I am a man of Christian faith. I respect that some of those that read this are not. However, while reading Becoming, by Clint Gresham I came across a good story that can teach coaches who are building a basketball program that patience and faith in the process is key.
If He were to give you a blessing before you were ready for it, it would be a curse. - Clint Gresham
When you find that your team isn't where you thought they'd be fix your efforts back on the process of improvement.
An elephant is pregnant for two years; a rabbit is pregnant 31 days. Imagine a conversation between the two. The rabbit says, "you're not pregnant; see, I've given birth to hundreds of rabbits. Its' been 18 months and you still haven't given birth. The elephant responds, "Well, you see, I'm giving birth to something big, something special, something you don't see every day. That's why it's taking longer.
The Chinese bamboo is a fascinating plant. For the first four years of its life, you don't see much above ground. But what we don't see is that the plant is in the process of creating a massive root system that will end up being the most important element to its survival for the rest of its life. In the fifth year, the plant that seemed to produce no measurable success suddenly shoots up 80 feet in one year.
If we fall victim to our own doubts based on what other programs are doing, then we lose out (and so do our players) on the journey to winning. When all you see are the outcomes of other basketball programs, that is a sign that you have lost focus on your program's process of improvement. Gresham says, our minds can supply us with evidence that we don't measure up to others. This self-disqualification needs to be reprogrammed.
But how can we do this, reprogram our thinking? It's simple, but you have to eliminate time expectations. Patience is key. You must be engaged at every present moment with your team and express gratitude for the aspects that you're probably taking for granted. As John Calipari says, "Coach Your Team."
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