Have you been watching March Madness? It’s really not just March Madness, it’s the entire college basketball season. All year-long players have been missing their free throws and costing their team the game.
Shooting a basketball through a hoop is certainly a skill but with practice and determination, it is one that can be mastered or at least developed so you’re making more than you miss. Think about it – there is no defense and the distance and height are constant. 15 feet away and 10 feet high. The rim doesn’t move.
It’s perhaps the only scoring opportunity on sports that is constant across any level – from youth to the professional ranks. Yet player after player has stepped to the line in the NCAA Basketball Tournament and missed these critical opportunities to either extend their lead or pull closer to their opponent. In all these games that come down to a few points that separate the winners and the losers, the missed (or made) free throws are usually the difference.
It’s easy to say that free throws only count when the game is on the line but when you’re team loses by one or two points, the free throws you missed (or the other team made) in the first 5 minutes count as much as the ones in the last few seconds of the game.
You Gotta Make Your Free Throws
How consistent are you at making those activities, tasks, skills or opportunities pay off in your daily business?
What are your “free throws”?
What are those moments of your daily routine that are not impacted by anyone else that could help you succeed? Don’t just think of your business. Consider the “free throws” for your health, financial well-being, spiritual life, marriage or relationships or any other aspect of your life.
When the “game” is not being played, how devoted are you to practicing the things you take for granted and think are easy or will you just leave it up to fate and hope the pressure isn’t too great when you’re sent to the line?
And even more importantly, ask yourself this…when the game is on the line, do you want the ball in your hands to take your team to the next level?
Keep building relationships, solving problems and having fun… and keep practicing those free throws.
Photo Credit: Keoni Cabral via Flickr