What it Really Takes to Get Good at the Game

What does it really take to succeed in the game of basketball

Someone sent me an email recently asking what it would take for them to make it to the NBA. It got me thinking about how much time, effort, and practice I've put into the game over the years.

I did some quick calculating and figured out that since I started playing basketball, I've put in about 11,000 hours of practice, and have probably shot over 1.5 million jump shots.

Even if my calculations aren't exact, and you subtract out a couple thousand hours of practice and a couple hundred thousand jump shots, the figures are still huge.

But guess what?

I loved every second of it. That's what so great about having a passion for something, and a drive to succeed. The journey is the fun part and the hard work is actually enjoyable. You don't mind putting in hours and hours or practice, or shooting jump shots until your arm feels like it's going to fall off.

I remember being a kid and shooting baskets in the backyard while it was pouring down rain, or was so dark out I could barely see the basket. It didn't matter. I loved the game and had a desire to play in college and as a pro. And guess what? I made it happen.

Why am I telling you all of this?

To give you an idea of how hard you have to work to become a great basketball player. There are no short-cuts to success.

If you have a dream of making the team, breaking into the starting lineup, or a bigger dream of making it to the pros, you've got to work at it. You've got to establish a solid foundation of ability, and then work day in and day out to build upon that foundation.

Success isn't something that happens overnight. It's a process. A very long process that happens one small step at a time.

Do you have what it takes to get to where you want in your basketball career? Do you have the drive, passion, and dedication to make it happen?

Do you have the dream?

But equally as important as the dream is the drive. Combine the dream of making it with the drive to make it, and you have the start of what it'll take to turn that dream into a reality.

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