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Monday, April 17, 2023

Basketball: "Neediness"

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tells players to "get over yourself." 

These are "stoic notions."

Stoicism embodies 'control what you can control'. It's normal to 'want' things. We have a family saying, especially about food we like, "don't waste it." 

But "neediness" can border on narcissism:

  • A player "needs" more attention. Neediness feeds on itself
  • Some need a lot of positive feedback. 
  • A player "demands" more minutes or more shots. 
  • A parent complains about not enough media attention for their child.
  • Players are unhappy despite winning because they didn't score enough.
There's a difference between "hungry" players who show great effort regardless of the return and "needy" players who wear us out with attention seeking. 


Bill Russell said, "my ego demands - for myself - the success of my team." Success speaks volumes. 

Achievement = Performance x Time

Achievement isn't dependent on praise or media hype. 

Lagniappe.