3 Points to Ponder
- “Many times, we mistake hard work for luck. For those on the outside, all they see is the tip of the iceberg of all the hard work that has gone into the success they are seeing. The years and years of daily grind add up until a breakthrough happens. It isn’t in one event on its own, rather an accumulation of events leading to that one moment. What is one thing you need to stay in the grind right now?”
- “Learning to be ‘all in’ is an acquired skill. When first starting, one thinks they are all in, only to look back years later and realize they had no idea what the commitment would really take. Our capacity to be all in expands as we continue on the path before us. What was once hard becomes easier over time, and we are now able to handle more. Where is one area of life you need to continue to commit to being all in?”
- “Surrender is tough, but we must embrace it in our life. To become the person God says we are, we need to surrender that which we are clutching. This includes letting go of hate, anger, resentment, and bigotry we’ve held onto because in some way, it defined us. We trust there is more and better than these identities we’ve accepted for ourselves. How is an unhealthy identity holding you back and why will you not surrender this identity to God?”
2 Quotes to Share
“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason very few engage in it.” – Henry Ford
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie
1 Story of Impact
I remember the first time I met him. It was over Christmas break of ‘91 at the Central College Fieldhouse Gym on the center court. His name was Kyle Korver, his dad was potentially going to be the pastor at our church, and he was from California. And yes, he had blond wavy hair and blue eyes. I happened to be the best basketball player in my grade and Kyle, being a grade below me, thought he was pretty good as well. We battled that day. For hours. From five-on-five games to one-on-one games after the bigger games, there was an unspoken note about who was best. Little did I know this would continue for the next six years. Kyle Korver definitely got the best of me as a basketball player, as he went on to become a 17 year NBA vet, all-star, and one of the most prolific NBA shooters of all time. What others don’t know about Kyle is the incredible hard work he put into his craft. No one outworked Kyle. I remember growing up (we ended up being neighbors), I’d look over to Kyle’s backyard and see if his court light was on and he was shooting. It typically was, so I would drag my butt out and I’d start shooting. For me, there was a point where I was satisfied with my work. For him, it never stopped. He absolutely deserved the breaks he got to become the NBA player he became. It wasn’t luck. I’m so excited to see where Kyle goes with his next step outside of being an NBA player. He has a heart to help people and speak out against injustice. If you haven’t read his article called Privileged, read it now. Now, instead of looking out the window and seeing if Kyle is still shooting hoops, I look out the window and see what Kyle is doing next. And it gives me fuel to keep going.
