December 14

In basketball, you cannot make a shot that you don’t take. Thus, the more shots you take, the greater your chances of making some of them.

How many “shots” you are taking in your life? How often are you putting work into the world? How many different kinds of activity are in your portfolio of risk? The more shots you take, the more likely some of them will actually land in the metaphorical basket.

– Have a few projects in your life that you’re working on purely out of passion or curiosity.

– As a team leader, encourage people to explore ideas that could be a “moon shot”, but could also provide unimaginable value to the organization long-term.

– Refuse to settle for the first idea, even if it’s acceptable. Keep pushing until you are a little scared of where you landed.

– Refuse to allow fear of failure to limit your perspective. If you want to do good work, you will fail. If you’re not failing occasionally, you’re probably not stretching yourself.

The more shots you take, the more you are likely to make.

Winning is often a game of percentages. Practice and hone your skills through unnecessary creating, follow your instincts for opportunity, and don’t be afraid to take shots and miss.

Question: What shot or shots do you need to take?