When you’ve lived the majority of your life viewing yourself as only an athlete, it can be pretty difficult to switch gears and imagine yourself doing something else. Such was the case with me two years ago. I had been waiting about a year and a half for my opportunity to play basketball professionally overseas. After hearing “no” more times than I’d like to remember, I started to give up. Time was ticking and my dream of becoming a pro didn’t look so promising at all.
My relentless nature wouldn’t allow me to give up, and shortly after my breaking point I finally signed my first professional contract to play in Portugal. I was happy to finally be on the path of my dreams, but strangely enough, I didn’t feel like I thought I would. See, something happened during those one and a half years of being on the sideline. I finally realized who I was.
Yes, my whole life I identified as a basketball player. That’s the lens I used to view myself and the world. However, my long waiting season showed me that basketball isn’t everything. It’s simply a vehicle to live out my purpose. Each year that I’ve played since the age of 5 was just another layer of wisdom and life lessons learned from the game. I came to the realization that it doesn’t matter if I’m dribbling a ball or running a business, I will always have the lessons from my experiences. It’s my job to use what I’ve gained to add value to every space I find myself, whether I foresaw myself being there or not. It takes time, but every athlete has the capacity to help someone else by sharing their powerful story. I hope you find the peace and courage to share yours!
