Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays, December also ushered in the start of the high school basketball season. My son, Collin, is playing on the freshman team this year, but this quick tip isn’t about him. It’s about one of his teammates.
During the off season, one of my son’s teammates injured the wrist on his shooting-hand. Unfortunately, it hasn’t fully healed yet, but you would never know it sitting in the stands. See, this boy loves basketball and he wants to play very, very badly. So he decided to find a way to play, even with a shooting wrist that wasn’t at full capacity. How did he do it? He shot 1000 shots a day using his other hand! Think about that for a minute: a thousand shots a day with his non-dominant hand. That is a whole lot of shots and a whole lot of determination to make an outcome happen.
I hope you’ll keep this story in mind as you begin thinking about the New Year ahead, and set your 2014 goals. As you set each goal, consider how badly you want it. What would you be willing to do to make that goal happen?
The only sure thing about setting goals and going for them is that there will be obstacles along the way – injuries, new demands on your time, and other unexpected detours that throw you off-course. Recognize today that these obstacles will happen, and then, decide now that you want your goal badly enough that you will figure out a way to make it happen.
One of the things that the tip above didn’t mention is how good this boy is shooting with his opposite hand. The first time I saw him shoot a free-throw (and make it) I looked at his mother and said “something seems different about his shot.” Her answer…”he’s shooting with his opposite hand.”
Impressive and inspiring.
Aby,
Once again your story or tips prick me right to the heart. I’m just really encourage by you!! The way you describe things, or how you get to the root of the problem, continues to amaze me. You are correct when you have us ask ourselves “how badly do you want it?” Especially at this time of the year when I am reflecting on the goals (financial) I had set for myself and never reached, so I just brushed them under the rug, I need to be asking ‘how badly did I really want that?’ I find I still want to reach those same goals but definitely can’t repeat the same process as last year. I’ve been desperately seeking a new processes to reach those goals. Then I see your post and I’m trying the suggestion you give here. By shooting with my other hand. To me that means allowing my husband do the part he’s good at (saving) and me to do the part I’m really good at (paying things on time). Instead of me doing both. Although things got paid on time, I failed to reach the savings goal.
You are my ‘Dear Aby”
Thank you Again Connie
Thank you, Connie! I’m so glad this idea connected with you. Congrats for deciding not to brush your goal under the rug but instead finding a new way to reach it!