Have you ever gotten close to greatness?

I mean so close that you could extend your hand and introduce yourself?

I have.

Greatness is one selfish bastard!

It wants all of your time. It wants to be number one in your life.

If you seek it out, greatness will show you what it takes to live in its world and it may even give you a taste of the “great” life.

I’ve rushed to the gym the last five days in a row like a crackhead looking for another fix. I don’t just like hearing the ball swish through the net without touching the rim, I crave it. I can’t get enough.

With my feet, knees and lower back begging for relief I keep after greatness one shot followed by another until my soul is soaked with effort.

I replay every move that has beaten me in my 1-on-1 match-ups until it’s mine. I run faster and shoot quicker with imaginary defenders trailing my every move until they tire and retreat.

Greatness is the illegitimate child of a passionate woman and a ‘me first’ man.

At some point in every person’s life they chase greatness for a bit. Most stop running after only a few steps because being in a relationship with the great one will strip you down and leave you naked. It’s a tireless journey that few have the will to withstand.

Some experience its glory and others learn early on that the fame it can lend to you isn’t worth the sacrifice.

Greatness doesn’t even blink. Instead it moves on to the next in search of its needed love, never remembering your name or that you even dated.

I’ve seen Michael Jordan take left handed jumpers that mirrored the perfection of his strong hand. I’ve seen Dominque Wilkins jab step with both feet so well that you’d have no idea which way he preferred.

In their pursuit of the absolutely gorgeous “G” when they mastered one aspect of the game, greatness said now master this. Hungry at its core, greatness settles only at perfection.

It’s not for everyone.

If you’re ready to choose it over time with friends, movies with your spouse, dinners with your family, as I have, then you might have a chance to call it yours one day.

The cringing truth is that in order to know it well, something must be sacrificed and that can’t be your time in pursuit.

Maybe you have an endless amount of hours and no one or thing will ever feel neglected in your chase. More than likely though, you’ll do as I do and spend your time praying that others understand and move forward regardless.

With sweat escaping from my face and dripping off my finger tips I paused as a young man approached me the other day and said, “Man, you’re really good at basketball!”

After a quick thank you, I was nudged by the selfish bastard and reminded that I’m not good enough…yet.

Back to work I went. Back to work I go.

With all due respect, I’m coming for you Mr. Jordan!

I jumped out of bed this past Friday morning, grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to the gym to get some makes in.  I went to work on my game.  I went to break records.  I entered the gym upbeat and full of energy, but left frustrated and a little down.

Actually, I left fairly upset.  So much so that it affected me the remainder of the day and even as I was trying to fall asleep that night.

I wasn’t as upset by the fact that I didn’t break my free throw record (only got to 33 makes in a row) as I was with what two individuals said to me while I was there.

Without me asking, a young kid and a middle aged man both told me at separate times throughout my shooting work that I’m, “pretty good.”

I thanked them with a smile, but internally I cringed.

It’s ALL ABOUT Perspective

Until two Friday’s ago, being told by two complete strangers “I’m pretty good,” most likely would have stroked my ego nicely.  I mean, who doesn’t like compliments?

The issue for me is that since my time with Dave Hopla, the greatest basketball shooter in the World, I don’t see “pretty good” as a compliment anymore.

Like Dave said on more than one occasion during our time together, “No one remembers a pretty good movie, but a Great movie, everyone remembers!”

I WANT TO BE GREAT!

“You’re Pretty Good!”

After the youngster (14 yrs old) stopped me between shots and asked how often I play basketball before tagging our conversation with, “You’re pretty good!” all I could think about as I went back to shooting was what he would say if he saw Dave Hopla shoot.

I knew he wouldn’t say, “Hey, you’re pretty good!”  He’d probably call every one of his friends, record video on his cell phone, or sit there in disbelief with drool running out of his mouth.

The thing is, he was right about me.  I currently am just that…“pretty good.”  While he and his friends were there, sometimes just watching me, I shot 71.42% from 15-17 feet, 92.77% from the free throw line, and 61.40% from the high school three-point line.

I shot “pretty good.”

Being Exposed To Greatness

I’ve written in the past about how scope, or what you’re exposed to, can change your life.  I wrote about how being exposed to people that are great at what they do gives the growing individual a peep hole to see why they are successful.  I closed that post with nine very challenging words….

When is the last time you expanded your scope?

Dave Hopla didn’t just expand my scope (He makes over 98% of his shots).  He torched the paint off of the binoculars, and dropped a nuclear bomb on my basketball belief system.

He changed my thought process when I’m shooting the ball and while the majority would say this whole post is a little extreme, and maybe I should ease up and just take the compliment, the truth is, GREATNESS DOESN’T EASE UP!

We all “want to be” Great!  Right???

Saying I want to be great and being great is only separated by a crevasse the size of the Grand Canyon.

Being exposed to true Greatness, I now see that in blistering, vibrant 3D.

It’s easy to go around chanting, “Like Mike, If I Could Be Like Mike!” but when you actually attempt to be like Mike or Dave Hopla you find out that it isn’t so easy.

The work they put in to their craft would make most Doctorate students want to re-enroll and do it all over again, as opposed to taking on the work load of the great ones.

So instead, most settle for “pretty good” if that, Mr. Jordan and Mr. Hopla get admired like the pyramids and life goes on.

Will I Ever Be A “Great Shooter” Like Dave Hopla?

Is it possible?  Yes, without a smidgen of doubt, it is possible for me to be a great shooter like Dave.

The real question is will it happen?

Dave didn’t hide any part of his preparation into becoming a great shooter when we met.  In fact he reduced it down to this:

“If you want to be the best shooter in the world it’s simple.  You’ve got to do two things.  First, you’ve got to shoot with correct form.  Then you have to shoot the ball correctly more times than anyone else in the world.” – Dave Hopla, World’s Greatest Basketball Shooter

Ahhh, and that my friends, is the tough part.

Since Dave and I met on April 15^th, I’ve made 1,311 shots.  That, P90X, work, and this blog, have left me more than spent each evening.  For greatness though, it’s not enough.

Dave, while on vacation, has made 3,317 shots.  He will add another 500 makes this morning.

Greatness takes dedication.  It takes truckloads full of work.  It’s never easy.  It seems impossible, but it’s not.

I’ve seen greatness in person and it’s one the most beautiful things you can ever experience.

Human capability is often capped by our mental approach.  Most times we achieve what we are exposed to as people.  Studies will show income levels, social circles, and so on, follow this trend.

Then every so often a Roger Bannister, Michael Jordan, or Dave Hopla comes along and refuses to accept current standards of excellence.  They bust through the previously set standard like the Incredible Hulk, inspire dreamers, and become GREAT!

They don’t accept being someone’s definition of “pretty good!”

I can’t either.

Will you?

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After almost three hours at the gym that Friday, soaked with sweat, I handed the basketball back to the staff member and someone I had never seen before said, “Your shot looks a little flat, but it’s pretty good.”

I said nothing, knowing that “pretty good” is only a momentary rest stop for where I’m going.

me vs. MJ…the fantastic journey continues!  As always, thank you for supporting me and for following along.

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Me vs. Garfield Blair Tomorrow!!!!

Tomorrow I’ll lace up the Jordans and take on my next 1-on-1 opponent Garfield Blair!  Garfield (6’5″) is the starting shooting guard for the Jamaican National team.  (Read more about Garfield here)

Be sure to check back for pictures and video!!

Wish me luck!!!

The Chicago Bulls were in town (Orlando/1997) and going through the pregame warm-ups prior to facing off against the Magic.  I was in my usual “TV” seat, second row, one seat from the end, closest to the goal, on the baseline.

It was a regular season game, but when the Bulls and Jordan were in town, it might as well have been the playoffs.

During my days in television, I always liked to get to the games as early as possible and watch players and their pregame routines.  A lot of players were and are very methodical in what they do as they warm up.  Really it sways to superstitious more than anything.  When certain players would come to town I could tell you then exactly what they were going to do before the game, prior to them even stepping on the court.

On this night I wouldn’t learn a new pre-game routine.  Instead, I would get a glimpse into what it takes to be great.

The Bulls were going through the line, one after the other, in the most pure pregame basketball warm-up…the layup line.  Michael Jordan would get the pass and usually never even take one dribble.  Instead he’d smoothly jog to the basket, as it only took two long strides once he caught the ball, and lay the ball in.

Ron Harper came through the line and put the ball up haphazardly and it rimmed out.  As he ran to get in line behind Jordan on the opposite side of the court, MJ’s face was scolding hot.  He seemed so bothered by his teammate’s lack of focus.

I was amazed by this.

Even I knew that making or missing a lay-up in pre-game drills wouldn’t affect the outcome of the game.

Or would it?

Now some years later, due to my line of business, I’ve had the blessing of being around and having in depth conversations with many entrepreneurs and business leaders.  The one factor that I have picked up on with the great ones is their attention to detail.  Not only are they visionaries, they also capture every aspect of each project with microscopic precision.  They understand that being excellent at all the small pieces will ensure overall greater success…or greatness.

This is exactly what Jordan was doing on that evening in Orlando.

Michael Jordan was a top tier athlete, but the NBA is filled with rare athleticism.  Michael is six feet, six inches tall, but the NBA is overflowing with men that height and taller.

Michael became the greatest because of his attention to detail.  His focus on every aspect, including pregame lay-ups.  His relentless pursuit of excellence at every small part of the big picture that is basketball.

The silhouette of MJ stretched out, flying through the air, hasn’t become a Worldwide symbol for him, brand Jordan, and greatness by accident.

Being Great is SERIOUS business!