You often hear Coaches or T.V. announcers refer to players as “self made.” How else are players made? Coaches and trainers can provide all the tools for players to improve, but it is up to the player to put in the time and effort.
The book “When the Game was Ours” by Jackie MacMullen tells about the lives of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and their relationship with one another. Here are two of the many stories about the legendary work ethics of two of the greatest players ever.
During his summers with the Celtics Larry Bird would get up at 7am and run 5 miles uphill. Then he would ride his bike through the Indiana country for 20 miles. This was followed by 500 jump shots and 500 free throws. It was only the start of his workout and it was all done before noon.
When Magic Johnson was in high school, Dick Vitale, who was coaching in Detroit at the time, showed up at the Johnson household one winter morning shortly after 6am. When Vitale asked for Magic, his mother told Vitale that he had already left for the day. He was at the park shooting jumpers before school in the blistering cold of a Lansing winter morning.
You can make excuses about how you don’t have time or you don’t have a gym or whatever else you can think of. The truth is that is that’s all garbage. If you really want to be great you find the time, you find the space, and you make it happen.