ENTITLEMENT vs INVESTMENT
Nov 21, 2008
ENTITLEMENT: Belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain things.INVESTMENT: The commitment to something with the expectation of some future benefit.
As I travel around the country and workout with the best of the best from the high school, college, and NBA levels, I am continually reminded of what these players have in common that makes them great:
• They WANT to get better
• They are coachable
• They WANT to learn everything they can that will help them become a better player
• They are committed to improvement of their game and bodies
• They are very serious about improving their game every time they step on the floor
• They do everything at a high intensity
The best example I can give you is Kobe Bryant. He once told me that he doesn’t work out any more. . . .he now BLACKS OUT. He said that a workout isn’t enough anymore if he’s going to stay on top of his game and take on all the players he knows are coming after him. He said he has to go beyond what all the other players are doing. He took his workouts to another level.
What Kobe is saying is what all players need to hear and need to know. He is willing to INVEST in his game and not stay the same. He was willing to INVEST in his future. He doesn’t feel ENTITLED to be great, ENTITLED to take every shot, ENTITLED to have everything given to him. Kobe has paid the price and continues to pay the price.
The lesson here is one that I tell every one of the players I work with, “it’s not about entitlement if you want to be the best. It’ about investment.”
Becoming the best is not easy. Entitlement will lead to ultimate failure; investment will lead to future success.
