Mind Gym
Fearless
Pillar 2
Take the shot. The fear of missing is the only thing that makes you miss.
Four airballs. In 1997 Kobe was an 18 year old rookie in a playoff game against Utah, with the season on the line. He took the big shots at the end and shot four airballs, one to end regulation and three in overtime. The Lakers were eliminated. He later called it misery, and said it helped shape him. He went back to the gym and spent that summer shooting. The next season he was an All Star.
The part people miss. Everyone remembers the misses. What matters is that an 18 year old wanted the ball in that moment at all, and wanted it again the next time. Kobe went on to miss more shots than any player in NBA history. He is also one of the greatest scorers who ever lived. Those two facts live together, and that is the whole point. You cannot make the shot you are too afraid to take.
Fearless does not mean no fear. It means feeling the fear and taking the shot anyway. It is being willing to look bad, to miss, to be the one who failed in front of everyone, because you would rather risk that than play small and safe your whole career.
Play free, not scared. Athletes who play scared play not to lose. The ones who play free play to win. And you can only play free when your worth is not riding on the outcome. That is why we build self worth first, so a miss is just a miss, not proof of anything about you.
Find one moment today where you would normally hold back: the hard pass, the move, the shot, the question. Take it. Miss if you miss. You are practicing being fearless on purpose.
Write It Out
Take the shot
- 01
Where do you hold back so you will not look bad?
- 02
What is the worst thing that actually happens if you miss?
- 03
What would you try this week if a miss said nothing about your worth?
Opens these questions in your private Mind Gym journal.