Presence & Basketball

[Anonymous]

 

I won a hard basketball game today in the sweltering heat by being present to  ineffective strategies. I remember my last one-on-one basketball game a year and a half ago where I lost to a much smaller opponent. I know size doesn’t matter, but I beat him handedly in the first game. During the second game, I said to myself let him win and  then win the tie breaking third game. I was really tired defending a smaller guy. I gave up – no very Jordanesq. I kept missing jumper after jumper.

I told a woman I was talking at that time that I was weak minded because of my mentality.

 

This is a microcosm for my life – being trapped by limited thinking that I’m aware of.

 

Today, I decided to use my size early when I saw I wouldn’t make many jumpshots. My opponent was about 5’9 150.I’m 6’3 205 with a combined bench, squat, deadlift over 1000 lbs. I was down about two and gained the league by driving hard to the hoop, something I never really do; he complimented me on my takes to the hoop. I won by controlling my mind. Even if I lost, I would still feel good about myself because I played differently. I felt scared asserting myself, I thought I would hurt him or something.

 

I’ve been using a lot of mindfulness and basketball the last week. I make so many shots when I’m focused and miss a lot when I’m thinking. I have to use this in my everyday life. I even change my shooting motion and form when I notice bad habits. I actually practiced some drills, I was not frustrated that I missed shots or felt awkward performing new movements. It made practice fun. I just kept breathing and focused on the present, not the result. Those actions helped me win the game today.

 

 

 

Topic

[Leigh]

That’s awesome, mate. Life is won and lost in the mind and it seems like you’re starting to realise that.

Keep up the good work.

[Anonymous]

Today I won another one-on-one basketball game using presence.

I saw someone shooting on a court I hate playing on while walking towards my usual court. He was my height, and was dunking.

I guess I was intimidated; the closer I got the more my heart raced.

I admitted my nervousness; breathed fully a few times; used a Buddhist technique similar to Leigh’s approach anxiety to breathe out confidence.

I instantly started smiling, then warmed up and challenged him.

I won by two points.

(Fear is a funny thing. The basketball court was uneven so he was dunking on a lower court)

 

[Leigh]

Great to hear, mate. Well done. It seems like this is working for you. Keep it up.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never claimed to be great/good/average/etc. at basketball.

I won three more games today. In the past, I had so many doubts. Now, I never doubt myself not even when I’m losing a game. Today, walking toward the court, full of potential one-on-one games, I smiled, thinking who would I beat today. Its a great feeling!

[Anonymous]

I’ve never been totally present while playing basketball, but today I was present enough to read my opponent’s body language to cross him over a few times to get to the cup for easy buckets. This was more responsive than reactionary.

I guess I can practice empathy one anyone even on the basketball court. I asked myself what is he about to do defensively – he’s gonna swipe at the ball. He did  it seconds later. How does he feel – he’s tired post him up. A few moments later he quit – he stated he was tired.

I’m starting to put the theories into practice more and more. I caught myself about to use an old mechanism to fulfill a old, bad script this morning when I awoke to get to my desired experience.

So I changed it.

Bored -> Current Experience

Content/Excited -> Desired Experience

Fantasize -> Original Mechanism

Meditate -> New Mechanism

Later

Dissatisfied -> Current Experience

Satisfied -> Desired Experience

Porn/Masturbation -> Original Mechanism

Play Basketball -> New Mechanism

 

 

 

 

 

[Author]

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