“By the Time You Get To Where You’re Going”, seemed to have struck an emotional chord deep in the basketball souls of many readers. Its  message resonated  and motivated those players with “time” and wrenched the hearts of those without. The good news is basketball was never intended to be the end all in our lives, but rather an important part of our personal development as individuals.

There will come a crossroad in every player’s journey between basketball life and life itself. For many basketball isn’t just a way of life, but rather, larger than life and  inextricably linked to their identity and sense of self.  As a result, far too many players get lost in the quagmire of unfulfilled dreams  when basketball is no longer a realistic priority.   As painful as the transition may be, don’t despair, I declare… if you can hoop there’s hope.

If you can hoop (especially if you’re a star), it  means you’ve put  an inordinate amount of energy into developing your skill sets.  All those long hours on the playground and in the gym were not in vain. It’s time for the payoff.  Maybe it’s not how you imagined  it would be with a college scholarship or pro contract in hand, but, what you did get is a lifetime of benefit package and it’s ready to be activated.

The adage sports can teach you a life ‘s lesson if you let it is definitely true.  So now ask yourself the question … what have been the lessons learned inside your time in basketball.  Basketball gloriously is just  a model of life.  The same keys to success in the sports realm are transferable to life situations. So again, as daunting as a direction change seems at the moment; have no fear, sports has taught you tremendous things.

You have hands on experience with quick analysis and decision-making.  You are schooled in  group dynamics and goal setting.  You know what it’s like to be disciplined and dedicated.  You’ve walked the walk  because you understand the correlation between inputs for outputs and how each component impacts the whole unit.  You know how to execute and  persevere under pressure because you’ve been pushed to the limit and found a way to survive and enjoyed success.  You’ve beat the odds before and it was  your passion and refuse to lose attitude the carried you through.

Passion is the fuel that helps you motor through the tedium of all that is required of you on your journey to where you want to go.

Trust me. Developing yourself inside any sport may be the toughest challenge you face in life.  With the right approach (bring your “A” game), any other endeavor is just as doable- at least.

As kids we are taught to dream big and work like hell to make them come true.   Well, don’t believe the hype — at least not entirely.  Dreams do come true (it COULD happen to you)- perhaps you’ve heard the jingle?  Yes, they may come true , but only if you do what must be done to embody who you want to be.  

“What are the chances of randomly acquiring the necessary skill sets to become a top player? As a result, “stars” are rare.  That means most players are in desperate need of the right information or materials to become the diamond of their dreams…” 

In basketball, like many endeavors,  there’s such a narrow window in which to actualize as a  top performer- particularly if you have aspirations of playing collegiately or professionally. Often times, hoop dreams turn to hoop hopes, which  turn to unanswered prayers. Those that continue to live the dream are but  hopeless dreamers, desperately trying to get through a window that will never re-open. This is the case in all sports, but painfully true  in basketball.

Truthfully, the window was never really open. Of  the  myriad of  challenges  on the road to a college scholarship or NBA opportunity – being skilled enough is certainly one of them. It seems that  so many skilled individuals  never quite make it to the big-time. On closer look, these players typically have “little things” missing from their games.  Those trace elements of successful play that typically go unnoticed by most (players),  because they’re unknown by most – and that includes far too many modern coaches. 

 As a result,  individuals never quite get what they really need to make it happen – unless they somehow randomly acquire the skill sets. This makes many so close… yet so far away from their goals.

The key is preparing yourself  properly as quickly as possible to fit inside the limited time frame available to capitalize.

Think of how many people would be high school stars,  if they were allowed to participate years after their eligibility.   This holds true for every level.  There are former college players  playing in Men’s and Women’s leagues across the country who would kill in college.  However, with their eligibility gone… so is their opportunity.

What is needed is some sort of guide to help you down the path. The guide could be an individual, reference material or both.

This way, there’s a greater opportunity to make it to the Big-time ….in Real-time!

Just being bigger, faster, quicker or jumping higher… won’t get you these guy’s jobs anytime soon

This era of the physical freak has morphed the game of basketball beyond physical recognition. It is becoming more and more difficult to compete on today’s athletic plane.

The odds of being the most physically gifted player on the court are quite slim. Even if you are today, you may not be tomorrow.

For sustained success you must continue to grow in your knowledge (Know-How) of the game and continue to sharpen your application of technique “virtually.”Moreover, the ability to manipulate time, space and opponents beyond the use of just basketball fundamentals is the trademark of a Virtual Player (VP).  VP’s understand the math and science of the game. This application bridges the gap between the super-freak and the average athlete.

Of course, there will always be guys who have success off of what they can do physically or by way of trickery. These players operate on Do-How as opposed to Know-How. They are highly capable and often physical freaks of some sort. Too often however, their inadequate comprehension or application of fundamentals limits their chance for consistent success at high levels of play. Know-How will win the series against Do-How almost always.

This  discovery of optimization in Virtual Play has been absolutely fascinating and it never stops. Uncovering these truths and absolutes is the portal to peak performance … Technology will forever change. You must adapt to these changes, or be prepared to fall short of your basketball objectives.

It’s easy to half-hear and miss critical elements that connect understanding – even when  you’re interested in the information. Program yourself to listen  intently to the “message of the moment.”

The brain is extremely clever about  creating distraction — particularly when change is involved.  Be aware of tendencies that may stop you from actually getting the most out of exchanges.  Think about when you miss a key word and get behind in a conversation. Sometimes it’s hard to catch up, but who wants to appear as if they weren’t listening?  If you are interested in a particular message, you may find these rules of engagement helpful.

1) Be aware of defensiveness to new or “different” information.  Program yourself to resist the urge to suppress, discount or disprove. Give yourself a chance to grow.  Your brain will try to use your emotions (fears, doubts) against you to derail progress.

2) Open your “Circle of Understanding.” It’s tough because  you already  have a full circle of everything you know presently.  Unfortunately, you don’t know what you don’t know.  Therefore, circles come in all sizes.  Get in the habit of allowing yourself  to think of new information as potentially  upgradable or expandable material rather than as a replacement program per se.  This will help your brain cooperate and allow you to fully engage in the exchange.  This is key in conceptualizing what is being said.  There’s usually something of value in the words. By opening your “Circle” you’ll be better  able to determine the V level or validity of the message.  If the information is verifiable and you see how you can benefit, the  crucial next step is to get past your brain to start the process of integration or expanding your circle of information and skill.

3) Don’t allow yourself to feel overwhelmed.  Ask as many questions as necessary to move forward.

4) Incorporate “Mental Repetition.” (see: “Mind Matters… Over and Over”)  Take time out (30 minutes) to revisit the new information in your head.  It’s amazing how much it impacts retention and performance.

The ear hears, the brain receives  and your job is to make sense of the information and put it to use.

Education = Acquisition          Application = Performance

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