The Process of Becoming Great (Pt. 2)
Accountability is the Difference Between Good and Great
What is the difference between good and great? Accountability. Hands down, accountability in basketball is key.
Your goals are set and you’re feeling great already. But, remember, staying in your living room with navigation on might help you feel great, but you’ve got to get in the car and drive.
So, let’s take a moment to talk “accountability” in relation to executing (or driving towards) these goals. Because accountability in basketball truly is the difference between becoming good and becoming great.
The Process Depends on YOU - Holding Yourself Accountable
Stop whatever thoughts are trailing through your brain right now and hear me say this:
Your basketball journey depends on YOU.
Your basketball journey; falling in love with the process; THE PROCESS depends. On. YOU.
That is what accountability in basketball means. You are responsible for your own greatness. That also means you cannot blame anyone or anything when things don’t go your way.
Okay, fine. I guess you can.
Go ahead then, blame that person. Blame your situation on your homework, or your coach, or your lack of resources… What’s that do for you? Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Players Who Have Accountability Find a Way
Remember in Part 1 of The Process of Becoming Great, I said, what matters is that your hustle matches your dream? Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and there’s only one type of baller (and I mean baller) – the one who finds a way.
Other players just don’t and that’s why they end up blaming everyone else, possibly being good, but never becoming great.
The Reality of Accountability in Basketball
Blaming others, making excuses, not having big enough weekly goals – that is a recipe for potentially being good, but definitely not being great. So make your process-oriented goals ambitious.
The reality is that if you do the same amount of work as the person beside you, you will stay alongside them – be just as good.
If that’s your goal, then fine. But if your goal is to go far with basketball, then just remember there really is only a select few who do. “Professional opportunities are extremely limited”, so not only do you need to hold yourself accountable – your accountability needs to surpass the majority of those also wanting to go far with basketball.
The goal then is to pass them – become great. Don’t allow any excuses to get in your way. And this requires ambitious process-oriented goals, and the discipline and self-accountability to consistently hit these markers.
So, if it hasn’t sunk in by now, let me say it one more time – your basketball journey depends on YOU.
Stay tuned for more on The Process of Becoming Great in Part III – Knowing Your Identity Apart From Basketball
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