REBOUND FOR SUCCESS: Getting The Shots You Want

REBOUND FOR SUCCESS: GETTING THE SHOTS YOU WANT (Step 1 of 3)

So here we are at the end of the first month of the new year. Yeah, I know. It was a blur, right? Look back at the first of the year and let’s review the goals, objectives and resolutions that you set for yourself. How are you doing? Are you motivated or unmotivated? Are you focused or off-task? Are you making progress? Have you turned your misses into makes? Are you holding yourself accountable or blaming someone else? Are you watching or changing the game? Are you part of the 95%?

I stated in my first blog entry of 2011 (Turning Misses Into Makes) that statistics show that 95% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by the 15th day of the year.
Clearly it’s easy to be a part of that group. The enthusiasm that you had about starting fresh is susceptible to fading for numerous reasons; 1) The goal was too hard to reach; 2) Time didn’t permit; 3) It’s someone else’s fault; 4) Failure was the result after first few times you tried. Whatever your level of enthusiasm is, I am trusting and believing that you are going to be part of that 5% of people who are sticking to their goals/objectives and resolutions for this year and beyond. If not, let’s get you back on track so that you get the shots you want to take.

Everybody wants to take a shot at something that others may view as unconventional, strange, difficult, unattainable, and even impossible, but very few people actually take the shot. Regardless of what category you fit into for this 1st month of the year, there is one beautiful thing about falling short of your goal; you can always rebound and work toward getting the shots that you want.

STEP 1: ASSESS YOUR SPACING/ HOW FAR AWAY IS THE GOAL?

When talking about getting the shots that you want it is imperative that you assess exactly how far away your goal is. Most shooters feel that every shot is a their shot. That’s a great attitude to have in theory, but in practice we all know any coach and/or team that relies on one shooter to take every single shot is going nowhere fast. However, getting the shots you want requires more than you showing up. Your reputation or your stats from your last game don’t matter. Neither of those will get you the shots that want during the game you’re currently playing.

In basketball, getting the shots you want are determined by several factors, but the first factor is spacing. In order to get the shots you want you have to look at where you have the ball on the court, how much space your defender is giving you, where your teammates are positioned, and how far you are from the basket. All of these factors must be taken into consideration before you decide what type of shot you will take.

As you apply this to your life and the goals that you have for the day, week, month or year, you must assess your spacing before you decide what kind of shot you’ll take. Often times the biggest space between you and your goal is writing it down. It has been found that 3% of the population who achieve at the highest level achieve because they’ve written their goals down first. After writing the goals down you have to create space through designing a deliberate yet realistic strategy that gets you closer to the goal. This deliberate, realistic strategy will not necessarily result in the goal being achieved the very first time, but it should increase your chances of taking and making shots. No matter how long or short the strategy, PRACTICE is a huge factor in getting there. You must practice writing down the goals daily. You must practice each step of your strategy over and over so that when it’s time to perform and/or present it’s as natural as breathing.

As you go through this week and you re-focus your energy and assess your spacing ask yourself the following questions:

How much time do I have to shoot?
Which shot am I going to take?
Is this shot in my range?
How often have I practiced this shot?
Is this shot in the best interest of my team?

Check back on Wednesday and I’ll explain the second key to getting the shots you want.

REBOUND.RESET.RELEASE.