“One day or day one. It’s your decision.” ~ Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

Hey Reader!

It’s almost mid-season, but I want you to pretend it’s already over.

Next, visualize this. You’re sitting alone in the locker room after the last game of your season, replaying the year in your head. While still visualizing, ask yourself, “What could I have fixed sooner, and what held me back this season?”

I recently watched a neuroscientist talk about something she calls “take it all the way to the end.” The idea relates to life, but it can also apply to basketball. Instead of waiting until the season is over to evaluate your game, you run the season forward in your head and listen to what your future self will say while you still have time to do something about it.

Because the stuff that holds you back usually isn’t obvious while the season is happening. It typically shows up as hesitation, overthinking, and passing up shots.

I learned this the hard way after my second year playing pro in Brussels. I got honest with myself and stopped blaming my teammates, my coach, and my situation. When I looked at my stats and watched game film, it was obvious why I averaged just under 10 a game. In almost every game, there were moments where I played “safe” and deferred to my teammates when I should’ve been hunting shots.

That changed how I trained last summer. I tried to finish every workout with 1 on 1, so I couldn't bail myself out with a pass. It forced me to create. I had to find ways to get off contested threes, to use a quick first step to get by my man, or to finish strong through contact.

Here’s why I’m telling you this now, mid-season. You don’t have to wait until the season ends to evaluate your game. (I wish I hadn’t.)

So go back to that locker room visualization. If the season ended today and you were upset you didn't drive enough or were afraid of contact, what does that actually mean in the next seven days? Maybe it means extra reps finishing through contact or playing 1v1 with rules.

That locker room conversation is coming either way. You can start making the changes now, or you can wait until your season’s over. Up to you.

HLA Alicante Spain Pro League

P.S. If you missed my mom's letter in last week's email, it might be in your spam folder. We're not sure why that happened, but it's worth reading, especially for parents.

3 Hacks From Me

Hack 1: Reflect on last season

Think back to the end of last year’s basketball season. Write down 2 or 3 regrets you had when the season ended. Now, make sure you aren’t going to have those same regrets at the end of this year.

Hack 2: Make one lifestyle change

Figure out one non-basketball habit you can change today that will make you feel better about your season by the end of the year. Maybe it’s getting an extra hour of sleep, taking vitamins daily, or journaling. Maybe it's putting down your phone and going for a long walk to clear your head. (That's the change I'm making!)

Hack 3: Watch game film differently

The best way to take accountability and grow in real time is to watch film. Be brutally honest with yourself. Figure out the things that are in your control (hustle, body language, positioning, aggressiveness) and then see if you are actually doing those things in your game. And if you don’t have film, start filming your games today!

*View all of our past emails at hackinghoops.kit.com/posts​

2 Questions for Growth

1. When the season ends, what do you want to be able to say you improved the most, and what are you doing this week to prove it?
2. If you ran your current daily habits forward for a year, where exactly would you end up, and are you okay with that destination?

Reply to this email and let me know!

1 Video to Watch

​#1 Brain Neuroscientist: "This Will DELETE Your Old Self!" - How To Manifest Anything You Want | Jay Shetty Podcast

Check out our other free resources at HackingHoops.com.

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