The NBA for me was the absolute best during the 90’s. However, I do enjoy watching Lebron, Kobe (RIP), and Curry show off their superhuman skills. In my mind, nothing was comparable to witnessing Michael Jordan perform for the world on a Sunday afternoon in the 90’s. Partly because those times flood me with cherished memories of family, fun and togetherness. On the other hand, by the age of 12, I was able to dissect a game, recite
stats, strengths, weakness, agility and the interviewing skills of my favorite players. A handful of my favs included Shaq, Scottie, Reggie Miller, Dennis Rodman, Charles Barkley, and my number one player of all time, Michael Jordan. Watching Jordan play was like magic. He defied gravity. His moves were effortless. Mike’s moves on the court were as smooth as butter.
Like a warm croissant to a bread lover. Like a hot cup of coca in the cold. His ball palm was amusing to watch. He’d grip the ball with one hand and move the ball from side to side ensuring his opponent would not reach the ball, like a game of cat and mouse. His flawless fade away made him appear as if he was hovering backwards in mid jump. His slam dunk is arguably one of the greatest slam dunks of all times.
Then we had the stutter step.
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines stutter step as: a momentary hesitation or false step done to fake out an opponent. The fake out. Jordan used the stutter step move often. Mike’s zeal for the game of basketball was evident when watching the expressions on his face, especially when he did this move. Each time it was executed exceptionally well. The precision and quickness of his feet put you in a trance.
By the time the opponents realized what was happening, MJ was off to score.
[Watch this clip of MJ doing the move, it’s captivating. https://youtu.be/yqo2Bw_sLXA ]
After thinking about it deeper, I realized that Michael Jordan taught me a few things about life within his game. One, strive to be the best at your game. Two, follow through. Three, become a champion at whatever you do. BE LIKE MIKE. Finish what you start!! Step through your stutter.
ANOTHER AGAIN….Ssstttttuuuuter [No offense to anyone]
Completing projects/goals/tasks/rounds/lessons/levels whatever you coin them as requires a deep desire. Something more than a temporal feeling. Our intentions are usually good at the beginning. We’re motivated, pumped, excited but when the heat is turned up, or distraction presents itself, or we get lazy – all bets are off. Then we “try” to get back to it, try to get it done, but we fail. How many times have you started and stopped a project? [Too many to count, yeah, me too.] How many times have you used a brilliant excuse for a project that you did not complete? [I know, how many fingers and toes can you spare? I was notorious for this. Let me be candid, I still struggle in some areas.] It's like being on a merry-go-round of unfinished business.
Mike taught me a thing about follow through when he did the stutter step move, it makes you victorious on the other end of the stutter.
Just think of it like this, when we start a goal/project, that’s the stepping. When we stop get distracted or derailed, that’s the stutter. The opponent that we are trying evade it ourselves because it's only you vs you. The only difference between us and MJ is that we put down the ball [project/task] all together. Mike followed through with the fade way or slam dunk to score. He never made excuses. Instead he produced results regardless of the conditions. Immaculate defense. Trash talk. Another skilled player. Misstep from teammates. No matter the circumstance, he followed through. Can you fathom MJ, decorated with all his accolades, stuttering and not following through with the shots? We would not know him for the superb basketball player that he is. If we stop stuttering on our goals/projects, then we would be champions at them like Mike.
F*&k Them Excuses – You’re A Champion!
Let’s stop doing the fake out with ourselves and follow through on what we start. The goal is to progress, not be perfect. F*&k them excuses. Finish the workout plan, finish writing the book, finish the business plan, finish painting the garage, finish reading the book, finish the degree, finish the therapy sessions, finish saving the money for the large purchase, finish folding the laundry for God sakes, just complete the commitment you made to gradually becoming the best version of you. Let’s cease with the starting and stopping. One of my favorite artists, Kanye, said “did you realize that were a champion in their eyes? This is the story of a champion. Runners on their mark and they pop their guns. Stand up, stand, here we come.”
How are you coming? With results? Or excuses?
Let’s follow through on the move because we are champions!!
You are a champion!
SAY IT ALOUD: I 'M A CHAMPION! No more stuttering my our steps!
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