The James Clear newsletter last week shared this thought at the end, submitted by a reader:
“My dad and I love basketball. We used to play hoops in the front yard almost every day when I was growing up. He was also my coach for many years.
One thing that always stuck with me was him saying “shoot to make it.” I think there’s a lot of moments in basketball and in life where we are just “throwing a shot up” and hoping it goes in.
How I interpreted his mantra was to have intention. If you are going to take a shot, take a good one and take it to make it. I always come back to what he said when I’m evaluating decisions I’m making and actions I take.
Am I shooting to make it?”
It’s an argument for not going through the motions. For intention. For quality. For believing in what we do. It’s the gentle interpretation of my admiration for Brennan Lee Mulligan or characters like Katsuki Bakugo in My Hero Academia who fixate on winning or being the best. Because if you’re going to play . . . to try . . . why wouldn’t you try to succeed?
It’s also far from a lot of the skepticism and apathy I’ve been swimming in, so it’s good for me to read something that aligns more closely with what I believe when I’m at my best.
With Love,
Natalie