A PRO ATHLETE’S 2 RULES ON MASTERY

by Trevor Huffman

When I was a kid, I wanted to master the game of basketball. I asked my dad if he would help me. My dad, the farmer, lawyer, and businessman philosopher told me creating a masterful life starts with asking yourself a question.

I snapped my head to look him directly in the eyes. “Well, what’s the question?”

“You sure you want it, you may not like the answer, because it involves very dutiful work, much like chopping wood every da— ”

“Dad, tell me. Stop messing with me.”

“Okay, the question is this: what can you do to make today your masterpiece?”

“Wait, what is a masterpiece?” I asked solemnly. I was 12 and ready to enter my name into the NBA draft.

“It’s work you want to do, BUT IT’S WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY… with supreme skill, care, and focus. It’s like a piece of artwork that is recognized for its extraordinary quality. A Beethoven concerto, a Picasso painting, a Da Vinci invention…” he said.

I screamed in excitement, “YESSSSS! YES! I WANT THIS! I WANT TO CHOP WOOD!”

“Well, where’s your basketball, your biography books on NBA stars, your daily training regimen? That’s how you start chopping, kiddo. Your masterpiece is waiting to be made.”