There's that old cliche image that keeps popping up in my head, of a proud parent consoling their kid after a tough loss. This has happened to me countless times in the past, and to have my mom there for me through all of the injuries, big games, disappointments, wins, losses, and all of that, is special. I remember playing my first college game on my mom's birthday, and scoring my first college points that day. That may have been the best gift I could ever give back. Don't get me wrong, a lot of us are who we are, where we are because of our parents.
But here's the problem, there's also a need for someone to push us in our lives, even harder than we push ourselves. It's nice to have someone to make you feel good about yourself, but I'd trade that for the cold, hard, honest truth any day. I've grown up pretty self motivated, that's what kept me outside shooting in my driveway in the dark, and in the rain, or had me in my garage jumping rope and dribbling late at night. I'm more thankful though for everyone that provided the outside influence everyday to me that I have faults, and I can always be better.
How often do you hear someone say that, "kids are different these days," or "it ain't how it used to be." This is a rare statement that probably will reign true through generations to come. I always appreciated the tough love. In the eyes of our parents, many of us can do no wrong. I'm guilty of that myself, and through my years of experience as a journalist and as a coach, it's proven true time and time again.
So ask yourself, how great could I have been if for every time one person told me, "Oh it's OK that you lost you played well," you instead heard, "Losing is not acceptable. It happens, but you better get over it and work harder to correct the mistakes,"?
Unfortunately, we'll never know. It's a flaw in our upbringing, and like everything else in our past, we can't go back to it. So my challenge to you is to push yourself, and those around you, to strive for more in life. Don't ever let anyone you care about settle for less than their best, or less than they deserve. If you hold those around you to higher standards, chances are you will hold yourself to them as well. I'm not perfect, and that's my first sin every single day. I'm not proud of some things in my past, a few things in my present, and many more things likely due to happen in the future. It helps me to know that others are proud of me, but it also should motivate me to really give them something to talk about.
If you take anything from this post, just remember that a false sense of pride is poisonous. Don't ask for compliments, ask for critiques. Live in your own reality, and remember that success is a journey, so keep pushing.
TP
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