We are in the middle of the NBA finals right now and there is a lot of excitement and buzz, despite the fact that it's the same two teams going head-to-head for the Championship title that have been in the finals every year since 2015 - the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. the Golden State Warriors. While I admit that I am not the world's biggest basketball fan, it is hard to not get caught up in the excitement of it all. As I am writing this, the Warriors have taken a 2-0 lead in the finals. Even if you are not an avid basketball watcher, you may have heard all about how game # 1 of the series ended. The Warriors pulled out a 124-114 overtime victory against the Cavaliers after Cleveland's JR Smith did something on the court which left a lot of people scratching their heads and extremely upset. The Cavs blew a golden opportunity to beat the Golden State Warriors in game one, when Smith mistakenly thought his team was winning the game. With seconds left on the clock in Game 1 of the NBA finals, and a tie score, JR Smith grabbed a key offensive rebound from a team member's missed free throw. With enough time left in the game, and a clear shot to be able to shoot the ball, score and win the game, Smith ended up dribbling away with the ball instead of taking the shot. The clock ran out and JR was seemingly unaware that the score was tied. After the game, Smith said that he had had a plan, but he never explained why his plan did not include taking what would have been the game-winning layup shot!
My sons no longer play organized basketball, but I use the famous quote "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" all of the time when I speak with them. While this can apply to basketball (and certainly it is very fitting with the JR Smith story that I shared), it was actually the famous hockey player Wayne Gretsky that coined the phrase. I think that "missing all of the shots that you do not take" is applicable to so much more than hockey and basketball. If you are 'sitting on the sidelines' of life, then you are missing out on so many valuable and potentially life-changing opportunities. Have you resisted taking your workout to the next level because you are afraid it will be too hard and that you might injure yourself? If you don't give it a try, you will never know what you are capable of. Is there a promotional opportunity at work that you would be perfect for, but you haven't thrown your hat in the ring because you fear rejection? Your boss may think you are not interested in the job. Did you pass on a blind date because you convinced yourself that there was no way this could be "the one"? If I had done that 24 years ago (and I almost did), I would never have met my husband!
If you feel as if your life is a series of missed opportunities, I am not encouraging you to host a pity party for one. It is time to turn your luck around and the only way to do that is to get in the game. The Germans actually have a word for the kind of fear that keeps doors closed - "torschlusspanik" - which can be roughly translated to mean "gate-shutting panic". I want to push you to open those gates! You need to take some risks and push yourself out of your comfort zone so that you will not be looking back someday with regret. It's never too late to enroll in school, go out on a blind date, search for better a job, or seek out those chances you feel you missed out on. Is your self image an issue? Why not take some time to work on your physique, or practice social skills at local hobby meet-ups, or just talk to strangers in the checkout line? Do you feel that not having enough money is an issue to get back to school? Why not consult the staff at the financial aid office at the school you would like to attend?
While it is true that there is no way you can change the past and go back and take the shots that you passed on, most people you know will have no idea about your litany of missed chances unless you choose to tell them. My suggestion is find little ways to start over and reinvent yourself every day. You can finally update your resume so you are ready for any new job opportunities that come your way. You can get a membership to a gym where you don't know anyone and make new friends while you are making over your body. You can sign up for a cake-decorating or jewelry making class and meet people with similar interests.
Did you know that the once powerhouse camera company Kodak actually invented the first digital camera in 1975 but decided against running with the idea? You know how that story ends...the company that was once so popular that photos became known as "Kodak moments" only escaped complete bankruptcy in 2013 by selling off its patents. Did you know that Blockbuster turned down the opportunity to purchase a then little-known company called Netflix back in the year 2000? Now Netflix is valued at over $19 billion and your old Blockbuster card won't get you anything since they had to close the last of their 9,000 stores a few years ago!
You don't want to be remembered like Kodak, Blockbuster or JR Smith - for your missed opportunity and broken dreams. Take the shot! I not only want you to take the little shots, the easy layups that are a sure thing, I also want you to dream big! I will leave you with another wonderful quote: "Shoot for the moon...even if you miss, you will land among the stars."