Ladysmith

When I was on the basketball team in high school a bunch of us went to a summer basketball camp called Ladysmith in Wisconsin. The assistant coach on our team had been taking players there every few years…and the rumor was it was the best basketball camp.

We didn’t hear why, simply that it was.

Two hour morning session. Three hour afternoon session. Two hour evening session. For three days.

And it wasn’t one big pep talk or feel good inspirational story time. It was going hard. Always doing something with the basketball, always running, always focusing. Playing against taller players, shorter players, players better than you and not quite as good as you. Hours and hours of hard competition.

After ever session we were drained. And at the end of each day we were sure it was impossible to do it all again.

On top of that…Our coach made sure all of us were on the fifth floor of the dorms (the top floor)…no elevators. Nothing like five flights of stairs with jelly legs.

But we all made it out alive. Barely.

We didn’t leave the camp with a bunch of new drills that were going to turn us into Michael Jordan over the summer. And I don’t think the point of the camp was to make us adopt a seven hour per day workout schedule.

It was to show us that we could go harder than we ever thought we could. It was to show us how to push. To show us what it means and what it feels like to work. To max out our focus and our muscles. It was to show us what a two hour practice could look like back home. The coaches pushed our bodies but they knew they were actually stretching our minds much more.

We never would have signed up for it if we knew what it was. But as it turns out…it was the best.

»» Coach Coughlin, thanks for tricking us into that camp. You’re a good coach- Mr. Defense

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How Long Does The Hot Streak Last?

The hot streak, the luck, the momentum, the good fortune…how long does it last?

Or rather…how long do you need it to last?

It depends on what game you’re playing.

It’s march madness again (aka the NCAA basketball tournament), and once again some of the teams that are suppose to win end up losing to the teams that are suppose to lose. It’s one of the main reasons so many people love this tournament.

College basketball is one of those games where any team can put together just enough good plays to beat the other team.

So the underdog doesn’t need the luck to last forever. All they need is forty minutes. Normally they hit six 3-pointers per game but on this night they hit ten. Normally they get two steals but on this night they get seven. Normally the other team shoots really well but on this night they don’t.

The underdog doesn’t (and can’t) magically become a way better team during a forty minute game…but the best of what they are capable of doing can magically stack up all at once. And if you play the game long enough it’s going to happen sooner or later.

Keep playing.

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Climactic Elements

It’s easy to see that big moments in movies are set up via connection and story and tension. The audience feels connection with the characters, the audience has an understanding of the storyline and has hopes for what might happen next. And then the big memorable moment happens.

Music and movies are different but context, set up, connection, tension…these are the same elements that set up the climactic moment at your show. If you don’t have a climactic moment in your show, it’s time to revisit these.

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Listening Up

Generally, the one who does the most talking in the conversation learns the least.

And that’s not to say a bunch of talking is a bad thing.

But it’s worth considering what the conversation is for.

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Thinking About Luck

Focusing on how lucky others are and how unlucky you are is only taking time away from the things that you could be getting better at.

The best way to attract luck is by getting better.

The best way to overcome unluck is by getting better.

While luck is a real thing it doesn’t do much good to think about it.

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Ticket Takers

You probably didn’t hire the ticket takers at the show…but they are the first people your fans see at the show, so they associate the ticket takers with YOU.

Ticket takers are often over looked and under appreciated…that’s why they usually act the way they do.

What if you made an effort to make them feel appreciated? Whether they realize it or not they’re representing you…so it would probably be worth your time.

»» If you’ve ever been an opening band this is the song you meant to sit down and write and just never got around to it. It’s been on the Hum Love playlist before but it’s worth another shout out.

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