My friend Kyle Collinsworth just posted on X (formerly Twitter) that European basketball is taking over USA basketball because they focus on skill development. Not just on playing more or getting more play time. When you have deliberate practice like Kobe Bryant then you’ll elevate your game.
Kobe Bryant would practice more than other players in the NBA. He was known to get up early at 4 am in the morning and get a practice session in before other NBA players would wake up. By the time other players started practicing he would have one or two practice sessions already in.
This is true in every aspect of your life. If you develop your skills and focus on making your skills and abilities stronger it will serve you when you need them. It’s exactly what Stephen R. Covey taught when he wrote in his book 7 Habits for the Highly Effective People, “Sharpen the saw.” You have to continually develop your skills day after day so you don’t get left behind!
When you stop learning every day that’s when you lose your edge. Others will begin to catch up to your skill level. It’s only when you are learning each and every day that you truly develop your skillset.