The Benefit of Setting The Bar High
In 2004, my Sophomore year in high school, I had this thought in my mind “ I will play Division 1 basketball”. I wasn’t ranked or had any interests from Colleges, only a short insert in @washingtonposts “ players to watch”. By my senior year I had played on one of the top 5 AAU teams in the country ( DC Assault ), was in the Montgomery County All-Star game but 0 D1 offers. I still had this idea in my head “ D1…D1…D1”. I was offered a glimmer of hope to be a preferred walk-on at Ball State. “ I did it” So I thought. Within two months of Summer School our coach left and I was now back in the no interests phase. So I worked out everyday and mirrored the teams schedule. When try-outs came, I gave it all and got cut. There wasn’t anything in the world I wanted to do more than play D1 Basketball. So with little hope, I just trained harder until one day I get a call into coach’s office and I was told I was on the practice team. A month later, I was asked my shoe size and given a Jersey. October 2007, I got to suit up for the Georgetown game. As I ran out the tunnel it felt like every sports movie wrapped in a box and handed to me by Rocky himself. I was told it was not practical, I was too short, I should stick to school but the bar being so high made me try that much harder to attain it. When you truly love/want something just being close to it is enough to fill you cup. And it filled mine, I didn’t need to put on the jersey or get pictures, all I needed was a ball and a hoop.
(My point)
When we set the bar low and consistently overachieve we are only telling ourselves we can do more but we choose to be safe. By setting the bar high it keeps us sharp over time and forces us to be diligent in our pursuits. If you tried to looks 20 pounds in 1 day you will quit but in 8 months you will find a good pace and structure. How many of you start something too fast or “too hard” and stop because it was too much? I know I have but what happens when we start something hard and focus on consistency not immediate gratification. I mean slow and steady does win the race. #team #school #sports #love #like