It’s February, and much of the talk in the world of college basketball now centers around positioning for the NCAA tournament next month.
Are they in or out? Top seed? On the bubble? First four in…first four out…next four out?
I understand the Big Dance is a big deal. It’s the barometer of success for teams and coaches. But all this talk about seedings and matchups over a month away…can get a little ridiculous.
First, I’ll come clean – when I go on TV, I contribute to the gossip as well 🙋🏻♂️.
I don’t want to downplay the significance of what teams have accomplished up to this point in the season and the importance of what their resumes mean in terms of tournament hopes. But there’s something more important than their current standing. And that is their direction for the future.
Stacking wins in January is great. Stacking wins in March – when it matters most – that’s championship stuff.
This isn’t about college basketball though.
Our current stats – job title, net worth, BMI, etc. – they’re all important, but these are lagging indicators. Our current habits – work ethic, financial stewardship, nutritional intake, etc. – they’re all more important because these are leading indicators.
Bottom line…Our salary or body weight or reputation or strength of relationships don’t matter if our disciplines and actions don’t have them trending in the right direction.
Trajectory. Not position. That’s what most important.
It’s worth it to ask – “Will my current habits get me to where I want to go?”
I have confidence in the player who’s steadily improved through the ups and downs of the season. Give me the team that’s positioned themselves to be their best when it matters most.
Enjoy your journey… 📈📉📈