The clock is running down. Game tied. Thirty precious seconds remaining. Emotions are running at a fever pitch. The coach calls his last time-out and gathers his troops around him, quickly sketches out a diagram on his clipboard, and issues his orders.
They are all professionals — the best of the best. They know the game, inside and out. Collectively, they have well over a hundred years of basketball experience among them.
What could the coach be telling them that they don’t already know? Is he speaking in some secret code, unintelligible to mere mortals? I imagined it went something like this: “Okay, listen up. We’re going with Zebrahawk 18b, subformation Wounded Slozzer. High torpedo on the low frontier. Slant those aviators and flush the pipes. Got it? Okay, now…let’s do this!”
For most of my lifetime, it was always an intriguing mystery to me…until they started pinning mics on coaches in the NBA. Finally! I had the chance to hear the sage wisdom that had been eluding me for all those years. And, to my astonishment, here are the types of things they were actually saying: “Play defense!” “Move the ball!” “No turnovers!” “Make your shots!”
Seriously? That was it?! Well, no shit, Sherlock! What could be more obvious? Hell, if that’s all it took, even I — a short, Jewish psychologist — could be a successful coach in the NBA. (I can just see myself in action: “Be assertive, but not aggressive! Protect your self-esteem! And tell me, what were your feelings when you missed that shot?”)
But, after mulling this over for quite some time, I came to a different realization. The game is played at a furious pace. The margin for error is virtually nonexistent. And there are
dozens — if not hundreds — of things players have to keep track of and to accomplish, all of which are essential. But what the coach is telling them is really essential and needs to stand out above all else. So, it turns out that the sage wisdom the coach bestows is to narrow things down…
In times of stress or uncertainty, we sometimes need to be reminded of the obvious: Stick with the basics. Focus on your most important goal. Don’t get distracted. Execute one thing at a time.
Got it? Okay, now…let’s do this!