A Player's Journey

February 02, 2018

Writing Inspired by The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

“I didn’t score any points! My percentages are down and everything I have been working for my entire life is a waste! What scout would want to draft me?” said the player.

The player was frustrated, he had no idea how he could consistently be confident in his game again. He had worked his whole life to play at a high level, each year the pressure building a little bit more. That pressure has been building and weighing down on him year after year. Every year worrying about numbers, wins, and the opinions of other people.

The Mental Coach looked at the player and took a breath. “Remember the mental game is not easy, you can’t control results, and it’s not a quick fix.

“Sometimes the hardest thing to do is let go of what is out of your control, be vulnerable, and to keep moving forward.”

The player was too frustrated and frightened to listen to the words of wisdom. He had no idea how he was going to be drafted.

“Don’t give into your fears" said the Mental Coach. “If you do, you won’t be able to see your own greatness.”

“But I have no idea what future lies ahead for me” said the player.

“If stay in the present moment and let go of the past, then you are already taking care of your future. There is one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

“I’m not afraid of failing” the player said, “It’s just that I don’t know how to be consistently focused, confident and let go of of what I can’t control.”

“Well, you’ll have to learn; if you want to see your true greatness.”

“But what if I can’t?”

“Then you’ll know at least you went for it, at least you went all in without fear of failure and tried to see your own greatness. That’s a lot better than playing to play safe or worrying about results like millions of other player’s, who never knew what it was like to experience playing with true freedom.

“But don’t worry,” the mental coach continued. “Usually with the awareness of how to play present makes people a lot more aware of their lives.”

Discover your own true greatness with the weekly Mental Game Masterclass. Every Sunday, every week at the UPBasketball Training Facility.

This week’s class: Good to Great-Being Consistent