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Carl Miller

A New Mode Of Thinking 

It was my second year as a professional basketball player and I had just signed for the best team in the country. Pre season training had been a gruelling one and the team that had been put together was one full of superstars. Although I did not see myself as a superstar, it felt great to play with these players as I had watched a lot of them growing up, and to now be practicing with them on a daily basis was fantastic to me as I saw it as a great opportunity to improve my skill sets and learn from the best in the game at that time.

I was not only blessed to be playing in this situation, but the coach of the team was the best in the country and had been for quite some time. Needless to say he had very high expectations of every one of his players and didn't mind letting us know when we made mistakes. This was fine as we were there to win so this came with the territory.

We had flown out to Portugal to play in a pre- season tournament with other top teams in Europe.  Until this point the starting 5 had not been chosen by the coach yet. As we warmed up for the first game the coach called us all in and went through our game time preparations, what offences and defences he wanted us to play and who would be matched up against the opposing players we were about to play. To my surprise my name was called in the starting 5. Wow!! I was about to start for the top team in the country for the best coach. The disadvantaged thinking demons instantly started to do their work in my mind(which is where most disadvantaged thinking starts). Questions like "am I really deserving of this spot? I mean I'm playing ahead of players whom I've looked up to for as long as I could remember" " would I remember all the plays, would I make the shots I took or would I miss them all?" The more I thought the lower and less confident I felt.

It was soon the tip off and the game started. Even whilst the game was going on these thoughts still circled around in my head so much that I made 3 mistakes on the first 3 shots  I took. The shots I took were shots that I practiced every day, and were usually effortless to me. Each time I made a mistake my mind focused on it. I focused more on what the players who I'd beat out for my position must be saying, what the coach must be thinking even people in the crowd. The half time horn was so welcoming to me because I just knew I'd stunk up the gym in the first half of my first game. I just knew I'd lost my starting spot. I just hoped I hadn't lost my job. 

In our half time talk I was surprised that the coach hadn't mentioned any of my mistakes, until we were just about to go back onto the court he ripped into me telling me all the silly mistakes I had made in the first half. Have you ever had that feeling of wanting to just curl up and hide because of embarrassment ? Well that was exactly how I felt. The good thing though was that I was still in the starting 5 for the second half, as he hadn't changed the line up. 

Warming up for the second half I went back to the place where the negativity had started MY MIND!! I went back to the times when I'd worked out so hard and had saw the great results in practice that had led me to the here and now. As I reflected I also remembered all the positives about my game and why I had been chosen to start in the first place. I visioned an empty gym and a basket. The thousands of people in the crowd disappeared the feeling that came over me was a calm and happy one. The feelings I got when I practiced surrounded me. I was now in my comfort zone and it showed. As I got ready to go back out on the court the coach pulled me to one side and whispered something in my ear, which since that point I have said to myself time and time since. He simply said "Do You" and that's exactly what I did. In the second half of the game I was a totally different player I was in a place of comfort. Although the game was a close one This didn't phase me anymore because the stress and doubt could not enter my comfort zone. We won the game by 2 points. 

The learning I took from this game was enormous ,because before each game for the rest of that season I would mentally tune in to my comfort zone and be mentally prepared to "Do Me". That season our team won every trophy we played in. I even received an MVP in one of the trophy finals. 

Many years later I use these same principles everywhere I go. My passion now is to help everyone I meet transform their mindset from negative to positive. Which in turn leads them to not only become a part of society and the communities they live in, but thrive and be the best they can be.