he wanted to perform better and up to his true capability in stressful on court situations
2. Look within - He didn't blame anyone else, instead he conducted a self-assessment with the help of his psychologist and determined acknowledged that he does not consistently perform up to his true capability in stressful on court situations
3. Remove the buts - Artest committed to change the undesired behavior
4. Invest in yourself - He invested in himself by actively looking for and implementing tools and interventions that over time allowed him to modify his behavior
5. Take some risks - Artest took a risk by asking for help and hiring a psychologist. In fact, he said, 'I wasn't afraid to ask for help because I wanted to get better' (in those situations).
6. Work within the system - Artest admitted that he trusted the advise from my psychologist and played within the (Lakers) system'.

By implementing my four additional elements, the behavioral change Artest achieved can be reinforced and become more second nature to him.

Congratulations again to the LA Lakers, 2010 NBA back-to-back world champions and to Ron Artest for taking control of his work-life situation and proving 'we are who we choose to be'!