I have always been a good player of the game but as I got older, lets face it.....Ward got better! LOL, I actually use to step on court and feel inferior to my competition. I would hold back from taking the wide open jump shot and defer to the other sucka to win the game. It wasn't that I wanted to be the GOAT, but I knew that after shooting over 200 jumpers each day, that I was more than capable of taking the last shot. My confidence was at about 60% on a good day, but I still loved this game of basketball.
This sport kept me physically fit, showed me that I could work good being part of a team and of course*** how to win!!!!
This is how it all started, back in middle school I decided to try out for the squad and I was immediately cut lol! I laugh because the basketball coach came back to me 2 weeks later and said one of the guys he cut me 4 had decided he wanted to play baseball instead of hooping for him. Yeah, I was a sucka for being the 2nd choice, but heck I wanted to ball for my school! To no ones surprise, Wardy didn't get much playing time. Actually, I am quite happy looking back because not playing made me hungry to get better. I had to learn to become a good outsider spot shooter, I had to learn to make the no look pass and I had to learn where everybody was suppose to be on the court at all times. I had no grand disillusions of making it to the NBA but I knew playing division 1 was a very real possibility, if my road to basketball improvement was successful.
Time went by I accomplished me goal of getting better, especially once I realized the role of psychology involved in basketball. I figured out by asking my opponents key questions at the right time gave me a competitive advantage. For example, I would ask a guy shooting a free throw "Do you breathe in or out before releasing the ball oh never mind I guess it doesn't matter if you don't know". This little sentence would make the guy think about the question and loose focus of the shot. Another trick I often used was mention to the competition how good I was at defense after I blocked a shot, made a steal or doubled up on another player.
These skills turned out to work great in the employment area also. If you are on your job and are not stepping up to take the lead on projects, have a good ideal during round tables or being the person to get it done, then you are just like I was back in the day---Just being happy to be on the team. That is just not effective. I suggest that you take the time to learn not only your job, but those of your contemporaries too! At work you must earn a reputation of the person who comes in early and sometimes stays late and who definitely gets the job done. Psychology is involved in the work place because you must let everyone know that you are nice and friendly but when it comes down to it.....You are not one to be played with or taken lightly! I am not saying doing anything crazy, but make it known that in the game only the best players get the ring each year!!!!
Anywho, years went by and played a myriad of games and came out with a very high winning percentage. I learned to create my own shot, never force it, respect my competition and always gave 100% and was able to live with the results, knowing I did the best I could. I always held the best player on the other team (to learn from them win or loose) to show my team that if I can do it, they could too! I am confident to this very day because of love and basketball and I only see me getting better. Never been one to be cocky because through out my life I had to work/hustle for everything I ever had, which has kept me humble and appreciative. I encourage everyone go play basketball and do your job suckers!!!
I am ward.....
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