I watched this video this past week with the message that “success is not an accident.” You don’t just wake up one day and find success. It’s a constant process and comes with many challenges. But if you want to have success, you need to work at it. Every. Single. Day.
It reminded me of this quote from Ed Macauley (NBA Hall of Famer from St. Louis) that I heard while playing high school ball – “When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him, he will win.” In this way, you can control your own destiny. Sure, there’s going to be kids out there who are born taller, with more athleticism, but whatever it may be, you can always control how hard you work and how much quality time you spend to get better.
I know summer is right around the corner and there’s no limit on activities here in Central Oregon. So, when it comes down to it, where will your priorities and focus lie? I know it’s easier to sleep in, play video games, hang out with your friends at the lake, float the river, etc., but what if you were the one to make the tougher decision to get into the gym and spend time working on your off hand or your foot speed or your jump shot? Then, when you met your opponent who decided to go to the beach instead of get in the gym, you would win, or at least be in a position to do so.
Sometimes, it’s that easy. You have control in the decisions you make. Do you want to be successful? Do you want to be the best? Do you want that college scholarship? Whatever your goals may be, your commitment should reflect that. If you are content with being average, then do the things an average player does. Put in the average amount of practice and effort. But if you want to be successful, do the things successful people do. Have a purpose and make the necessary sacrifices to get there.
This directly applies to basketball in this case, but it can also apply to all areas of your life. If you aren’t finding success in the classroom, maybe you aren’t putting the necessary time in to have success. It all boils down to priorities and purpose. Put the work in and the results will speak for themselves. In the case of Steph Curry, I think his 2015 MVP trophy is a good indication of his work ethic, commitment, and sacrifice.
“It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get.” – Arnold Palmer