“And That’s It!”: Why Focus is All You Need
Divorce is one of the most unpleasant experiences a person could ever go through. The negotiations are gruesome, going back and forth to each party until they finally agree to settle on some common ground. Divorce is venomous, and the separation can be brutal for one or both sides.
The world of basketball is no stranger to nasty divorces. And no, I’m not talking about Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa (because they still stayed together despite the cheating), or some other baller and his wife who may or may have not separated. It’s a divorce between two teammates.
And like any other divorce, it can get grisly and just plain nasty. Nasty, nasty, nasty!
I can understand the feeling of resentment felt by the player who got left with his old team because his teammate chose to join a younger, stronger more disciplined team (as is the case with Russel Westbrook when Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the already stupendous Golden State Warriors).
But it’s also interesting to dissect the mind of the teammate who left. What could have been his motivation? Greener pasture? Bigger market? Better teammates? Better coach? A more disciplined system that brings out the best in every athlete? What is it? What could it be? Durant never attempted to explain himself too much, and I feel like we shouldn’t expect him to either.
But let’s say for the sake of argument, we really wanted that peace of mind that comes with knowing why a superstar player left your team, the best case study would be the recent “break-up” of two of NBA’s most famous and sought after athletes: LeBron James, the “king” of basketball and all its glory, and Kyrie Irving, one of the brightest rising stars of the league who is likened to having the same mamba mentality as Kobe Bryant, another league legend.
After three seasons, three NBA finals trips, and one championship, Irving left the Cleveland Cavaliers squad to go to the Boston Celtics. And his move was widely considered as one of the most controversial decisions in the modern basketball era since the aforementioned transfer of Durant to Golden State and James himself when he first let Ohio and moved to South Beach to join the Miami Heat.
Everybody thought Irving’s move was crazy. Why leave a championship caliber team and move to its major competitor in the eastern conference? Many had posted that question. While some may have thought of it as bold, more people think of it as craziness.
But try to take a closer look. Try to examine Irving’s personality and his career history, and you will begin to see his career trajectory.
In an interview with Irving, he was quoted with a statement that speaks volumes about his future decision to leave one of the greatest basketball players of all time:
“My focus is basketball, and that’s it.”
My focus is basketball. And that’s it. Pretty simple and straightforward. And it should be enough. Irving doesn’t want all the drama that comes with being the teammate of the best player in the world. He doesn’t want to deal with being in the spotlight all the time and having to explain himself to press conferences after every game.
Or maybe he does, but it should mainly be about basketball, and not about anything else that goes with being famous. None of the partying, clubbing at night, being seen with celebrities, and stuff that can take your eye off from the prize. The coveted Larry O’ Brien trophy that NBA players hug tighter than their wives during the champagne celebration at the locker room.
Irving is a cut above the rest. He’s not in the league for the glitz and glamour; although because of his sheer skill and talent the media can’t help but flock to him. He is a special breed of athlete, but not solely because of his basketball prowess.
It’s the audacity to make such a bold move and walk away from the “king” of basketball and his championship-ready team to focus on his one thing only — to play the game he loves.
We can learn a thing or two from Kyrie Irving in that we need to have the same audacity to walk away from things that will distract us from achieving our true goal. Choosing a different path, a less popular path, a more difficult path, to help you stay focused.
How many of you can honestly do what Kyrie Irving did?
If you will supplant another word for basketball to express your main goal where your focus is, what would it be? My focus is my business, and that’s it. My focus is growing as a leader, and that’s it. My focus is increasing profits, and that’s it. My focus is leaving a legacy, and that’s it.
What’s your focus? Where’s your focus? How can you be audacious in pursuing your focus? Learn to know what it is, and make every effort to do it with love and passion. And that’s it.
