Fast Five: Advice for Players

Del Harris has discussed the 'levels of communication' with players. I'll accept that as fact, but it's about tone more than content. Yes, how we say what we say matters, but we don't want to understate our meaning. 

We share some messages with different words. Different folks require different strokes. 

1) "The magic is in the work" equals "do more to become more; become more to do more." Kevin Eastman might say to an NBA player, "you are your responsible for your paycheck". 

2) "We make our choices and our choices make us" echoes "decisions determine destiny." 

3) "Control what you can control." We control our attitude and our responses to the variables and challenges life throws us. We control whether we spend our time or invest it. We control how hard we 'get after IT'. "If you want to change the world, then you have to change yourself." 



4)  "You cannot separate how you play from who you are." Grateful, conscientious people don't become lazy or ball hogs on the court. Character drives the process. 

from Ledbetter, What Drives Winning. 

Everyone cannot become a great player; everyone can be a great teammate. 

5) "I believe in you" ultimately is contingent on the reciprocal, "I can do that." After a player's parents, we have a chance to make indelible positive (or negative) marks on lives. What we say in the heat of the moment is seared into memory. 



Authenticity has value to the degree that authenticity creates value.