IT'S HALFTIME (PART 3 OF 3)

As halftime draws to a close and you prepare to head back out onto the court, there’s one last question that needs to be addressed;

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO WIN?

The immediate response that comes to mind is simple; play harder & smarter, but often times that’s not enough. You can play extremely hard, but just hustling isn’t enough. Don’t mistake motion for action. It is when you rush success that it blows up in your face. True enough, in order to win, we must have a sense of urgency, but that urgency must be controlled. Preparing for your return to the court the following must be in place:

1.Hold yourself accountable first and admit what you’ve failed to do
2.Communicate the expectation you have for yourself and your teammates
3.Commit to your role on the team
4.Ask your teammates for help before you need it

January through June has been what it will be. No do-overs. There’s nothing you can do about it now except prepare to do everything in your power to either enhance history or keep history from repeating itself depending on how the first half went. If you had a good first half, then congratulations are in order. Celebrate, but stay focused. Do your best to replicate the behavior that has brought you success. Maintenance is required in order to match good but deliberate elevation is required to turn good into great. If you had a bad first half then halftime is the most important part of the game. You must experience intentional amnesia regarding what went wrong, then start over. Do a meticulous self-analysis prior to the end of the halftime speech. Re-train your mind to focus on hard work, teamwork, and winning. Correct your body language such that it is so contagious that your teammates correct their body language. Allow your body confident and intimidating body language to send a message of a champion who is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. Let the words that your prepare to speak to your teammates challenge, motivate and direct your team to victory.

So as you call your team into the huddle, remind them of what the expectation is, what the focus is, what every member will commit to, and remind them of the following rules:


Think the game one possession at a time
Systematically put together possessions that help build momentum
Encourage your teammates on good and missed plays
Leave everything on the floor.

Halftime is over. The 2nd half is the most meaningful half. Return to the floor not just to expect and prepare to win, but to work until you win.

REBOUND. RESET. RELEASE.