1. "How you play is how you live your life." Disengaged, inattentive, noncompetitive players aren't going to achieve in the marketplace, the classroom, or raising a family. Your play defines you. "Figure it out." Coach Gregg Popovich says, "pound the rock." You have to hit the rock a hundred times to break it. You can't skip steps.
2. "Do more of what is working and less of what isn't." I've heard or read this from multiple sources, but I'm thinking Michael Mauboussin left the impression.
Here's a figure from his book More Than You Know. It restates that your process informs a difference. A good outcome from a bad process reflects luck not skill. Improve our process. Don't think you hit a triple because you were born on third base.
3. "Basketball is a game of mistakes." - Bob Knight So is life. In basketball and other sports, we want to reduce avoidable mistakes, like turnovers, poor quality shots, bad fouls, mental errors (failing to understand time, situation, and score), and missed assignments. "The ball is gold." Life may not give you a second chance for distracted driving (substance use, texting), failure to study, being ill-prepared for an interview, not dressing for success. "Flip flops are not shoes."
4. Be here now. The best way to earn respect is to give it. Master eye contact, make an impression. Cultivate your presence, your posture, your being. This isn't a new concept. Carpe diem dates to 23 BC and Horace. "Today is the most important day in your life." Right now. I had a player who wasn't a terrific player, but left an impression. She made better eye contact as a seventh grader than almost every adult whom I have ever met.
5. Add value to the team. Play for the girls next to you, not your family, school, community, or especially the coach. "Are we building a program or a statue?" Maslow's hierarchy of needs shows that belonging comes before self-fulfillment.
Define yourself. How you run the pick-and-roll won't determine your life. How you make your choices and roll with adversity will.
