As a teenager I had the opportunity to work in the construction business for my uncle. A great experience where I learned certain skills that I now use as a homeowner. If nothing else, I learned to respect the hard work that people in that job are about and maybe more important for me, it showed me that it was not the way I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I wanted to work in education and sport and construct in a different way. The ideas that made my uncle and his business highly respected and successful were not lost on me as I moved into a differenct career and as a coach. Here are some things that I have pulled from my experiences... if you are reading this please feel free to comment and expand this analogy.
1. Each game, each day, each class you have as a student is a new masterpiece/building project.
Each time you wake up, enter a class, play a game it is a chance to start fresh and prove yourself. Some times we have bad days and that is ok, but do you respond in the next game and overcome. Do you do the little things to improve the mistakes and correct the damage. If it were a house, do you make the repairs, or do it better the next time. This is how consistency and respect is built. Each game is a new masterpiece... it is something that has to be repeated to build a legacy. Your reputation will not be great if you build a great house and then build three poor ones. As in basketball, each game will not be handed to you, you can not just show up. You have to go out and proved yourself over and over. It is when this happens that a reputation is born and consistency is reached. You can't compare one game to the next, but rather you have to stive to play the best game you can every time you take the floor. As if you were a builder, build the best house that you can every time you start a project.
The legacy that you build for yourself in any walk of life will not be realized until the end of your journey or possibly after. Live the moment, every moment, the best that you can and the end result will be outstanding. Play present on the floor and make the right play as consistently as possible and the results will take care of themselves.
2. Bad technique leads to bad construction.
In basketball as in construction or any part of life, if your technique is bad your final product will have limits on how much success it will see. Those that recognize that they are never as good as they think or are willing to commit to continual improvement will be the most successful. It always amazes me, the attitude that some people come with, where they believe that they are beyond or better than the work and the technique that has driven so many to greatness. As Bill Parcels put it "The only players that are hurt by criticism are the ones that have an overinflated opinion of their game." If you feel that you are better than the technique that is required you are setting yourself up for disappointment. In construction, if you don't follow the techniques that are proven winners, the outcome of your projects will be revealed. If you want to be successful, recognize the time tested methods and pursue them... don't be above them. Your actions will speak louder than your words and those that really know success will know you have followed them.
3. Upgrade your equipment. In life, in construction, in basketball an upgrade in equipment/talent will lead to success. As a player, you getting in the gym and perfecting your craft is upgrading your equipment. If you find something that works (a quality tool) use it, take care of it, maintain it.
At the end of the day the question will be does your construction hold up to the adverse weather conditions that surround it? If you have done your best everyday, used proper technique, and improved your craft then you will have success in every aspect of life. It is always a choice and it is no one's fault but yourself. You are accountable for you.
Follow on twitter @jgerstung... if everyone was accountable for their own actions we could get rid of petty arguing and move toward positive success.
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