Basketball: I Am ____________ (How Can We Do this Better?)

How do you 'get going' in the morning? People 'plug in' with exercise, reading, journaling, morning coffee.

Separate ideas from delivery. MasterClass shares great lessons, yet I can't always connect with the speaker. Fitness guru Robin Arzon conjures up huckster Tony Robbins for me, but shares good ideas. Be open to asking, "how can we do this better?"

She asks, "what's your mantra?" She suggests that we fill in, "I am ________." Match how we live with our identity, habits, 

So, what are we? 

"Share something great." I am a sharer. A quote, recipe, concept, book, movie, haiku. If you say, "I don't have any great ideas," then find some. 

Collect useful content. Be an aggregator, a thief of what works. What principles guided Dean Smith, Geno Auriemma, Pete Newell, John Wooden, Bob Knight, Pat Summitt, Mike Krzyzewski? 

Ask better questions. Be curious. How does that work? If you see something that sounds outrageous or conflicts with your beliefs and values, invest a little time to check. 

Be a skeptic. "An empty barrel makes the most noise." If someone constantly misleads you or takes advantage of you, why would you believe in them? Ronald Reagan said, "trust but verify." 

Think. Be a thinker. Use analogies. I have an admiration for plumbers. Why? Circulatory system? Plumbing. Airway diseases like asthma? Plumbing. Intestinal issues? Plumbing. And of course, Urology. Plumbing. 

What have we learned or taught that positively impacted the development and character of our players and students? 

"We make our habits and our habits make us." Be a creature of useful habits. 

"Advance the story." Be an organizer, an advocate, a force for good. If Lincoln said, "I learn something from everyone I meet. From most people I learn what not to do," then what positives can we extract from people with whom we disagree? 

See a brighter future. Be a dreamer. Why not? 

Summary (are you...):

• A sharer
• A thief of what works
• Curious
• A skeptic
• A thinker
• A creature of useful habits
• A force for good

If we're not, why not?

Lagniappe. From Coach Marc Hart "200 Makes"

Lagniappe 2. How can we play faster? Do we want to? Click through to the RaceCar drill.