I was listening to a podcast the other day and while it was filled with so many great tid-bits, there was one thing the guest spoke about that really hit me and made me really reflect…he was talking about how in basketball, you can’t focus on the past or the future really. You can only focus on the present moment because if you are lost in the last play or thinking too much into the future, the person you are supposed to be guarding has already swooped up and is now scoring a point because you didn’t have your head in the current moment and time.
His point was especially focused on when we mess up (so the past), and how we can live so deeply in that. We allow it to consume us, overthink it, play it out differently in our heads. While it is important to work through certain aspects of the past, living in it can be so detrimental to the life we are currently living.
I think about how many of us, especially us women, are constantly striving for a semblance of perfection, whether it’s conscious or unconscious. Through life, we were given reassurances when we did “good” and as a result, it is hard not to get caught up in our mistakes or downfalls. Which is why this next point was so profound for me…
The speaker on the podcast emphasized that in order to keep going, you just have to focus on the next play. You turnover the ball, next play. The person you are guarding scores a basket, next play. If you focus on getting down on yourself, your mind isn’t in the current game and it leads to more and more mistakes. But instead, if you take note, okay I made a mistake, how can I do better, alright, let’s move on to the next.
We are never going to be perfect. We will make mistakes and do things we wish we didn’t, but we are humans and it happens. Don’t beat yourself up, don’t allow it to derail you, just focus on the next play. For example, you are didn’t get a workout in for the day? That is okay, focus on the next day (or next play). Maybe you raised your voice at your toddler? That is okay. Take note, and do better the rest of the day (next play).
Don’t allow your HUMANNESS to affect you from reaching your goals and becoming the person you want to be. Learn from it, and move on.
NEXT PLAY.
Please see the podcast below if you are interested!
xoxo,
Melissa
