Shall We Dance?

Today, I started watching the Last Dance on Netflix. I have had several professors recommend that I watch this documentary series. I’ve always loved basketball, but never really enjoyed watching others play the sport…. Okay, well I haven’t enjoyed watching men play the sport. I really enjoy watching ladies basketball. They are just two totally different games. That’s not to say that I don’t respect the athleticism of male players. Anyway, I remember the Chicago Bulls heyday, as may of the people I knew at the time were big Bulls and Michael Jordan fans. It just wasn’t something that I played into at the time.

Now, fast forward 20 some odd years and I’m watching the documentary to learn about sport psychology and how sports plays a role in the spirituality of players and community. I’m only one episode in, and I see that Michael Jordan was determined to be an amazing player from a young age. He had “grit.” Was that instilled by his mother who made sure that he got his education or was he naturally self driven and his mother just help push him further in his goals? Clearly, he had a winning combination of nature and nurture to produce the legacy that he has. Really, when people start tattooing themselves with your likeness then you have to know you have made some sort of impression on society.

Now, I’m also in the middle of Grit by Angela Duckworth… Don’t confuse her with Tammy Duckworth. They are different people. (that’s a joke… of course they are different people) This book attempts to delve deep into what makes people produce incredible feats. What makes someone amazing at a task? It takes hard work, determination, and conscious practice over hours and hours to achieve these feats.

Time is up…. More tomorrow.