A former basketball player explains how athletic discipline shapes everything else: waking up early, working hard, coaching, parenting a two-year-old, eating right. The habits built in practice become habits for life. Your future self, five or ten or twenty years from now, will thank you for the work ethic you build today.
Being an athlete is so much more than playing sports. I haven't played a competitive game of basketball in years. I haven't had to go to the foul line with 5 seconds left down by 2 in years. I haven't felt the sting of a lost championship in years. I haven't given my all to every practice and training session and game in years. But guess what? Today it was hard to wake up and pursue my goals. And yesterday, after a long day of work and coaching, it was hard to show up for my 2-year-old the way that he deserves. And tomorrow it's still gonna be hard to give my body the food that it needs to be strong and healthy, but I learned how to do hard things as an athlete. I learned how to give my all to everything I pursue in life. So yes, my friends, as an athlete, you get to play your sport, but please remember that your future self 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the road will be so grateful that you learned how to do hard things as an athlete.
