BE PROACTIVE

One of the most impactful books I have ever read is:

The 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE written the late Stephen R. Covey. The 7 Habits as described in his book are:

BE PROACTIVE

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

THINK WIN/WIN

SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND,

THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

SYNERGIZE

SHARPEN THE SAW

We are going to focus on the first habit: BE PROACTIVE

For Covey to be proactive means we are responsible for our own lives. People who are proactive are driven by what they value, not by conditions or circumstances. A key factor is how we respond to what happens to us. I imagine some are questioning how this relates to your basketball journey. That is a fair question. I hope after reading this blog post you are able to answer that question!

There have been plenty of times I have called upon this habit to make choices in my life in particular when something is important or uncomfortable for me. As I think of this habit as it relates to a young athletes basketball journey I see clearly how it can be a guiding force.

We all make choices. Some of those choices result in unintended consequences. In my role as a youth basketball coach I view myself as a servant. I am there to serve the athlete in whatever way I can to help the athlete reach their goal. Whether that is improving their skills so that the athlete has an impact on their high school team or their ability to play at the college level. I am all in 100%! I rarely get upset if an athlete misses practice. i accept their reason and keep moving forward. I focus on the players in the gym! The one thing I know to be true is every time an athlete misses the opportunity to get better the more frustration they find when it is time to compete.

I also know that their playing opportunities at whatever level he/she is trying to reach will diminish if not go away all together. If the player is not improving their skills on a consistent basis then the likelihood of being successful at a high level becomes difficult.

What do we value? As an athlete pursuing your basketball dreams, it is your responsibility to make sure you get better. The response- ability falls to you. Everything else is the how to make it happen. Reasons I have heard over the years for not making practice and for not working out are:

-did not have a ride to practice

-it’s raining outside and you could not get my run in

-i have a job

How do you respond to circumstances out of your control? I mean none of us can control the weather or our ability to drive if we are not old enough.

Do you throw your hands up in frustration get upset and give up! Or do you look at the situation and figure out a way to use it to your advantage? This is what proactive athletes do? They look for solutions. The proactive does not let the weather stop them from getting better. They move their work out inside. They will do sit ups, pushups, crunches, wall sits, and other exercises.

Didn’t have a ride to practice? They don’t dwell on it. Instead they work on ball handling drills: The crossover dribble, in/out dribble, side to side dribble, fingertip drill, etc. Proactive athletes find a way to get better in spite of the circumstances and conditions. You can do the same. You can be proactive. You are exceptional and have the resources and creativity to make your basketball journey successful. If you value it!

Write down these 4 questions:

-how is my basketball journey going today?

-what will it look like tomorrow?

-what am I going to do about my basketball journey to make it better?

-what in my basketball journey can I control?

I want you to give some serious thought to these questions. As your answers could shape your journey in a profound way. At some point you will be able to drive. Catch a bus. Get a ride with a teammate. Have access to a gym. You want to show that you are just as skilled as or better than anyone else on the court no matter where you had to practice to get better. You want to be ready for your moment.

In the meantime, how are you choosing to get better when faced with circumstances that are not ideal? The key is, once you choose to be proactive and take control of your journey the chances of your success will be greater. Additionally, it is possible you will learn valuable lessons that can cross over into other areas of your life such as your academics, which are extremely important.

As we wrap up. I hope you are able to answer the question how being proactive can help with your basketball journey! Let me know how you are doing by reaching out to basicsandbasketball.com. You can send me an email from the website.

I hope this information has been beneficial. Keeping watching for more blogs at Basics & Basketball, LLC where athletes get smarter!