Preparation + Opportunity = An Explosion of Success

Preparation + Opportunity = An Explosion of Success

Ray Allen's advantage was pulling up before anybody else was there.  One of the keys to success is self-confidence.  One of the keys to self-confidence is preparation.  One of the keys to preparation is repetition.  Doing it over and over and over again.

Ray Allen would beat everybody to the gym, get his reps in so that he was prepared and confident, and the result was one of the best careers in NBA history.

It takes a special kind of monster to consistently put in the type of work that it takes to be the best at something.  It might be easy and exciting to start something know, but it's hard to stay with it over weeks, months, and years.

If you are looking for a video for your athletes that talks about the time and effort that it takes to become a great shooter, this video by Dev at In The Lab is really good.

7:00 - Pre-Game in the NBA.  There is an intentional focus on certain things and guys are completely locked in and going hard.  And these are teams at the bottom of the NBA on the last game before the All-star break - so imagine how hard the better teams go in their pre-game routines.

10:00 - Phil Handy is an NBA coach and trainer.  He trained for years before getting his first job in the NBA.  He said that he learned a lot from the guys he worked with, like Kobe Bryant.  Kobe was so focused on getting better at the details that he would stay in the same spot working on the same footwork moves for 30-45 minutes until he mastered it.  He would do things over and over and over again.  It's hard to do that.  It can be boring and tiring and everybody is not willing to do the basics like that, but the best will, so it is necessary if you want to be the best that you can be.  

The best players want to be coached.  They want to be challenged.  They want to be pushed.  They want to get better, and if you can help them get better, they will listen and value what you bring to the table.

The best players are self-correctors.  When they are off or they have rough games, they get back to the gym early to fix their errors.

Be low and ready with a wide base to be a better shooter, and be calm.  Don't rush your shot.

Kobe would get to the arena 3-4 hours early to get ready.  A lot of veterans have a routine to make sure that they are ready to play when the game starts.  The best players don't just show up at the gym - a lot goes into these guys getting themselves ready to play.  It is a full prep that goes into their pre-game routines.

The best players have the supreme confidence and belief in themselves that they can get the job done.  If you doubt them or try to tell them that they can't do something, they will go to the ends of the world to prove you wrong because they know that they have put the time and the work in to be their best.

Habits
Good or Bad, They Define Us.

15:00 - Accountablility - We all have somebody that we have to answer to.  We are a reflection of our parents.  We have to hold ourselves accountable.  It is one of the keys to success.

18:15 - It starts with BALANCE.  Stationary form shooting is a great start to finding your balance and rhythm.  Most great shooters have great balance.  They can hit shots off-balance, but they try to get on balance before they shoot as much as possible to make sure that they are able to aim effectively.

20:00 - Form shooting - make 50 swishes every day this week