Last week I walked onto the basketball court twice and on both occasions not one person had ever seen me before.

Thursday I found myself as one of five guys playing some 21. For those of you that don’t know, 21 is a game in which it’s every man for himself and the first one to score 21 points wins.

I won.

We then switched to 2-on-2 and chose teams by shooting. The first two to make a three pointer would be on a team, so I shot first, made it and then my team went on to lose the first game.

Despite the fact that I clearly played better than my teammate in the loss, I wasn’t picked up to play the next game.

I was a little shocked by not being selected actually. I was so sure that I’d be chosen to play that I just stayed on the court, until I was told that he had picked the other guy.

After a quick drink of water, I made my way to a bench underneath the basket and sat there while they continued play.

Upset internally, I made up my mind that before I left these young men would know me.

Once I got on the court for my second game, my team didn’t lose again. By the third game, I heard the guy on my team tell the person guarding him, “I’m gonna let the white boy do his thing!”

After five or six wins in a row, I decided it was time for me to go. As I was leaving, I waved and said goodbye to the group who had just started playing another game. They stopped and each one of them, just 22 years of age, came over shook my hand, asked my name and introduced themselves.

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Friday, while I was getting some shooting work in, I got asked to play some 2-on-2, again with people I didn’t know.

“I’ll take this guy,” said a young man, in a tone insinuating that he had to take me because there was no other person available.

Within a few plays I could overhear the person matched up my teammate say, “This guy can play a little bit!”

With us down 10-9, the same young man that had almost felt forced to play with me, passed the ball to me and said, “Do your thing!”

We won 15-10.

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This post isn’t about me being a superstar basketball player, because I’m not.

This is about being ready to prove yourself. This is about preparation.

On both days, the people I was playing with and against didn’t know that I’m preparing for Michael Jordan. They didn’t know that I get hundreds of makes in each week. They didn’t know that I’ve played against DI and pro players.

Instead, they looked at me dressed in a shirt and tie when I walked in, sized me up and did what we all do at times…they judged.

They assumed that I couldn’t play.

In life you’re going to be judged on a daily basis, no matter who you are. Unfortunately, some reading this will be judged on far worse things than just a game of basketball.

The great thing and what you must not forget is that YOU, not they, determine your success!

If you’re willing to put the work in when no one is watching, you can show a group of players that you belong as I did or be excellent at whatever it is that you are passionate about.

But you must work.

Michael Jordan went into every single game looking to prove himself. He knew that there was someone in the stands or watching on television that hadn’t seen him play before and he wanted to make sure that they understood why he was so highly regarded as a basketball player. He wanted them to know why he was the best.

MJ prepared daily so that when he stepped on any court he would be ready.

Are you doing the same?

Are you ready to prove yourself?

I’m watching my 23 month old niece all day this Friday by myself and honestly, I’m a bit nervous.

I love spending time with Ava, but other than a couple of hours when she was much younger, I haven’t been left alone with her. Even that time, I checked and made sure my neighbor (she has two kids) was going to be home, just in case.

That means if Ava gets upset, hungry, frustrated, needs to use the restroom, needs her diaper changed if she didn’t make it to the restroom, or has any other issue little kids have, there is always someone with more experience around to help.

At the end of the day, there is never any pressure on “silly Uncle” (her words, not mine) to do anything but PLAY and have FUN!

I like it that way.

By the way, I have no kids.

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Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I dislike kids at all. In fact, I tend to think of Ava as I would my own. She has her own room in my house that sits empty, waiting to be decorated when she is old enough to pick out furniture. I made sure her room has a nice walk in closet so that she can store all of her “uncle and auntie” clothing and shoes that she piles up along the way.

I like kids…or rather I love Ava.

My issue, my sense of nervousness comes from the fact that I DON’T FEEL PREPARED!

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I like to be prepared. Scratch that, I LOVE to be prepared.

I like going to the court for hours and hoisting shot after shot. I like dribbling behind my back until it becomes second nature. I like taking on one opponent after the other and dissecting their games. My opponent’s tricks, or go to moves are truly the wealth gained on my end from our battles.

I enjoy all of the burn that goes into the preparation of my eventual match-up with the great one, Michael Jordan.

After all, the late John Wooden said it best:

“Failing to Prepare, is preparing to FAIL.”

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How can I possibly prepare for this Friday with my energetic, always happy, 33-inch tall niece??

I can’t.

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You Can’t Always Be Prepared

As much as I’d like to control things, the truth is, I can’t always be prepared.

Some things, like watching Ava, I’ve just got to put everything I’ve got into it and do my best.

The rational side of me knows that people young and old are having and watching kids every day and they figure it out, so it can’t be all that difficult.

Life and success is kind of the same way!

People young and old are figuring it out each and every day. To the millionaire it’s easy to make money. To the mother and father, it’s not a big deal to watch a youngster for a day. To the pro-blogger, growing subscribers is second nature.

Just as there are “how to” raise a child books, there are how to make money, how to get subscribers, and the list goes on, but YOU CAN NEVER TRULY UNDERSTAND what it takes until you make the decision to DO.

You can read all the books and manuals you’d like, but you’ll never truly be prepared.

The trick is to turn that nervous energy into excitement and productive positivity and set the world ablaze!

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Me and Ava

So this Friday, while my bro and his wife are cruising through some Caribbean locale, enjoying the sun, tropical fruit, and waves, Ava and I will be shutting down the town!

“Silly Uncle” may not be the most prepared, but like all things I do, I will give MY ALL!

Watch out, this guy is about to show a 23-month old what Michael Jordan was all about! Ok, ok, so maybe we won’t spend the whoooole day watching MJ videos, backtracked with her favorite artist Justin Bieber, but with her being 23-months old and Jordan being the reason 23 even exists, we’ve got to at least watch, “Come Fly With Me”!

I kid, I kid.

GET OUT THERE AND DO!!!

Oh, and if you happen to be around Central Florida, stop by. I’m about to be the Michael Jordan of “silly Uncles.”