The Game

What does it mean to dream? It means to create a world in your mind where you accomplish whatever you’d like. You envision this. Then you work to make it happen. Maybe your dream is to buy your parents a home. Maybe it’s to land on the moon. It’s a dream. So, dream big. My dream was to make it to the NBA. Although this didn’t come to pass, basketball became the vehicle to sharpen my mind.

Now I play this game like I still have hoop dreams. I’ll get up at 4 am and be the first in the gym. Me and the basketball is all I need. Day in and day out I work to get better. I work on my focus, and then everything flows from there. Speaking of focus, I lacked a bit of this in a pickup game recently. After my team and I lost, I realized we would’ve won if I had believed in me. I was in my head.

Today was a similar story. Two other guys and I played in the gym. My sole purpose wasn’t to win. If it was, I would’ve won. At times, my mind was on a tangent. Other times, I was overthinking my moves. I wasn’t focused on just the game. I wasn’t playing to win.

Over the past few years, I’ve learned just how much of a mental sport basketball is. The mental aspect is arguably more important than your skillset or your athletic ability. You must be present in the game if you want to perform your best. Any distractions can be costly. This is a lot like life. You can’t be your best at anything without giving it your full self.

This game inspires me to strengthen my relationships, be a better worker, and to fully be present in life. Being present is how you truly live. This is how you become your best. You must be fully engaged in life’s daily activities. You must follow your dreams. Don’t let negativity, doubt, or distractions take over. I will apply this tomorrow when I play pickup basketball again.