The Importance Of Being The Point Guard Of Your Life.

Tweet

Anyone that frequently reads any of the topics that I cover on here are probably aware that I am a huge sports fan. Though I rarely talk directly about sports on here, unless I do it when I'm on my soapbox, sports have always been something that I'm extremely passionate about. One of my favorite sports that I not only play occasionally, but also follow is basketball; more specifically the NBA. I don't have anything against college basketball, I just don't find it all that appealing until March Madness begins. Now for those of you that follow or have any general knowledge of basketball know that there are five positions that players can play while they're on the court. You have a center, which is typically a team's largest player. You have a power forward and a small forward, which are also considered members of the a team's front line. Finally, you have a shooting guard and a point guard to round out the five players on the court. The shooting guard position is typically what it sounds like; a player that is generally considered a great shooter. Then we get to the point, which is probably the most important position that a team has. Most point guards are the smallest players on the court, but they often have the most responsibility. The reason for this is due to the fact that the point guard typically has to be an extension of a team's head coach. If you watch basketball, you will typically see the point guard receiving coaching instructions from the coach on what plays to run. If you really think about it, a team's successes and failures will typically depend on what kind of point guard the team has. Being that I see sports as a catalyst for life, the same could be said about our own lives in respect to the importance of a point guard.

Yo, yo, yo! What's going on folks? This is Brad H. back once again for another topic, and I'd like to welcome you all to another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! This is a blog where I give my opinion on a topic that I think would be beneficial to those of us that are seeking added inspiration in our lives. Thank you to long time readers, and welcome to anyone that may be reading for the first time. So for my soapbox this week, I want to bring up something that I'm sure everyone has seen in the news. As you all may know, the "Coronavirus" is spreading throughout the world at a pretty fast pace. I saw on the news earlier today where the first death in the United States due to the virus happened today. I know this virus has created quite a stir, and understandably so. However, I just want to encourage everyone to try and not panic first of all. Always be alert, but never quick to panic. Secondly, do whatever you can to keep your immune system up. I personally take multivitamins, and I drink a lot of orange juice. Finally, please wash your hands as much as you can. It amazes me how people still think that the weather is the reason why so many people get the flu and colds. The weather contributes, but most of the sicknesses that exist are the result of bacteria. I'm not a doctor or anything, but the things I stated have worked pretty well for me when it comes to avoiding sickness. I just wanted to bring that up because I know that we haven't seen a virus that has caused such a ruckus since the "Swine Flu" back in 2009. Now that I've gotten on my soapbox, lets go ahead and talk about the importance of being the point guard of your life.

Now when it comes to the idea of being the point guard within our own lives, of course I'm not talking about a point guard in terms of basketball in a literal sense. We're not talking about great point guards such as John Stockton, Chris Paul, or Isaiah Thomas just to name a few. What I'm going to be focusing more on in this topic are the attributes and skills that make a great point guard on the basketball court. I'm aware that all of you likely know that already, but I just wanted to be make sure I stated that before I get into what we're bringing up in this topic. Now when we think of what skills that are required for a point guard to be an effect floor general, there are typically three things that I instantly think of. The three attributes I think of are awareness, control, and trust. There are even more attributes that make for a great point guard, and I could probably write a novel on all of those. I'm going to roll with the three that I thought of first, and I believe that these three attributes will be the most effective at helping me get across the idea that I'm seeking to convey. I'm going to start out first with the attribute of control. For a point guard to be effective on the court, he or she has to exhibit a great amount of control. For example, when the other team that he is squaring off against goes on a run, the point guard cannot allow himself to panic. If the point guard panics while on the court, then the rest of the team will likely do so as well.

Secondly, we have the attribute of awareness. A point guard has to be aware of what's going on at all times on the court. He or she has to know when certain teammates are open, as well as when to get the ball to them. They have to be able to be aware of the clock and various other scenarios that come along with being a floor general. Finally, we have the attribute of trust. A good point guard has to be able to rely on their teammates. This means that they have to be selfless and willing to put their trust in their teammates for the betterment of the team to be successful. Now when it comes to the awareness, control and trust qualities that are required for a point guard to be great, these are attributes that are not only important when it comes to sports, but also when it comes to navigating through the game of life. I've spoken this on here before in the past, but in terms of living life and being able to maintain while living it, many aspects of life in and of itself is similar to sports. We all deal with competition on on various levels, and we all have an ultimate goal to succeed in life. Basically, life is a game, and if you're going to find a way to conquer and win, you're going to need the aforementioned traits.

So this ultimately brings us to the importance of being the point guard of your life. From my own perspective, everything that I've pretty much stated so far within this topic sums up the importance of being the point guard of your life. However, the three attributes that I mentioned when it comes to be a great point are the catalysts as to why I believe it is important. First off, you have to be able to be in control of your life like a point guard has control over how he deals with his team. Too many of us lose control when things get rough in our lives. It may be difficult at times, but always try to be in control of yourself and the things you do. Secondly, be aware of any and everything that you allow into your life. Many of the problems we face stem from a lack of self-awareness. Finally, have people in your life that you can trust. Like I mentioned earlier, a point guard has to be able to trust his teammates. Think of the people in your life as if they are teammates of yours, and gauge your trust levels properly. If there are people that you can't trust that are a part of your life, it may be time for a substitution. Before I end this topic and let you all go; when it comes to trust, always trust yourself first and foremost. A good point guard has great instincts, and I believe that comes from self belief. We should apply the same logic to ourselves in order to put ourselves in a better position to win.

Well that is all that I have for you all on the importance of being the point guard of your life. I hope that I was able to put this topic into words that have been understandable for you all. This has been another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective' brought to you by Brad H. Thank you once again to those of you that came through. If you have any comments or feedback that you'd like to leave, please feel free to do so in the comment box. You can also connect with me on Twitter @BradrickH if your heart so desires. Well I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend. Be safe out there, and have a good week ahead. I'll see you all on the next topic. Take care everyone, and peace out!

©2020 Bradrick H. All Rights Reserved.

Why Viewing Things Outside Of Yourself Helps You Gain A Greater Understanding.

Tweet

I think saying that most people in the world today are extremely self-absorbed would be a massive understatement. I imagine that from the beginning of time that we as people have always been this way. However, in my time living on this planet, I've noticed over the years that we have taken selfishness to an entirely different level. When I was growing up as a kid, while people were indeed selfish, people also seemed like they were more willing to take others into account. I remember a time when people would fall on hard times and need help, family and friends would pull together to help the people that experienced setbacks. I'm in no way saying that people like this do not exist today. I'm simply saying that people aren't as quick to do so like they once did. Now there are various reasons for why we as people have become so self-absorbed with ourselves. That's something that I will go more into later on in this topic. Also, being a selfish person to an extent isn't that bad of a thing in certain circumstances. Yes, there are definitely times where you do have to look out for your own needs and desires before others. I've always viewed life as a sort of give and take type of thing. There are going to be times when you have to look out for yourself, but there will also be moments where taking a backseat to others the better option. When it comes to us as people being so self-absorbed within ourselves, it often leads to us missing out on the greater picture of life. This is truly detrimental for those of us that are seeking an greater a greater understanding of life. Though it may be beneficial for us to be selfish and self-absorbed at times, making an attempt to view things outside of ourselves can help lead to a greater understanding.

What's good once again people? This is Brad H. reporting once again, and I'd like to welcome you all to another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! I am back once again to bring a topic that I've been thinking of lately. Through those thoughts, I'm hopefully able to express myself with this topic in hopes that it will help inspire us all. Those that are regular visits here know that this is the section of the post where I talk about something that isn't related to the topic for the week. So for this week's soapbox section, I want to talk about something that I don't like to bring up that often on here; politics. We are in an election year once again, and I thought I would give a few of my thoughts on the biases and manipulation that surrounds politics. Now if we're being honest, most people here in America don't really follow politics until it's an election year. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but I think that those of us that are seeking to be informed about what's going on in the world of politics need to be aware of who and what we're listening to. A lot of the mainstream media outlets have corporate interests invested in particular candidates, and their coverage isn't always going to be fair and balance like they claim it will be. I encourage everyone to go beyond what you see and hear on the mainstream media outlets, and take a look at alternative sources. There are a lot of other resources that are available for us to make informed choices. I just wanted to say that because the mainstream media often attempts to manipulate us with their hidden agendas. Just aim to be an informed voter is all I'm saying. So now that I've gotten that out of the way, lets go ahead and get more into this week's topic of why viewing things outside of yourself helps towards gaining a greater understanding.

Now I began this topic speaking about how self-absorbed that we as people are these days, but when you're able to truly evaluate the world that we're living in with a clear mind, it really isn't all that hard to see why most people are this way. Now I'm not entirely sure when the biggest shift came in regards to people being overly consumed with themselves. What I do know is that there have been numerous developments and changes over the years that have aided in this happening. What I personally would consider to be one of the biggest reasons as to why we're so self-absorbed is technology constantly changing and evolving. Technology has evolved so much over the decades, and through that evolution that has occurred, with it has come an immense amount of convenience. Now having certain things being convenient in your life isn't always a bad thing. Just like I brought up in the last topic that I covered on here, there are times when taking the more easier way over the harder way will benefit you the most. However, it is also wise to remember that when it comes to having things that are so easily convenient in your life, it can put you in a position where you constantly expect things to happen quickly. It is pretty much similar to the idea of instant gratification, and we all know by know that social media has played a huge factor in the rise of instant gratification.

Now when it comes down to the concept of being able to gain a greater understanding, some may wonder what exactly is it that I'm referring to? The simple definition of the word "understanding" is "the ability to understand something; comprehension." From my own perspective, this can entail a limitless amount of things that could be understood. It also means that you're aware that some things in this life aren't always going to be able to be understood by you, and that is okay as well. When I personally think of what understanding means to me, I think of it as being able to view life in general in a much larger lens. I think of being able to see outside of that little bubble that we all tend to create for ourselves. Now there isn't anything with being in your bubble, nor is there nothing wrong with looking out for yourself the majority of the time. I personally feel that the problem settles in when you become so over consumed with yourself to the point where you can't comprehend things from the perspective of others. This is where the whole self-absorbed thing that I have brought up throughout this topic comes into play.

So why do I believe that viewing things outside of yourself can help towards having a greater understanding? Well from my perspective, being able to see things outside of yourself gives you a greater sense of empathy and compassion. See, from my perspective, when you're overly self-absorbed and selfish, you're blinding yourself to the larger picture of life. I believe that many people forget that while your life is only yours to live, there are billions of other people that are here as well. I know that sounds obvious, but for people that are too self-absorbed with themselves, being forgetful of that is likely a regular occurrence. Now you can be a person that is all of the things that I have described in regards to be overly consumed only with yourself, and you may be okay with that. However, what I've noticed is that the people that don't exhibit these traits constantly are the people that others gravitate to. I believe that when you're a person that has understanding and can see the more broader picture, you gain an added understanding of being able to relate to others. This is why I believe it is important to at least make the attempt to view things outside of yourself. Yes, we're all important and valuable as individuals, but there is always things that are much bigger than ourselves that are going on as well. There are many different paths towards having understanding, and I think seeing things outside of ourselves is one of the greatest paths that we can take.

That pretty much covers what I wanted to convey in this topic, so it is time for me to depart once again. Thank you all that stopped through for another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! Like I always bring up in my closings, I hope that there was some meaning and understanding that could be taken away from this topic. Any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to leave those in the comment section. You can also hit me up on Twitter @BradrickH if you'd like to connect on there. Well I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I thank you all for the support once again. Have a great week ahead, and I hope to see you all in the next topic. Till that times comes, peace and blessings to you all!

©2020 Bradrick H. All Rights Reserved.

Why Developing And Maintaining Discipline Is Hard, But Worth It.

Tweet

I believe that the good majority of us that are willing to be honest with ourselves will admit that most of us would rather do something that is easy compared to something that is hard. I mean who doesn't want to take the easier route if you can prevent yourself from doing something harder right? For whatever reason or another that I personally can't grasp, the majority of people are just hardwired to take the most convenient choice if given. Now I personally feel that we should aim to take the easier path when it is presented to us. I mean there is no point in making something harder if it doesn't have to be right? However, just like with all things that can be viewed subjectively, it is always important to view things within their proper context. When it comes to the idea of taking the easier path vs. the harder path, the idea of putting things into context is pretty crucial. What I mean when I say this is that while most of us prefer the easier path, there are going to be times when taking the easier path will not be beneficial to us. There are certain situations and scenarios where you do better to take the more harder way in order to get to where you want to be. I bring all of this up because when it comes to the easy way vs. the hard way, the act of maintaining discipline is something that can test us to our core. The truth is that maintaining discipline is something that not everyone can do for an extended period of time. Much of this stems from the fact that maintaining discipline is something that is very hard to do. However, most of the things in our lives that are hard to do end up being the things that are the most worthwhile in the end.

Hey, what is going on people? This is Brad H. reporting once again, and I'd like to welcome you all to another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! This is a space where I give my perspective on a topic that I think would help towards keeping us all motivated. So for my soapbox this week, I'm going to address the unfortunate passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant. I think that the sports world, and maybe even the world in general was brought to a halt last Sunday when we find out about Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and the other seven passengers that all died on helicopter crash in California. This was truly an shock to many of us that grew up watching Kobe. Now I personally wasn't a fan of Kobe the basketball player at the beginning of his career. One of the biggest reasons for that is that I have never liked the Lakers much. But I will say that I always respected how talented of a player he was. Also, my feelings towards Kobe began to change in the latter part of his career. I saw what I always assumed as a cocky young man in the earlier part of his career turn into a mentor for the Lakers in the championship runs they had during the post Shaquille O'neal years. It seemed to me that he really matured and understood that in order for him to be successful, he would have to learn how to not only be a mentor, but also learn to trust his teammates. I think that the reason so many people are taking his passing so hard is because we literally felt like we grew up with Kobe. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, as well as the families of the other people that were lost. May all their souls rest in peace, and I encourage you all that are reading this to reach out to anyone you love and care for this weekend. Life can change in an instance, and this unfortunate event is a prime example of that. It is not time for me to go ahead and transition into this week's topic of why maintaining discipline is worth it in the end.

Now if you have been a regular reader here on this blog for the past several years, you are likely already aware of the fact that I've brought up the idea of discipline before. Much of my reasoning for talking frequently about discipline is due to the idea that it entails so many aspects of life. It's not something that can be viewed in a vacuum, which ultimately means that it can be interpreted and defined in many different ways. A good portion of what discipline means comes down to the individual and what it means to them personally. With there being so many ways to define what discipline is, it is up to us as individuals to determine what it means to our lives. With that being said, I believe that anyone that has made an attempt to become more disciplined in their lives can speak on how much of a challenge it can be to maintain. When I personally think of what it means to be disciplined, I think of a person that is aiming to stick to a specific lifestyle or way of living. This means not only making a concerted effort to cut out certain things in our lives, but also making a commitment to actively keeping those things out of our lives. Again, the "things" that I'm referring to can be anything depending on what discipline means to you. For example, lets say that a person that has been drinking soda all their lives and are seeking to stop drinking it. For most of us, giving up something that has been a part of your life for such a long period of time isn't an easy thing to do.

I talked earlier about how most of us would rather take the easy way vs. the hard way in most situations right? Well when it comes to the act of discipline as a whole, the word "easy" likely will not be associated with it. The majority of anything that is related to discipline is going to be tough to start and maintain. I believe from my own perspective that the reason that maintaining discipline is so hard comes from the fact that it makes us very uncomfortable. Just like it is in our human nature to want to take the easy way out most of the time, it is also in most of our nature to stay within our comfort zone. The thing is that growth doesn't come from us staying in our comfort zone, and nor does it come if we're not willing to do the things that could be classified as being "hard". If you are someone that is truly serious about wanting to change your life, or if you're trying to give up certain things that no longer serve you, you're going to have to go down the road of developing discipline. Now though it may be tough making the choice to take this path if you so desire to do so, there are benefits that can come from making the hard choice. This is where the idea of maintaining discipline is worth it in the end.

So now that we've talked about and set a general basis for how hard it is maintaining discipline, it is time to go ahead and sum all of this up and get down to why discipline is worth it in the end. Now I'm not one that does the whole comparison thing when it comes to people, but I can also acknowledge that there are some instances in life where those comparisons are relevant. I believe that this here topic of discipline is a prime example of where it applies. From my own perspective, I believe the reason why developing, having, and maintaining discipline is worth is because of what I mentioned earlier; most people would rather take the path that is easier. See, I believe that if you're someone that regularly maintains discipline in many facets of your life, you are likely leaps and bounds ahead of the people that aren't doing such. I believe that this is important because there are times in life where you're going to have to compete against another person in order to have success. I believe that doing the hard things that I've constantly made reference to helps towards having discipline. It is similar to an athlete that is training for an upcoming event. The athlete that trains will always have an advantage over their competitors that do not. Beyond just athletics and competition, having discipline for facing this world is important as well. It is just like the mentality of survival of the fittest. The people that are the most discipline are best equipped to take on life, and that is ultimately why though despite being hard, developing, maintaining and having discipline is worth it in the end.

Well that pretty much sums up this week's topic everyone. I hope that it is one that you all can relate to, and I hope that you're able to take some valuable away from it. Thank you all once again for coming by for another installment of 'Brad H.'s Perspective'! I hope that I was able to express myself in a way that has meaning and understanding. If you have any comments to contribute, please feel free to do so in the comment section. If you are on Twitter and would like to connect with me, you can hit me up the handle @BradrickH. Well I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend, and be sure to hug, call, or spend time with someone you care for this weekend. It's unfortunate that it takes tragic things happening for us to realize what is important in life, but that is how it goes unfortunately. You all have a great week ahead. Rest in peace Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Peace!

©2020 Bradrick H. All Rights Reserved.