"What's the word," AD ask with a puzzled expression on his face? He and his teammate were obviously preparing to leave the gym headed to go hangout and chill...
With a smile on his face, seeming nonchalant while looking at the computer, but still completely locked into and aware of the situation, Coach Sol nodded, and ask again, "Yes, what's the WORD?"
Old Solly, as his close friends called him, appeared to be working on something on his computer, but was completely aware that his young sophomore point guard nicknamed "Playboy" was standing in the doorway watching, curiously paying attention and intently observing this player/coach interaction.
"Uhhhh. I don't know coach, what IS the word?"
"Cognizant! Son, Cognizant!"
"Cog what? What are you talking about, coach?"
"Look it up. It is one of the secrets to success in life whether on the court, in the classroom or out in your community. And By-The-Way, it is always good to be intentional and "Play Up" when your hanging out, AD. Do you hear me, AD? Are you listening?"
The choice is yours. Are you willing to pay the price of SUCCESS? If not, failure will find you. The pursuit of Excellence and Extraordinary performance will cost you something though. The good news is that you get to choose your success or suffering! The price of success: It's Sacrifice! Work ethic: Sweat! And the joy and pain of the struggle that makes the difference.
But beware, the cost of unwillingness, procrastination, and excuses will suffer you the consequences of mediocrity and possibly epic failure
and REGRET.
Deliberate and determined focus, preparation and the pursuit of excellence is the path to performance success. So,
When OPPORTUNITY knocks on your door, will you be listening? Will you answer? Will you be READY? Are you pursuing Excellence? Are the practice HABITS you have today on par with YOUR DREAM for tomorrow? Are you LISTENING? #excellence
Swissssh? A few months ago I met a high school player at the local YMCA on a Sunday afternoon to make some shots and put him through an individual workout. It was crowded and as I walked in a thought entered my mind that all the courts might be full. Hopefully, I thought, one of the six courts will be available. We were both excited as we open the door to the courts to see one goal completely empty at the back of the gym. My student sat down to lace up his shoes and I hurried back to the goal with the balls and set the bag on the baseline. The session plan was to start with some 2 ball POUND DRIBBLES and was planning to have him warm up with some 2 Ball dynamics.
As we talked about The Goal for the session, I pointed to the Goal and then the reality of the open court became obvious. Really? No Wonder! Are you kidding me I thought without saying anything.
After all I didn't want the challenge to ruin the workout. Or, The Goal! But, Really... Then, I thought about the lesson of a worn out net. Swish! Somebody's been pursuing a GOAL!
What is your GOAL?
Great-Handles? Dunk it? The Big W? Score 20 Points? Win-the-Championship? Make All-State? Earn a Scholarship? Get-that-Contract? Make-the-Team? Make-the-Team? Get-in-the-Game? Score? Take-a-Charge? Steal? Double-Double? Start? Head Coaching Job? Degree? Next Level? The League? Captain? Starter? 6th Man? Maximum Contract?
Is Goal Setting Necessary: Personal Goals, Team Goals, and/or NO GOALS
GOAL by definition is: 1.What one desires-hopes-plans-seeks-pursues-lives-or purposes to do or achieve. The endgame toward which effort is directed. Or, 2. The TARGET, result or achievement toward which effort is directed; Synonyms: intention, purpose, end, aim, object, objective.
THE GOAL of a game is very familiar to you. The RIM, HOOP, GOAL LINE, or HOME PLATE drives us. In fact, THE GOAL, motivation is set for us. We are motivated to play games: To make baskets, score points, score touchdowns because of THE GOAL. But, what happens when a monster dunk shatters the backboard? Or, if you, like me, walk into a gym and THE GOAL or rim is broke? What do you do? How does the absence of THE GOAL affect you physically? Mentally?
Defining Your GOAL,
Your ROLE,
& Your STORY
What is your STORY? What is the most important STORY line in your life? What do you want your legacy to be? Don't just read this! WRITE! Open the notepad on your smartphone, get your personal player notebook out, or download an application to help you pursue your passion.. Answer this question: What do you want to achieve? What are most important needs-desires-passions in your life? What is your PERSONAL VISION of your best potential? WRITE/DESCRIBE the Vision! How are you going to go about achieving your STORY? WHY is it important to you? WRITE DOWN the Goal - Write Your STORY! Pursue Your Passion! DO IT NOW!
Gregg Swanson Writes, "PERSONAL SUCCESS IS NOT A MATTER OF CHANCE; IT’S A MATTER OF MANAGED EMOTIONS, FOCUSED ATTENTION AND DELIBERATE ACTION."
So what will U do now? The net is on the rim. The court is open. How many SHOTS are U going to take? But more important: How many are U going to MAKE? Write it Down!!!
Do you know "HOW TO" getthere? We're talking PRACTICE. CHAMPIONSHIP PRACTICE!Do you know what it takes to reach your personal or team goals? Do you know what it takes to get to the "Next Level" and succeed. Do you know what it takes to reach your potential, to OVERACHIEVE or to win a Championship?The secret is is in THE GRIND. Do you know how to embrace The GRIND?
You might know? Then again, you might not know Diddlley.
Every player wants to get in the game. And some players do what it takes Pursuing the Fun enough to get by at their level. Then their are a few - A very few that Live for the GRIND, Pursue Their Dream, and THE NEXT LEVEL. Which Player are YOU? Do You Know?
We can all be Students of the Game and The GRIND! IF you want to know - YOU CAN!
"Bo Knows" was a NIKE advertising campaign that featured professional baseball and American football player Bo Jackson. The add goes "Bo knows baseball" and "Bo knows football." Even, "Bo knows basketball." Jackson was the first athlete in the modern era to play both professional baseball and football in the same year. Hal McRae, Player/Coach for the KC Royals in 1987 and observed his practice habits. He said, 'It takes time for a guy to learn how to get into the daily grind. Not just Bo, but all young kids.' Bo learned the Daily GRIND - He knew! And you can too! Lesson 1: Learn the Grind! "Brooks Knows" Oklahoma City Thunder Coach, Scott Brooks talks about Kevin Durant's GRIND:"He practices every day as if he is the worst player in the league."
"Lyndsey Knows" Former Division 1 point guard Lyndsey Fennelly writes about Championship Practice in her blog post "Becoming a Champion." Noting attention to Oklahoma City Thunder Coach, Scott Brooks' observations about Kevin Durant practice habits - Lyndsey writes, "KD doesn't approach his game with a 'too cool', or 'I know it all', or even, 'I'm one of the best players in the league, so I'll just take today off'. He understands that continual improvement requires a daily grind."Lyndsey Meadors Fennelly played D1 basketball at Iowa State. She is the daughter-in-law of NCAA Division 1 Head Coach Bill Fennelly.If you want to know more - Read her full post HERE. Lesson 2: Bring Your Grind Everyday
"Jon Gordon Knows" In Training Camp, a Playbook about what the Best Do Better Than the Rest, Gordon shares what he learned during his GRIND which calls "His Training Camp in Life." He discovered that the best of the best, whether they're a athlete, teacher, coach or parent, etc, share similar success characteristics.
Jon shared 10 Tips to Be Your Best from TRAINING CAMP in a post on his BLOG(Read it Here) and issues a WARNING in TIP #3
"The fact is: Past success does not determine future success. Future success is the result of how you work and prepare and practice and how you strive to improve every day."
Lesson 3: Study Their GRIND | Copy the Best
I am not talking about studying KD's Grindtography below! But, If you spent time in the gym like he does, you might earn the right to Grindtography!
"Alan Knows KD" Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS, StrongerTeam.com, had the opportunity to work with KD when he was a Junior at Oak Hill Academy. Coach Stein is a student of the game and one of the best Next Level Trainers in the world. I challenge you to read and study the list: 15 Things You Can Learn from Kevin Durant HERE on iHoops. Hopefully, you will see, We can Study KD's GRIND by reading, studying, and by making an attempt to copy any or all of the 15 Lessons Alan shows us. Remember, "Alan Knows KD" and the Next Level GRIND. Hopefully you will learn it too.
Are you Living Your DREAM? Are you Pursuing Your PASSION? Do you Know Your PURPOSE? Have you invested the time to define what PersonalSUCCESS means to you? Have you written down Your VISION? YourGOALS?
Do you have a PLAN of ACTION? Are you MOVING in the right direction? Do you know where you are going? What are you SEEKING to Accomplish? Do you want to get BETTER? When OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS on your door, Will You be Listening?
Its YOUR TALENT, YOUR PASSION, YOUR LIFE, But the Talent part is over rated. It's the XFACTOR that matters most.
Do you have the XFACTOR? If not, Go Get It! After all, It's YOUR LIFE!
Have you ever just "gone through the motions"? Yesterday, it seemed like some of our guys might be "just going through the motions" during our preseason player development. It was obvious that some really cared, but it wasn't obvious who was really there? Did we (we being all of us, players and coaches) give our BEST focus and effort today? The coaches planned and prepared. We executed our plan. But, coaches don't play.
Student-athletes are the "real players" with the "real stakes" in the question of ordinary vs extraordinary performance. So what do you think? Did you know that one of the secrets of the extraordinary performance begins with THINKING? Steve Seibold wrote about the process in his bookSecrets of the World Class: Turning Mediocrity into Greatness.Champions raise their level of performance by raising their level of conscious thought. They study, prepare and THINK, like world class players.
Ray Allen talks about life in the NBA, "It's a job, that if you want it, you have to be willing to step up and pay the price."
Are you willing to Pay the Price for Extraordinary? You have a powerful Internet resources at your fingertips. Why not invest some time by yourself, studying a world class player that you admire. And before you go to practice today, ask yourself this question: How would my favorite College or NBA player approach the drills I am going to do today? Your thoughts? And That Is the Secret! Get It? Bring It!
"Uhhhh. I don't know coach, what IS the word?"
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