"Rejection is a part of life." - David Baldacci
Fight through rejection. People agreeing with us doesn't make us right. People disagreeing doesn't make us wrong. 'Matters of taste' dominate life. Sport is no different than cuisine.
Great coaches have critics. As observers, be eclectic and grab what captures your imagination.
Expecting that an industry embrace our thinking or product 'automatically' embodies arrogance. Want more eyeballs? Think better, write better, revise better.
Van Gogh sold one painting during his life. ONE.
Wolfgang Puck contemplated suicide after his first failed restaurant job.
Tom Brady got drafted with pick #199 in the NFL Draft sixth round. Draymond Green slipped to #35 in the NBA Draft. Everyone doesn't recognize value at the same point.
The seeds of Stranger Things date to at least 2010 based upon electronic communications. It takes years to transform ideas into finished work. Transformation is a big ask.
High performance might require disruption, rule breaking. Kevin Kelley became known for 'never' punting, winning five state championships.
Bill Russell mastered another kind of rejection, changing the game defensively. He noted, "imagination leads to innovation leading to differentiation." Sam Walker profiles his contribution in The Captain Class.
Basketball analytics still have detractors despite the long history of difference making dating to Dean Oliver's Basketball on Paper. Mike D'Antoni's teams were early adopters. Although the Rockets didn't win an NBA title, the Rockets were among the NBA's top teams by record.
Colleges weren't breaking down Steph Curry's doors before he landed at Davidson. The rest is history.
Foreign players carried reputations of being less athletic, softer, and less productive. In a global game, the evolution to the likes of Antetokuonmpo, Embiid, Jokic, Doncic, and Gobert changed the game.
Here's a link to the New York Film Academy for more rejection stories.
Lagniappe. Make summer productive by developing separating moves. Study and copy footwork.
