“Trent, here’s the deal — when the music plays, you dance. And you keep dancing as long as it plays.”
No, this wasn’t what my HS prom date told me. It’s what my agent said to me.
In 2012, after three years of professional basketball, I was set on moving on from ball. Well, a few months into a brief ‘retirement’, I called up my agent and said I wanted to continue playing. He started talking about dancing.
I’m no dancer, but I got the message. The music won’t play forever, and if you want to continue the party, then you better be on the dance floor.
The reference to dancing was subtle, but it has stuck with me.
Opportunities come…and they go.
The athlete has a finite time to compete. When your number’s called, you better enter the game. When there’s an opening, you better take that shot.
Some opportunities are clearly big — the final possession in a tied game, the decision to change one’s career, or saying “I do” at the altar.
Some opportunities may appear small — a random possession in the first half, staying consistent to your plan, or having dinner together as a family.
All of them are meaningful.
Be ready to go.
As an athlete, the most important thing I needed to do was be in shape. If I wasn’t in shape? Forget about it — I wasn’t ready. The opportunity was lost. Gone.
If I was in shape? Then my fatigue wouldn’t fog my focus. Then I could work on my skills. Then I could help a teammate. Then I could impact the game.
Get in the game.
There’s always music to sync up to. It might be a presentation to crush, a tough conversation to initiate, or a crying baby to console. They’re all moments which require our participation. Step into them and make an impact.
And while you’re at it…you might as well bust a move!
