Skill

Individual skill training outside of regular team practices is one of the most important factors that separates average players from great ones. If you practice less than your peers, they will pass you; if you practice the same as them, you will progress at the same pace; but if you train more—two, three, or even four times more—you will soon pull far ahead, creating separation that cannot be ignored.

 

As the late Kobe Bryant famously said, “confidence comes from preparation.” And preparation means going beyond what is expected, pushing through extra sessions, and refining skills when no one is watching. There is no real secret—the greats openly share their routines, their methods, and the drills that built their careers. The knowledge is available, but the truth is that only a select few are willing to do the uncomfortable, consistent, and sometimes excruciating work required to reach the highest level.

 

Today, with access to endless resources, anyone can develop talent, but the real question remains: will you be one of the few who takes that knowledge and turns it into action, grinding day after day to sharpen your skills, build your confidence, and rise above the rest? Because in the end, greatness is not given—it is earned through relentless work outside of the spotlight. I will leave you with one more quote from the Black Mamba:

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"Those times when you get up early, and you work hard, those times when you stay up late, and you work hard, those times when you don't feel like working, you're too tired, you don't want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream. That's the dream. It's not the destination; it's the journey"

-- Kobe Bryant --