How Risking it All in Basketball Leads to MORE Success.
Hey Everyone,
Today, I want to build on last week’s conversation about taking risks and how it can advance your skill set. To illustrate this idea, I want to share a lesson I taught my eldest daughter (11 years old) the other day using a basketball game called "Around the World."
It’s a fun game where you shoot from different spots around the court, and if you make it all the way around, you win. But here's the twist: you get two shots and one gamble at each spot. If you gamble and miss, you go back to the beginning.
Key Takeaways:
- Gamble on Every Shot: Just like in the game, take risks in your business. If you miss, you get more opportunities to learn and improve. This approach can give you more practice, helping you refine your skills faster than others.
- View Misses as Opportunities: Missing a shot isn’t failure—it’s a chance to get better. In business, every mistake or setback is an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Constant Small Risks Lead to Success: By consistently taking small risks, you’ll naturally become more skilled and successful. This mindset helps you become a well-rounded marketer and entrepreneur.
- Don’t Be Risk-Averse: Avoiding risks may seem safe, but it limits your growth. Taking those necessary shots is how you advance in your business and improve your skills.
So, just like in the game of Around the World, I want you to approach your business by taking small risks that will lead to more opportunities. It’s these chances that will make you a more skilled and successful entrepreneur. Don’t shy away from taking those shots—you’ll only get better with each one.
I’d love to hear what you think about this. If you’ve played basketball, share your strategy for playing Around the World. Let’s get the conversation going in the comments. Have a wonderful week ahead!
Recent Comments
57
Good morning Kyle,
That's a great example, as to regarding moving our online business forward.
I have never played basketball, but I do understand where you're coming from. If we do something and it doesn't quite work out, we need to learn from our mistakes and quickly move forward. I actually find it very satisfying to learn new skills, it's amazing how quickly we can learn when we take action!
Wishing you a fantastic day.
Roy
I totally agree, Roy! I've never played either, but I played netball at school and eventually became a country player. So they're very similar.
But yes, it's a great analogy!!
Hope you're thriving and living life to the full!!
Yeah, most sports have a lot of similarities in terms of risk, leading to more reward. The less risk you take, the less you learn, and the less you accomplish as a result.
We have to do things that don't work out, in order t learn what works out. This is no different than shooting a basketball, as it is to taking shots at different things in business. These are required to achieve success! ;)
Agree absolutely. It's all a question of detaching and not taking everything personally, I think!
One analogy I like to use is walking for the first time...... if you watch a baby trying out walking, having crawled for a good while, it's incredible that they are prepared to try to do what everyone around them is doing. They take countless risks, get hurt, etc., just for those few frolicsome steps towards an ecstatic, open-armed adult!!
So, we all want an ideal life—we want not to sacrifice or compromise and live unswervingly devoted to our creativity, thoughts, and judgements. We want to develop our little piece of the internet so that people wake up in the morning just dying to visit us and learn and grow as a result.
Our potential audiences are the ecstatic audience, so we have to approach them in as many different ways as we can until they're completely sold on our brand. Like your basket shots.......such excellent practice, and you're putting your ego entirely aside to enable that!!
Shortcuts are another analogy for me. People get annoyed by my refusal to take the shortest route to do something!! I want to learn as much as I can by taking the scenic route. That really irritates many people because they are obsessive end-gainers. I'm much more interested in the process of steadily building my ideal life than I am in the results! After all, what's money compared with self-development and true happiness!!
Great topic Kyle. It gets better every week!
See you soon for beer!🍺
Linden 🌺
Thank you, Lindi, for your comment, it's appreciated.
All is well, thank you, I hope that all is well your end.
I guess with many things, we have to take risks or make ourselves vulnerable, to move forward! Sometimes, it's the only way to learn!
Have a fantastic Saturday.
Roy
Thanks so much, Roy; I did! I can't believe it's Monday already!!
Have a superb week as the autumn draws on!
Blessings 🌺
Good morning Lindi,
The weeks go by so quickly! It feels like 2024 has just started and yet we are now in September!
Risk-taking in the right way is good!
Thank you; the same to you.
All the best.
Roy
I understand the concept/analogy. I've never been good at basketball. I've played "Around the World" many times. What you said about starting over and why you think it's a good thing makes sense.
On the other hand, I'm tired of starting over in basketball, which is why I stopped playing it many years ago, and as an entrepreneur. I don't need to conquer the world but I need a win-something to let me know I'm headed and heading in the right direction.
I don't know how many times around the world I have left in me.
Don't get me wrong. I have hope and I feel my best days are ahead of me. I'm not desparate. I live a good life. I want to succeed in affiliate and internet marketing. It is my retirement plan but, if it doesn't happen, it's not the end of the world. Life goes on.
I agree failing can be and should be used as a learning experience. Boy, have I had my share and more of my share of learning experiences in life.
The question is, how much failing is enough for someone to realize they're beating a dead horse?
I also believe that the only true failure is giving up.
However, I also understand the true meaning of the word surrender, which I used to think was synonomous with failure. It's not. Surrender means to stop fighting a losing battle and admit you've been licked.
As an entrepreneur, I can't say I feel licked, I'm not yet ready to give up, but I do often feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.
I'm struggling. As I said, I need a win.
As it applies to my life as an entrepreneur, I feel lost in the forest without a compass. I'm not about to give up hope. I can hear victory. I can smell it. I just don't seem to know how to achieve it.
I don't know how else to say it.
Bob
Hey Bob,
Don't get down on yourself. I know it can be hard at the best of times, and I often times feel "licked" from the entrepreneurship game, and that is often times the feeling when you are in the trenches that are requisite to reaching success. You will get there and I will be in your corner there to help you every step of the way. ;)
I don't mean to seem like I'm getting down on myself but I'd be kidding if I said I'm not frustrated. I've sent you some private messages but have not heard back from you. Maybe I'm going about that the wrong way?
Bob
Great video. I have played both around the world and HORSE. But I was not a risk taker I always took the safe route which I am still working on. Getting better at taking little risks since joining Wealthy Affiliate. Thank you Kyle and the whole community for all the support I have gotten.
Haha, most people aren't to be honest. I actually never thought about the fact that I was getting way more shots and practice until I started explaining it to my daughter, but it was always my natural approach to the game.
Not a risk taker at all but working on it! Always take the safer road, hence why I am here at WA, trying to learn and expand myself in this world. Definitely out of my comfort zone, so hope that accounts for something :) Being accepted and appreciated by everyone here has certainly helped my confidence so thank you!
Sometimes we have to work on it, and that is OK. As we become adults, we often times become risk adverse as we tend to get punished if we fail at something. If you screw up at school, you get a fail. If you screw up in the work world, you get in trouble.
But as a kid, we fall lots...get in trouble lots, and get better and find success faster at things we are working on.
It is almost about "becoming a kid again"...as they are always willing to take small risks throughout the day to test their limits, and to learn new things.
I remember playing HORSE, haven't touched a basketball in so long... wasn't my thing, tried out for the basketball team and didn't make the cut. I sucked! But totally agree on taking risks, I think influence plays a role as well because I did take a lot of dumb risks when I was younger 🤣 not the good kind!
Yeah, it's not for everyone. But yes, the idea is that you should be taking "more shots" not less. Those that do, tend to find success with much more efficiency. ;)
Hi Kyle,
That is a very wonderful analogy your video presented. With my other two main businesses not doing so well because of this US economy, I know that I must take a great deal of risk with my new affiliate business. I am hoping that my new business will fill in the gaps that have been created by our economy.
So yes, take risks and fear not. The worse case is you make a mistake and you go back and fix it.
If I was pouring cement and took a risk and made a mistake, that is one thing. Mistakes with taking a risk with your online affiliate business can usually be easily fixed and you can move on from there.
Thank you for your inspiring video as always,
Mike
Take risks and fear not, rather fear not taking risks...as that means not taking action, and not learning the purest path to success (and how to avoid failure).
Just like basketball, the more shots you take, the better you will become. But if you are risk adverse, you are going to take less shots and naturally be far less skilled.
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Hi Kyle:
Thank you for sharing this interesting and practical analogy! How easy it is for us to miss opportunities we have in front of us in our personal and business lives. Things appearing to be setbacks are lessons taking us over hurdles as we keep practicing to become better at what we do.
This is eye opening, and although we may already be taking advantage of those opportunities, it is good to have an example to draw from. It's encouraging.
Veron